Volunteer plants in a Feijoa arbor guild

I love plants that volunteer in the garden.  Some of my favorite and most cherished plants have been volunteers.  They’re almost always sturdy and very healthy having found an ideal niche to germinate and grow in.  Two volunteers I found this year are equally useful and beautiful -Borage (Borago officinalis) and English Plantain (Plantago lanceolata).  Both volunteered in our Feijoa arbor guild.

This particular guild’s central plant is the Feijoa (Feijoa sellowiana).  Actually 2 Feijoas create the arbors’ archway between two of our gardens and each has a nestling of plants at the base which spread outward.  The Feijoa started out with only Lavender and Calendula for companions but this spring they have many, many more friends; loads of which were volunteers (or spreading volunteers, like apple mint).

Feijoa arbor guild plants early Spring 2011

The one Borage plant that volunteered this year is from a plant we grew from seed in the same spot last year but who died with the frost of winter.  Borage is an annual plant and dies completely over winter so this volunteer is wonderful to see as I never saved any seed last year!  Generally Borage will spread by seed best with a bit of soil disturbance and as we are, for the most part, no till gardeners it’s not surprising only one plant came up this year.

Borage mama plant 2010

The Borage volunteer is now a tall, vigorous plant the honey bee’s love.  Borage is wonderful for attracting bees and hummingbirds.  Of all the plants in our gardens the honey bees love borage most this time of year (until the mint blooms).   Borage flowers can be placed in salads for added color and beauty or into a glass of lemonade –they're edible in moderation.

Borage late Spring 2011

Honey bee on Borage flower

Fuzzy Borage flower buds

Borage blossoms

How the Plantain came to be in our garden is a mystery.  We’ve never grown it nor seen it anywhere in the yard before, so it’s quite a nice surprise.  Considering it’s an ‘invasive weed’ it may have just come in on our shoes or in our turned up pants from a hike in the park.  Invasive or not, it can’t compare to Bermuda grass in its ability to take over, so in my opinion bring on the Plantain! 

Plantain flower

Plantain is tall and graceful and adds a texture to this guild that's just gorgeous.  I love the long slender leaves and tall nodding flowers.  The stamens on the flower (male parts) stick out like they got buzzed with electricity.  It has really made this guild special.  And having done our due diligence on this plant we understand its basic uses and functions which just adds to the splendor of this guild, even if it is considered a ‘weed’ by some.

Plantain flowers looked electrified

Tall Plantain in bloom

Plantain flowers

One way to encourage volunteer plants is to get to know your plants by learning to identify them by their cotyledons (‘seed leaves’ that emerge from a germinating seed before their true leaves).  Learn to identify the weeds, veggies, trees… as many plants as you can.  You’ll find you have more allies in the garden than noxious weeds once you can identify the helpful volunteer plants from those that are not so supportive of the garden system you have in place.  As this blog post from soil and senses briefly describes learning your cotyledons is a fun and rewarding experience.  Check out our July 2008 post on a couple of weeds we consider truly problematic here. 

Feijoa arbor guild 2011

Don't forget you can move volunteer plants that appear in the garden where you don't want them to a different spot.  Or if you have a surplus of volunteer plants you can give them to family, friends and neighbors. 

I wonder what else will come up this year...