Tuesday, 27 May 2014

Dandelion Therapy in my lawn



Dandelion Therapy 

Pulling dandelions is the therapy I am talking about and this year 2014 I am changing my approach to dealing with dandelions in my lawn.

flowering and going to seed
Don't get me wrong dandelions do have nutritional benefits and for those you should Google dandelion therapy there are many great sites.

Wikipedia informed me that my lawn dandelions are a cousin to my favourite flower the sunflower – they are both part of the Asteraceae family and I thought for a long time that was the end of their similarity.

Dandelions in the lawn

I deliberately plant sunflowers in my flower beds, whereas my dandelions grow hither and yon in my lawn and other places.  I do not agree with herbicides because they kill off more than the weeds – I like honey!  This has meant that each year from spring to fall I am out there digging up dandelions.

Dandelions going to seed
We have tried to pay our grandchildren .25 cents a root and this works for about 10 minutes and then they give up wanting to spend their dollars at the Ice Cream Parlor and of course grandma is just too happy to go for ice cream.  That was not sarcasm I love ice cream.

So what am I doing different this year?  I am setting aside 30 minutes every day that it is not raining and I take my cushion, trowel and compost bucket to the lawn where with each dandelion that I pull I give thanks for a blessing that I have received that day and/or I offer up intercessory prayer for a friend, the world or other prayer request.

The first day after 30 minutes I got up put everything away and came inside now on day 7 as I approach the lawn I am already giving thanks.  Sitting among the grass and dandelions  alone with my thoughts under the canopy of sky I appreciate the opportunity this amazing flower has provided me.
Dandelion

I still do not want dandelions in my lawn but call me crazy I can see the similarity to their cousin the sunflower  – they both bring me joy!

What  part of gardening do you find therapeutic?


Grandma Snyder
©2013-2015 twosnydergirls 

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