Nature Wars

There are times in my gardens when I just let the plants do what the plants want to do, and this includes those plants we might call weeds. For instance, in the front yard by the big oaks, I’ve let the bindweed bind, and it’s traveled up into some low hanging branches on one of the big oaks. I actually think it looks good, which is a nice excuse for not pulling it down.

Off the south porch, it’s another question entirely. My remaining flameleaf sumac is competing with a grapevine. I like the grapevines on the south fence, for privacy and browse for the cows in the adjoining pasture. But it’s a grabby plant and it’s grabbed the sumac and climbing all over it. I’m not terribly inclined to do anything about it. They’re both wild, and I think they’ve probably lived together before. It will be interesting to see how it turns out.

For its part the sumac is blooming. The leaves, however, have never flamed and turned red, partly, I think because it’s on the southside and never really gets cold. But you watch, this year it will do it and I’ll have to eat my words. As for the seeds, the birds love them and browse on them all winter. That will give me something to watch when the days are short and darkness comes all too soon.