Let's talk about weeds... first off, the definition I've always heard of a weed is that it is simply an unloved flower.  Welllll, I have several unloved, or to be honest, actually despised by the majority of folks, flowers in my garden on purpose.  Why?  Because they are extremely easy to maintain, require little or no water, and actually look pretty... so pretty, in fact, that most people don't even recognize them as the common weeds they are due to the fact I "tend" them. 

What plants am I talking about?  Primarily two, creeping buttercup and the black-leafed violet.  The first one, creeping buttercup, occupies a good 10-feet of my parking strip, or Hell strip as some folks prefer to call it.  Once each year it becomes a solid yellow carpet of blooms that is very striking along the curb.  And in my garden, even when flowerless, it truly looks more like an unusual strawberry plant, or possibly a Cinquefoil, than a noxious weed as I keep it short by pulling off the tendrils once it is done flowering.  This also keeps it from spreading to the rest of the garden. 

I haven't been so tidy about the black-leafed violets... these little buggers seed so prolifically that I doubt anyone can control their spread.  Thing is, the plants themselves pull out easily, so they really aren't a huge nuisance.  And, their little violet flowers are so beautiful when they bloom in the Spring I just can't believe folks hate them with such a passion they actually resort to chemical control methods. 

So why do I persist in propagating these "thugs"?  Because they keep out other nastier weeds simply by taking up space in my garden.  It's the old tried-and-true method, fill up the space, with bark dust, compost, or plants, and I choose plants, even though they are considered thugs, due to the fact they are more attractive than bare dirt... and a hell of a lot more comfortable to work amongst than splintery bark dust. 

Soooo, how many of you admit to gardening with weeds?  Come on, fess up!  And, which are your faves?