How does your garden grow May week 5

Another week and we have had a few days of sunshine but mostly much rain and wind.  This week i thought i would focus on something gardeners hate WEEDS!!  Actually i don't mind weeds well in moderation anyway.


Above is a lovely self seeding California Poppy weeding its way round our pathways and crooks and crannies.  Most weeds provide great habitation for wildlife that is beneficial to your garden especially if you have a veg patch as the good bugs and butterflies that live there with eat all those pesky bugs that destroy your crops or pollenate your flowers. With the bugs comes frogs, hedgehogs, birds etc and before you know it you have your own nature reserve in your garden.

Here is a picture of a self seeding weed we have in our garden its bushy and pretty but we don't know the name.  On the subject of what is a weed i guess its in the eye of the beholder what one person considers a weed another may consider rather nice.

Nettles most people rip out but these really are amazing havens for all those creatures that can help out in your garden.  Nettles are also really Healthy, High in Iron and lots of vitamins they can help with so much such as Asthma, eczema, arthritis and lots more.

You can make a NETTLE TEA and here is a link to find out a bit more.

For an amazing naughtier drink NETTLE BEER that is so delicious try this link

I make soap and i have a few older ladies with rheumatism and younger teenagers with spotty greasy skin who use my NETTLE SOAP





This weekend we had lots of frogs hopping round our garden as you can see 2 have fallen in love and taken up residence in some rain water in a pot.  I wonder if Sophie was to kiss one she would find her prince Charmin    



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Mammasaurus - How Does Your Garden Grow?
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26 comments:

  1. Anonymous30 May 2013 at 12:15

    those frogs look huuuuuge!! argh!!

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    1. Helen30 May 2013 at 14:51

      ribbet!! i'm surprised at how many we find hopping about

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  2. Mrs Fox30 May 2013 at 13:48

    I keep looking at the nettles on my allotment and thinking I really should make nettle soup. Your nettle soap sounds interesting, I'll have to go and have a look.

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    1. Helen30 May 2013 at 14:52

      pesto is really nice too, get them while they are young and tender as when they get older they are to gritty.

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  3. Beta Mother30 May 2013 at 15:22

    wow - frogs! Didn't expect them! Californian Poppies are stunning, aren't they?

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    1. Helen30 May 2013 at 15:50

      they are lovely we didnt even plant them they just pop up all over the garden

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  4. Lil Muse Lily30 May 2013 at 15:58

    oh wow! we have frogs too but i only hear them at night by our bedroom window. and i don't mind weeds so much either. as long as they are pretty ;)

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  5. Sarah - The Puffin Diaries30 May 2013 at 16:00

    After foraging for wild garlic recently I was going to look at making nettle something or other so thanks for those links. I love that poppy and the one with no name, all adding colour so I would let them stay too. Your daughter is gorgeous too and I'm sure she won't need to kiss many frogs.

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    1. Helen30 May 2013 at 17:59

      wild garlic now thats something i would love to find a learn about do you have a post on it at all ?? thank you for the nice comments :)

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  6. Mammasaurus30 May 2013 at 22:48

    Some weeds are really stunning aren't they? I don;t have a clue what is a weed and what's a plant most of the time in our garden and work on a 'if it's pretty it can stay' rule!

    Those frogs are mahooosive!

    Thanks for linking up my dear x

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  7. Charly Dove30 May 2013 at 22:51

    I'm liking that red weed although I've not got the faintest idea what it is! Those frogs look massive, great picture :)

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    1. Helen31 May 2013 at 09:24

      those are the small frogs you should see the toads!!!

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  8. Anonymous31 May 2013 at 15:15

    great pictures, I am in the process of making nettle wine, should be ready in a month or so another great use for nettles!

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  9. Helen31 May 2013 at 17:08

    Nettle wine sounds really nice :)

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  10. Anonymous31 May 2013 at 18:31

    we love frogs, we get the odd one here and a grass snake or 2! I do like nettle tea and I do have enough nettles in my garden to make a brewery but still not tempted, will buy!

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  11. Helen31 May 2013 at 19:16

    Grass snakes wow your really lucky to have them, are they a protected species ?

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  12. Shell Louise31 May 2013 at 22:05

    I'm jealous of your frogs. We put a pond in a few years ago because I wanted frogs in the garden. We got a couple but found the pond really hard work so eventually took it out and now have a small waterfall water feature that's not really any good for wildlife. One day I hope to have a natural pond with loads of frogs!
    I also have the same outlook on weeds, if it looks nice, it stays :)

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    1. Helen31 May 2013 at 23:36

      We dont have a pond we do have a wood pile and its that they love and live in there used to be a pond in our garden but no frogs were in it very odd

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  13. Elizabeth 31 May 2013 at 22:22

    Oh my goodness - frogs - I'm completely phobic about them and can't believe your daughter is holding one...um....
    Beautiful poppy and you're right some weeds can look pretty in moderation...
    Right off to find some valium after that run in with frogs ;)
    xx

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    1. Helen31 May 2013 at 23:37

      Hehe sorry to raise your blood pressure.

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  14. Happy Homebird2 June 2013 at 21:43

    Is it red valerian? If so, I want some in my garden as it reminds me of holidays in Dorset and Devon. We have frogs living in an old plastic tub filled with smelly water - they frequently jump out of the borders and scare me!

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    1. Helen2 June 2013 at 22:00

      We have bushes and bushes of the stuff and would be happy to send you a sprig it self seeds everywhere and next year you could have loads too :)

      We do love the frog its always a surprise to find them and then chase them all over the garden

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  15. Nichola Fabfortymum4 June 2013 at 14:31

    oh look at her so happily holding those big frogs. What a wonderful treat to have them hopping around the garden :)

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  16. Helen4 June 2013 at 20:32

    All things wildlife is a wonder to behold at that age :)

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