Back Yard Flower, Front Yard Weed

Lovely Queen Anne's Lace, in our back yard.

The patch in the back yard grows majestic along the fence line. It's taller than Star is, and we know that she's a full 52 inches because of the roller coaster height-requirements in Florida. This year there are several lovely blossoms. Last summer I remember a far scragglier, scrubbier plant than what's growing out there this year. I like it. It looks like it belongs over by our fence.

Of course, weedy wild flowers grow wherever they can, and this summer they screamed a triumphant "Can!" from every crack and seam in the front walk way. Queen Anne's Lace growing dignified and proud along a backyard fence is one thing. Queen Anne's lace erupting all over the low-growing Hosta and Stella D'oro, elbowing it's way between bricks, and shooting up, up, up from around the driveway . . . there's no other word for it than ugly.

There are no pictures of the Queen Anne's Lace from the front walk for one very good reason: I've been ripping all of it out. I've gotten to almost all of it, but you won't find photographic evidence that any of it remains.