Juanita Browne: It's time we rethink our hatred of the humble dandelion

In this time of a biodiversity crisis, can we learn to live with dandelions?

Dandelion is a most important menu item for pollinators in early spring.

My mother recently told me a story about dandelions. Some years ago, she invited a group of ladies over for brunch. The morning before the big visit, she was baking up a storm, dusting, polishing silver, selecting her best china, and so on. She also enlisted my Dad to mow the lawn to make sure the ladies’ arrival to her home would be agreeable, too.

That evening, she glanced out the window and was horrified to see – despite the mowing - a host of bright yellow dandelion flower heads peaking out of the cut grass on the front lawn. She hurried outside with a bag and pulled about 50 Dandelion flowers for the bin. She wasn’t going to let these weeds ruin her special event. Whatever would the ladies think if they saw them? Catastrophe avoided.