Weeds

[petermcgain]

Can anyone recommend a reference book of British garden weeds please? I have seen one ages ago but can't find any reference to it through Google. Thanks.

[kshotton45]

Originally Posted by petermcgain

Can anyone recommend a reference book of British garden weeds please? I have seen one ages ago but can't find any reference to it through Google. Thanks.

Do a Google for 'British Wild Flower book ' You'll find loads.

A weed is a British wild flower growing where it's not wanted. Otherwise it's a wild flower !

Keith.

[petermcgain]

Thanks - I've actually seen a book with weeds in the title and the book limited itself to the plants that are typically 'unwanted' by gardeners even though many of them are very interesting. I have a couple of wild flower books but they don't refer to some of the weeds I have in my garden!

[Cotham Marble]

Originally Posted by petermcgain

Can anyone recommend a reference book of British garden weeds please? I have seen one ages ago but can't find any reference to it through Google. Thanks.

Audrey Wynne Hatfield wrote a book in the 60s about using garden weeds, and the gardening books by Hessayon include a couple that deal with weeds and pests (though I recall Hessayon as being not very 'green').

A lot of what are now 'weeds' started out as escapes, if you are concerned to get acurate identification then you probably need both a sound wildflower reference and a good horticultural reference. In respect of the later the RHS produces some useful photo based books.

CM

[svenrufus]

Audrey Hatfield Wynne's book is called 'How to Enjoy your Weeds' Published by Frederick Muller in 1969. It is a great little book, and one I am holding in reserve in case I get served a weed notice on my allotment. ("But I want it to grow there, look what it says in this book...")
I also have a copy of 'Arable Plants - A Field Guide' by Phil Wilson and Miles King, basically it is arable weeds they deal with here.
Richard Mabey has written a book called Streetflowers, illustrated by Sarah Kensington, which deals with some weeds but it is a bit lightweight in general.
As has been said, they are really just unloved wildflowers on the whole, so get a good Wildflower Key (I recommend Francis Rose) and probably most of your queries will be answered there.

[petermcgain]

Thanks very much for the responses - I shall definitely follow the suggestions up. Audrey Wynne Hatfield's 'How to Enjoy Your Weeds' sounds a must!