May 3, 2013
Shattered glass makes a little pool in a field of Crown Vetch, Curly Dock, and many other species on Frankford Avenue, Philadelphia. We’re firmly in the second-most exciting time of the year for urban weeds: proper spring. It is the time of year when you’re expected to place bets on which areas will thrive, which will burn out too quickly, which will get greedy and result in mowing, and which plants will successfully reclaim spaces for the long haul. This particular lot, while looking great at the moment, is in danger of getting too greedy early on in the season. All of the stalks of Curly Dock are almost chest-high and it’s the beginning of May. I fear their highly visible spot next to an Irish bar on Frankford Avenue will result in a mow in a few weeks, sadly. As a footnote, the most exciting time of year for urban weeds is very late summer, where you can see the progress made during the growing season, and admire the most aggressive of plants at their prime, just before things hunker down for fall.

Shattered glass makes a little pool in a field of Crown Vetch, Curly Dock, and many other species on Frankford Avenue, Philadelphia.

We’re firmly in the second-most exciting time of the year for urban weeds: proper spring. It is the time of year when you’re expected to place bets on which areas will thrive, which will burn out too quickly, which will get greedy and result in mowing, and which plants will successfully reclaim spaces for the long haul.

This particular lot, while looking great at the moment, is in danger of getting too greedy early on in the season. All of the stalks of Curly Dock are almost chest-high and it’s the beginning of May. I fear their highly visible spot next to an Irish bar on Frankford Avenue will result in a mow in a few weeks, sadly.

As a footnote, the most exciting time of year for urban weeds is very late summer, where you can see the progress made during the growing season, and admire the most aggressive of plants at their prime, just before things hunker down for fall.

5:51pm  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/ZK6a-vk8p6UO
(Notes: 1)
  
Filed under: philly philadelphia weeds overgrown fishtown crown vetch grass field spring curly dock 
April 21, 2013
Many areas are waiting to return to forests when people turn their backs. In cities (and even suburbs and small towns), the freshly-mowed lawn is considered the most aesthetically-pleasing way of treating land that doesn’t have a building on top of it. There’s this fear that when small bushes and a diverse group of natural and invasive spontaneous plants move in, that it’s a place that can harbor rats and snakes. To me, the beauty within the spontaneity of the plant world will always trump manicured turfgrass.

Many areas are waiting to return to forests when people turn their backs. In cities (and even suburbs and small towns), the freshly-mowed lawn is considered the most aesthetically-pleasing way of treating land that doesn’t have a building on top of it. There’s this fear that when small bushes and a diverse group of natural and invasive spontaneous plants move in, that it’s a place that can harbor rats and snakes. To me, the beauty within the spontaneity of the plant world will always trump manicured turfgrass.

11:54am  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/ZK6a-vjCi4t9
(Notes: 10)
  
Filed under: philadelphia philly weeds grass overgrown vacant lot 
February 18, 2013
Photo by Shane Smith. “Taken on the steps leading to my front door in Raleigh, NC.” Thanks for the submission! Grass will find a way to win out over brick & mortar.

Photo by Shane Smith.

“Taken on the steps leading to my front door in Raleigh, NC.”

Thanks for the submission! Grass will find a way to win out over brick & mortar.

2:56pm  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/ZK6a-veS729v
(Notes: 6)
  
Filed under: grass weeds raleigh north carolina nc bricks 
October 15, 2012
Goosegrass (Eleusine indica) next to a parked car in East Poplar, Philadelphia.

Goosegrass (Eleusine indica) next to a parked car in East Poplar, Philadelphia.

8:06am  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/ZK6a-vVKuATT
Filed under: weeds grass philadelphia philly goosegrass 
April 19, 2012
I was really excited to find this forgotten lot tucked away behind a parking lot near Girard Avenue in Philly, earlier today. This lot has two species (among others) not featured yet: the legendary Japanese Knotweed (Fallopia japonica), and also a grass that I believe is Downy Brome (Bromus tectorum). I had heard a lot about Japanese Knotweed, but hadn’t really seen it in the NYC area. On a bike ride by the Schuylkill River this past weekend, however, I started noticing suspicious, bamboo-like stalks on fast-growing small plants with heart-shaped leaves. Now I’m seeing it even in more urban spaces (like above). In New York, it seemed that fewer species (only the super-super tough guys) were claiming most of the territory (specifically: tree-of-heaven, princess tree, and mugwort) — but I’m realizing quickly in Philly that there are many more players in the game.

I was really excited to find this forgotten lot tucked away behind a parking lot near Girard Avenue in Philly, earlier today.

This lot has two species (among others) not featured yet: the legendary Japanese Knotweed (Fallopia japonica), and also a grass that I believe is Downy Brome (Bromus tectorum).

I had heard a lot about Japanese Knotweed, but hadn’t really seen it in the NYC area. On a bike ride by the Schuylkill River this past weekend, however, I started noticing suspicious, bamboo-like stalks on fast-growing small plants with heart-shaped leaves. Now I’m seeing it even in more urban spaces (like above).

In New York, it seemed that fewer species (only the super-super tough guys) were claiming most of the territory (specifically: tree-of-heaven, princess tree, and mugwort) — but I’m realizing quickly in Philly that there are many more players in the game.

12:58pm  |   URL: http://tmblr.co/ZK6a-vJwi2VJ
(Notes: 1)
  
Filed under: weeds urban decay japanese knotweed grass philly 
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