If you have read my blog or listened to one of my conversations about gardening, you will know that the “Wild Strawberry” (Fragaria virginiana) weed is the bane of my gardening existence. That and “Fish Mint,” also known as Chameleon Plant (Houttuynia cordata), is a beautiful plant; it can be great as a tea and anti-cancer plant, but also takes over, choking out other plants and even bushes. Its root system is a marvel. I will save that rant for another day.
A few years ago, one of my crazy garden ideas was to rid ourselves of the grassy front yard to make a lovely quilt of small bushes. My husband, Rob, put in a concrete spiral path. It’s incredibly lovely, and it’s still a work in progress. Last year’s schedule prevented me from working on the garden, and the wild strawberry weed took over, growing 8-12 inches high in some areas and covering the small bushes. It’s taking forever, but I am slowly conquering the weeds.
The next question is how to keep them from returning. We do not use pesticides on our property and have recently ordered a sign as a “Pollinator Pathway” (check out https://www.pollinator-pathway.org). This is a new resource for me and has excellent advice and plant lists to assist pollinators.
I’ve completed about half of the weeding of the wild strawberry and a lot of mint. Suggestions for plants, ground covers, and any ideas welcome! Please email me at sharon@sharon-brubaker.com. My thought is that creeping, red thyme will pull the quilt together.
Back to the jungle!
