DANDELION

Ann of Norway And what I got astonished me as there were several sides for the common dandelion, so many many varieties I didn't know existed, these were better for making salads, these for their roots for coffee-substitute, these for the flowers etc. mind boggling, when we take it for granted that all those soft yellow suns are different. Much like the surprise with sunflowers those dark burgundy red ones being so very beautiful. I found a spent dandelion crown, on a woodland path, a dandelion chain, it had seeded and was the most lovely whole seed sight, after I had photographed it I took it to the stream nearby and beside it I saw a simple curved twig hut about breast height, so I made the crown into a circle and placed it on the hut, it immediately looked as though a wood sprite princess used this bower and took on a fairy tale presence. I shall put it on Facebook in an album with this description I think. Greeneyes would be inspired to write a fairy tale about it! Lovely lovely weed. My father knew the gardener who in the early 1900's went out every morning to cut the dandelion of on the lawn, he declared that after doing this every single day for a long time he was excited to say that it had finally given up! They grow in town streets, on dry high walls, in tree joins, wherever they find the possibility and once there they don't let go. Roots down so deep that its difficult to pull them out- I have made coffee with them, roasting them first. They add to a salad well too, the young ones but they should preferably be put under an old chimney in the garden to bleach much like leeks or celery.