Not a lot of people express their love for weeds.
But would you believe I recently found someone doing just that!
Searching social media
For me, as the magazine’s Features Editor and occasional contributor to our Twitter account, social media is a marvellous way of finding features ideas.
I know it’s getting a bit of a bad rap these days. We’re all aware of how it can be such a source of spite and anger, and that people in the public eye get no end of grief through it.
But there is good news out there, too, as well as the sad stories we’ve been hearing lots about recently.
Amongst all the hullabaloo, you’ll find a lot of people talking calmly about how to make the world a better place.
Obviously the list of people we follow is a curated selection based on the mag’s own optimistic world-view. But there are hundreds of great Tweeters out there worth following — social enterprises, charities, inspiring people, positive role models . . .
Photograph courtesy of Jack Wallington.
It was on there that I learned more about this chap, Jack Wallington, who was in one of our “Notes From My Garden” articles by Alexandra Campbell.
Jack’s garden design firm is based in Clapham, London, and he’s a keen advocate of weeds.
A place in our garden
A “weed” is any plant that grows in an unwanted place.
The fact is that managing a garden can seem like a constant battle to keep what you’ve planted alive. And to keep intruding plants out.
Really, though, weeds are probably the plants that most deserve a place in our garden. They’re hardy, they flourish with very little attention and quite often they are very beautiful.
There are, of course, plenty of exceptions — a number of invasive species need rooting out ASAP — but otherwise we could save ourselves a lot of time and energy by embracing what wants to grow rather than what we want to grow.
And by using species that will do well in the ground and cover bare soil quickly, you can stop things that you really don’t want to grow from even getting a foothold.
Have a look at the feature in this week’s issue — February 22 — and let us know what you think.
For more from Alex, click here to read his blog.
Alex Corlett I am the "Friend's" Features Editor, working with the talented Features Team to bring you everything from cryptic crosswords to financial advice, knitting patterns to international travel and inspirational real life stories. Always on the hunt for a new feature idea, I also enjoy cycling and love a good tea room.
