![1.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/fermentedphil/23vhU9FTQjUAsvybWsaxqXgwhgx1wbKsCtcXjHkc1LTbz9zvpbX3zxFY24w1f1ZHMJX6a.JPG) ___ *We do not determine our own fate,
life is a chaotic mixture of different movements.* ___ ![2.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/fermentedphil/23uQfy2eub6JhTbWHjwxWki8Djuddf4cMkpp4v2D4zjGmtiXBZFteq4Dg718tV5tRhedz.JPG) *Chickweed taking over Swiss chard* ___ I did not plan for this. Impromptu, I travelled to my fiance. Travelling is the worst for gardeners, as you leave behind everything. As expected, the garden was overrun by chickweed and other plants. Thus started my clearing journey. The once [beautiful Swiss chard](https://peakd.com/hive-140635/@fermentedphil/the-ever-evolving-nature-of-gardening-or-a-hivegarden-journal) was now only a small weed overrun patch. Nothing looked like it had when I left. ___

![4.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/fermentedphil/23w2nzHz9APPMHoJah9A6qx2fxShsPY4eWRVbm4yTG2Ta2xexBx5rYXnGN1Kz9Djmgtkq.JPG)

![3.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/fermentedphil/23tuumpABcrmiJc2FQfFoPTi5YEGSjqd2nD8W3KHx2aRe1Zd6Hhvx4HyZpLNS68KXVuPh.JPG)

*Different weeds taking over* ___ These weeds or unwanted plants have a beauty of their own. The luscious green is so alluring, and I love to walk through them. The small drops of water always stick to my feet. But as per the definition of a weed - plants growing in the wrong place - these plants are overcrowding the plants that I planted. And their seeds will drop to the ground only to sprout again and come back with vengeance! But even though this is the case, the succulents that I planted in the walls did take root and some of them are even beginning to flower! ___

![6.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/fermentedphil/242YACmPhaBUdbkMffMswgUZuUSheJeVidPEYhNvnan66cXSxYZdoyUBEneea2tWzyZPz.JPG) *Before and After*

![5.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/fermentedphil/23wC7dvCtuxHKaGa5NFHHKyWWFP8dPQZ1sqNtYtgf9C5jY21Wg4kHDDmAWEa86ny4U3pZ.JPG)

____

![7.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/fermentedphil/23xp8YwwpJz4oFUdkZ9ckSKAMuwBNxEgHf6a2Gz5Z6RjS8KgEbojptdv5FbWRxVdeUEPF.JPG) *Bucket full of unwanted plants*

I pulled about two buckets full of "weeds" from the garden. It was a lot, and I am sure the hungry compost heap will love it. But even though this is the case, I am not always a fan of doing this. But I have to think about the health of the plants I want to grow. Chickweed, left untamed, will take over everything and produce so many seeds that you will never get rid of it again. And this is the situation I am dealing with, trying to safe the plants that I want to keep for the summer, which still has to arrive! ![8.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/fermentedphil/23tGbeVHkoBdr5AjRvPQ6ZszYfqTWmAYUwWB77KdzDN4rhDo7o2F79KRjL5cDFv2hU9a7.JPG) *Chickweed taking over garlic chives* ___ Peeking through the weeds, there are some Swiss chard and Garlic chives. But the situation is not looking good... None of the basil that I planted survived... ___

![10.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/fermentedphil/23tvCbR6ph6pC7tS4Fy44fXX47b3ayYkr7uFEiaZqqE2Q2eygVfcyHLYTZG4wtkjw7Jd8.JPG) *rocket flowers*

![9.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/fermentedphil/23tRvTA32NzMoV8vbyVADabo9GwkVcp9gsqwnEyzPZhbKZSrThQfYfUEsZtsvaKJ723Wx.JPG) *wild rocket*

___ But luckily the wild rocket survived and flourished. The leaves look so good, tempting me to place them into a salad! And the salad rocket immediately started to bloom, flowering without me having one single harvest... But that is just part of rocket gardening... I will let it drop some seeds, maybe I can grow some for the summer. ___

![12.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/fermentedphil/23xAZu76hJFeJtjAELoqoTLMZNiKQiqwHX9QhVuPTJGxQjzr1ovLcsduX9tPktv2Bd7ue.JPG)

![11.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/fermentedphil/23y8vEZ2S3vyF3TUB7ZRYCekDKEcdopTdBdfeXxvvQW58yVLANTtT5seDB72pRcFXN9eF.JPG)

*Chickweed and scarlet pimpernel* ___ Interestingly, between the chickweed, I found some **scarlet pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis)** growing. This is a toxic plant and one we cannot eat, according to my research. [A while ago, I also wrote about these two similar looking plants](https://peakd.com/hive-141827/@fermentedphil/the-value-of-looking-closely) and how to distinguish between them. This is quite scary that they grew next to each other, but luckily I saw this. With this in mind, I also made some salad for lunch with the chickweed! What a nice fresh salad in the afternoon sun. I hope that now that I am back, I can get the garden back in shape. ![13.JPG](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/fermentedphil/23wMct7dNkcYmdjTMVA4wTWCkBJj7fQBaesxczTA3t5dM2T2KLcQSMYjUg5gyxFG7uWUY.JPG) *Freshly picked salad leaves and lemon* ___ For now, happy gardening, keep safe, and stay well! *All of the musings and writings are my own. The photographs are also my own, taken with my Nikon D300 or iPhone.*

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