The Joy of Weeds: A Celebration of Wild Plants

By Paul Farrell

A colourful, illustrated celebration of wild plants around the world, and why we should love them not loathe them, with 50 graphic illustrations by Paul Farrell.

To call a plant a weed is doing it a real injustice. It’s simply a wild plant that is not deliberately cultivated, growing where it is not wanted. By this definition, virtually any plant outside a carefully tended garden is a weed.

The intolerance of weeds is a mark of how we have turned our backs on nature and urbanized our land and lives. In this enlightening survey, illustrator Paul Farrell uncovers the wild beauty in weeds and explains the benefits of rewilding ourselves a little. Weeds can be medicine, food, and an important aid for wildlife. One person’s weed is another’s wild beauty.

Paul’s brilliant modernist illustration style shows us dandelions, thistles and feverfew in a whole new light. Each of the 50 weeds featured is accompanied by a quirky history and its uses in medicine, cooking, arts and even industry.

Sample contents:
US/Canada weeds: Dandelion; Daisy; Groundsell; Chickweed; Nettle; Wild carrot; Sumac.
UK/Europe weeds: Foxglove; Deadly nightshade; Yarrow; Rosebay willowherb; Herb Robert; Scarlet Pimpernel; Violet; Wood Sorrel; Red valerian; Common knapweed

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins UK
• Release date: Oct 3, 2022
• ISBN: 9780008601676

Paul Farrell

Paul’s previous writing history consists of a children’s fantasy adventure book, Dragon Slayers. He is currently working on its sequel. His wider portfolio also consists of plays, radio, comedy and film scripts.

Book preview

Cover image: The Joy of Weeds: A Celebration of Wild Plants by Paul Farrell

DEDICATION

For Belle

Title image: The Joy of Weeds: A Celebration of Wild Plants by Paul Farrell, Published by Pavilion

COPYRIGHT

Pavilion

An imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd

1 London Bridge Street

London SE1 9GF

First published in Great Britain by Pavilion

An imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd 2022

Text and illustrations copyright © Paul Farrell 2022

Paul Farrell asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

Hardback ISBN: 9781911622635

eBook ISBN: 9780008601676

Version date: 22-09-2022

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.

The information in this eBook is not intended as a field guide. We strongly recommend not picking or eating plants in the wild without expert knowledge. Obtain the landowner’s permission before foraging. Herbal remedies should never be used as a substitute for professional medical advice. This eBook is sold without warranties or guarantees of any kind, and the publisher and the author disclaim any liability for injuries, losses and damages caused in any way by the content of this eBook.

NOTE TO READERS

This ebook contains the following accessibility features which, if supported by your device, can be accessed via your ereader/accessibility settings:

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Page numbers taken from the following print edition: ISBN 9781911595236

CONTENTS

Cover

Dedication

Title Page

Copyright

Note to Readers

What is a Weed?

