In Bfth's Garden

When we first "found" our home in the Poconos, one of the things that drew us in was the yard.  (Both front and back, but mostly the back.)  I am NOT a gardener.  (I have a black thumb)  However, both my husband and I were drawn in by the beauty of all the variety of plants that blossomed in the area.  There is not just one kind of tree or flower or plant, but many different ones.  The yard is not boring or bland; its diversity makes it stand out.  Having grown up in a suburban area where all the yards were lawn filled and similar, the variegation was enticing. Different colors, different sizes make it a perfect refuge for birds and bees, as well as us humans.   How could we not love it?

But what I didn't know is how much "weeding" I would have to do.  At the end of last summer, when we moved in, everything had pretty much been taken care of.  There was a fall clean up and one in the spring.  Then the warm weather and rain took hold in late spring/early summer and everything took off.  I wasn't expecting it.  (I don't know what I expected!)  While I was able to have our landscaper cut back the overgrowth, there were still invasive weeds like were taking over!  Specifically I am talking about what I believe to be chameleon plant & spotted spurge.

I've "bitched" about the spurge before:  (https://bfthsboringblog.blogspot.com/2025/07/vacation.html).  It peeks up in unwanted places, crawling into the cracks between the pavers in the yard.  In other places they are easier to remove, although they are "sticky," which is my book is "icky."  No one wants stickiness to take over.  I regret to say that because I was unable to get to the roots when it was growing in between the bricks on the patio, that I did resort to weed killer.  I didn't want to do it, but I did.  In places where I could pull it, I did.  But in the places I couldn't get it...yes, I used chemicals.  I'm not happy about that, but I am happy that the spurge is gone.

Now the chameleon plant looks like ivy.  It's pretty.  It blends in.  I thought it looked nice over by the garage.  But as Southern Living told me:  "Chameleon plant has brightly colored foliage that blends shades of red, pink, green, and yellow in attractive combinations. What we call chameleon plant is Houttuynia cordata 'Tricolor,' and it gets its name from those distinctive leaves. It grows to 9 to 18 inches tall and 12 to 24 inches wide and spreads through underground rhizomes. It's native to Southeast Asia, including China, Thailand, India, Korea, and Japan.

"Unfortunately, this plant spreads like there's no tomorrow. The Grumpy Gardener describes it like this: "Usually planted as a ground cover or a color plant for the shade, it spreads by every way imaginable. Thick networks of roots snake through the ground. Pieces that fall on the ground take root."

 It was growing up through my boxwood, holly and Russian sage.  Soon it was taking over my roses.  I love roses.  (Who doesn't?)  But the ivy like chameleon looked like it was choking out the beautiful (but thorny) plants.  There were no more beautiful red, pink and yellow buds.

So I've gotten in there and tried to get rid of much of it as possible.  It isn't easy because they are actually wrapped around and enfolded the rose plants.  I've gotten pricked by thorns in my attempts which is not fun.  But I think it's worth it.  I don't want my roses destroyed!  I want them to continue to bloom and fill the yard with their marvelous scent.   

Speaking of scents, these chameleon stink to high heaven when you try to pull them up.  I have gloves that smell as a result.  Yuck.  I have been somewhat successful in removing them. I have slowly managed to pull up these plants that want to take over, but I know it will be a battle that I have to continue and not just this year if I want to have a yard full of a variety of plants and different colors. 

I will say, that I have been taking my "weeds" (and not just the spurge and chameleon) as I pull them and putting them in a container.  (Actually an old bin that I believe was used for recycling.)  When it's full, I take the bits outside the gate over to an area that we don't use and I dump it.  I know that the deer and other critters are eating it because it eventually vanishes.  So I suppose that even my weedy overgrowth can be put to good use, as it should be.  

Weeds may be part of life.  Something that I (a non-gardener) will have to contend with.  If I want a diverse and colorful yard full of a wide variety of beautiful plants, I will have to keep working.  Because it's worth it.  At least in my opinion...