The Value of Weeds

Weeds are wild plants that have survived in the face of centuries of hostility. Many gardeners who are unfamiliar with the versatility of weeds think of them as a nuisance. They can be good, bad, dangerous or beautiful. Above all, they are tough. This essential guide explores the virtues of good weeds, including how they can protect soil and add to soil fertility; act as companion plants in gardens; provide food for farm livestock; support wild life; provide herbal remedies for minor ailments; yield vegetable dyes and finally, give us weed cuisine: nutritious food and drink for free. This essential guide to exploring the virtues of good weeds is aimed at all keen gardeners who wish to make use of a long-neglected resource and is fully illustrated with 120 colour photographs.

Ann Cliff is a farmer and an untidy gardener. She has written many books and articles on practical country living, and ten novels about rural life in the nineteenth century.