Why We Need Weeds

The Weed to Heal

Eat Your Weeds

Weeds for Wildlife

WEEDS YOU NEED TO KNOW

Achillea millefolium Yarrow

Anagallis arvensis Scarlet pimpernel

Anthriscus sylvestris Cow parsley

Arctium spp. Burdock

Bellis perennis Daisy

Buddleja davidii Buddleia

Campanula portenschlagiana Wall bellflower

Cardamine hirsuta Hairy bittercress

Centaurea nigra Knapweed

Centranthus ruber Red valerian

Chamaenerion angustifolium Rosebay willowherb

Cirsium vulgare Spear thistle

Daucus carota Wild carrot

Digitalis purpurea Foxglove

Dipsacus fullonum Teasel

Equisetum arvense Field horsetail

Euphorbia helioscopia Sun spurge

Ficaria verna Lesser celandine

Galium aparine Goosegrass

Geranium molle Dove’s-foot crane’s-bill

Geranium robertianum Herb robert 58

Hyacinthoides non-scripta Bluebell

Lamium purpureum Red dead-nettle

Lotus corniculatus Bird’s-foot trefoil

Nasturtium officinale Watercress

Oxalis corniculata Creeping wood sorrel

Papaver spp. Poppy

Plantago major Broadleaf plantain

Portulaca oleracea Purslane

Prunella vulgaris Selfheal

Pteridium spp. Bracken

Ranunculus repens Creeping buttercup

Rhinanthus minor Yellow rattle

Rhus typhina Stag’s horn sumac

Rosa canina Dog rose

Rumex obtusifolius Broad-leaved dock

Sambucus nigra Elder

Senecio vulgaris Groundsel

Silene dioica Red campion

Solanum dulcamara Bittersweet

Stellaria media Chickweed

Symphytum officinale Comfrey

Tanacetum parthenium Feverfew

Taraxacum spp. Dandelion

Tragopogon porrifolius Salsify

Trifolium spp. Clover

Ulex europaeus Gorse

Urtica dioica Nettle

Veronica chamaedrys Germander speedwell

Viola riviniana Dog-violet

Weed Identifier

Glossary

About the Publisher

No image description

WHAT IS A WEED?

As an illustrator primarily and now an allotment holder, I have gradually become increasingly interested in the weeds that grow on and around my plot, rather than the conventional cultivated vegetables and plants. Their diversity, boldness, form and colour have given me the inspiration to study them in more detail and as a result I have created this companion book. Illustrating each weed was my main motivation for the book and writing about them has been an added, pleasant trip of discovery. I am not a fan of the word ‘weed’ and never have been. To call a plant a weed is doing it an injustice. For me, a weed is simply a wild plant. It is described as a plant that is not deliberately cultivated, growing where it is not wanted in human-controlled settings such as farmland, gardens, lawns and parks; the old English word for weed is weod, which means ‘of unknown origin’. By definition, it is a plant that is not valued for use or beauty. Conversely, when a weed is classified as a herb, this means that parts of it can be used in medicine and cooking and it is appreciated for those benefits.

Admittedly there are certain weeds that I find less joy in and that do not appear here, such as bindweed, Japanese knotweed and the ever-present couch grass. These are truly invasive weeds or wild plants that need some degree of control if found on managed and cultivated land. Approximately 3 per cent – that’s 8,000 out of 250,000 – of plant species found worldwide are classified as weeds.

Our unwillingness to embrace weeds is an indication of how we have abandoned nature and chosen to control our environment. With this book, I hope to show you the joy of weeds and to go some way to help rewild ourselves by understanding the benefits of weeds as medicines, food sources and importance for wildlife. One person’s weed is another’s treasured wild plant, first aid kit, fortified tea, salad garnish, ornamental cutting, power pollinator and all-round wild force.

We can all do our bit. Why not create your own wild garden? You can scatter a wildflower seed mix on a piece of bare soil or you can grow the seeds separately first and plant them out. In time some of your ‘weeds’ will be weeds no longer, and you will be richly rewarded by all the wildlife in your garden. So let your grass grow and your weeds live long.

No image description

WHY WE NEED WEEDS

Some of our most common weeds are actually wild herbs and their benefits have been recognized for centuries. Many have medicinal value, some are edible and nutritious, and they are all free. Plenty produce flowers that rival cultivated varieties as powerful pollinators, meaning that they are of enormous value to wildlife.

Weeds are much more important than we realize and play a key role in transforming degraded environments into valuable habitats. Weeds are good for the ecosystem, as they play a key role in transforming barren earth into rich, fertile soil. They are pioneers – the first plants to colonize bare ground and improve its soil. Their roots stabilize the earth and control erosion, while their stems trap organic matter. When they decompose, they increase the soil’s moisture and nutrient levels.

The weed is an unsung hero and can tell you a lot about your garden and its soil, providing information about what is best to grow. They can indicate whether your soil is fertile, point to the soil type (acid or