Invasive species seem to be in the news again. Being of Irish and English origin, I’ve noticed that the word ‘Scotch’ seems attached to two of them — I could say three.
If you’ve ever had a beautiful lawn next to a vacant lot full of thistles you’ll know what I mean. However, enough has been said about the bad side of the species.
Thistles: very prickly, beautiful, very invasive, but the hummingbirds and bees find them attractive and useful.
Ivy: makes a dull wall very attractive — but if not contained, can become a creeping nuisance.
Blackberries: very prickly, damned invasive — but the quail and pie-makers, love it.
Gorse: very dense and prickly — but can be quite attractive and provide nesting sites for small birds, and the bees seem to like it.
Last of all, the dreaded Broom: only grows in the sun, very invasive, very visible — but quickly covers the scars left by man and has been used that way. Some think it is a bit ugly but beautiful in bloom. Bees and seed-eating birds love it.
So, there’s good and bad, don’t you think?
Julia A. Flaherty
Qualicum Beach