Dandelion, Dandelion...

The other day in the front garden, it was like a game of Duck, Duck, Goose, but with dandelions. They're everywhere in my garden this year, partly because I kind of abandoned the garden in the last half of the season last year. I injured my back and shoulders, and was in a bit of a quandary as to priorities.

Anyway, now I have dandelions here, there, and everywhere.

I gave up working on the gravel bed, and dandelions, shotweed, and Mexican feather grass have taken over.

They're in the parking strip out by the street.

They're in the beds.

Of course they're in the "lawn."

This one tried to disguise itself as a California poppy.

And I've got way too many of these already!

But...here's the goose in the game. It's a Calendula, which overwintered in the garden and is already blooming. I spied it through the undergrowth and at first, thought "That's a strange dandelion."

We had such a mild winter temperature-wise, that I have other Calendulas that have leafed out already and will also be flowering soon.

They're not the prettiest plants, but how can I say no to flowers like this?

Calendula 'Solar Flashback'

I posted recently that I thought I had enough dandelions and shotweed to feed a small army (both are edible weeds). There's actually lots more you can do with dandelions. Here's an article with all kinds of ideas -- from using them medicinally to cooking the greens with garlic to making dye.

One good thing about Calendula -- it's edible too! I have a veritable vegetarian feast growing with almost no effort.