Anja Murray: Embracing 'weeds' as wildflowers for our pollinators and insects

Each roadside verge that is home to a tangle of wildflowers is like a hug from nature, writes Anja Murray

Wildflower-filled roadside verges are beautiful reminders of nature’s beauty and bounty

Weeds are far more valuable in supporting biodiversity than we give them credit for. Right now, roadside verges, neglected parts of the garden, and untended corners everywhere are erupting with weeds in flower. ‘Weeds’ are also known as wildflowers, depending on your point of view.

Patches of sunny ox-eye daisies bejewel roadside verges. Tall yellow cat's ear cheer up laneways and overgrown gardens. Wild vetches clamber through forgotten corners. Dandelions and clovers are still rolling out the red carpet for nectar-hungry bees and butterflies. Tall, richly scented stems of wonderful white flowered meadowsweet fill up patches of damp ground.