Weeds, slugs and all: we are ready for spring

I don't know about you but I'm just about done with the cold and the mud and the epic rainstorms. I've got toadflax blooming in my garden. Along with my bazillion slugs, I'm ready for spring.



Family Plantaginaceae
Linaria sp.

Light and linaria

Rain today but here's a reminder of last week. I love how light passes through, illuminating the essence of linaria.
Family Plantaginaceae, Linaria sp.

My gardening dilemma: blooms or veggies?

In our community garden, we call these toadflax, I think a strange name for such delicate blooms. I've always loved snapdragons but these are minis, with cute little spurs. I don't have the heart to weed these out so they stay. Each year, they grow, springing wild in the most disturbed areas of my plot. If I can, I leave them to self-seed for next year. It does cut down on my winter veggie garden production, leading to my eternal gardening dilemma: blooms or veggies? Given the limited space in a community garden plot, this has been on ongoing issue for me. My choice has been to grow fleurs in the edges near the public pathway, with the veggies further away in case of dog visits.

Family Plantaginaceae, Linaria sp.

With toadflax growing in every spare spot

I love that these self-seed every year, inevitably in an array of easter egg colors. Spring has certainly sprung when I see linarias in my garden. I thought these were in the family Scrophulariaceae but was quite surprised to find that they have been reclassified into the Plantaginaceae family.

Family: Plantaginaceae, Linaria sp.