The first but not the last time my daughter challenged my choices in the garden.
I relish insights from my children in all aspects of life. They have wonderful views and expose ideas that I had never considered before. I love the way they challenge me.
This challenge came out of the blue… I was putting washing on the clothesline. It was a hot day, a busy day and I had lots to do. My daughter was a toddler then, but a very articulate toddler. She may have got her verbosity from me, but that’s another story.
“Mum, what’s this flower called?” my daughter asked, her voice full of her delight at her discovery.
I turned to look, peg in hand. It was a weed. Thinking about my day and duties and the washing I answered quickly without much thought.
“I don’t know sweetie. It’s just a weed.”
“What does weed mean?” Her little brow furrowed as she considered this new concept and its connotations.
“Ummm, I guess it’s a plant that is in a spot where you don’t want that plant.”
Brow still furrowed she was examining the flower as I turned back to the washing.
“But why wouldn’t anyone want a flower as pretty as you?” whispered my daughter behind me.
I turned and she was examining the flower but instead of delight, there was sadness. My heart sunk. I abandoned the washing.
“Let’s go and look it up.”
That pink flowered weed is known by many names: Emilia, Cupid’s Shaving Brush, Flora’s Paint Brush, Lilac Tasselflower and more. It’s scientific name is Emilia sonchifolia var. javanica. It is a weed in our area but an innocuous naturalised one. It is not invasive and doesn’t appear to harm any other flora or fauna. It’s even edible, raw or cooked.
To this day, I can’t bring myself to remove Emilia when I see it in my garden. Every time I reach for the plant a little sad voice echoes through my mind, my hand withdraws and I sigh. After all, it is quite pretty.
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Jane Grows Garden Rooms 