We call it “Rainfarn” in German. It is usually regarded as a weed, perhaps because you often find it on the side of the rail tracks. However, it is beneficial to the garden apparently, but as not sure why. I got myself a few plants from the market from a herb seller. Unfortunately my neighbour decided it looked weedy and mowed it down one year, although it would have survived. However as compensation he bought me 10 plants and now I have a wonderful field of Tansy at the side of my garden: nothing special, but I like its button flowers in Summer.

Flower of the Day: 02.11.2017 Tansy

One of the less spectacular plants which you will probably see growing by the railway lines and not so much in a garden, but quite beneficial for the soil. That was the reason I went on a quest to find some. There was a stall on our local Saturday morning market where all sorts of herbaceous plants could be bought. The stall holder had no tansy on the stall, but said it would be no problem. He took my address and after the market closed he called by with a few tansy plants. This was many years ago and since it returns every year in the garden.

Flower of the Day: 18.09.2017 Tansy

Some call it a weed. You often find it growing wild near the railway. It grows in my garden, because I want it to. I found it being sold on our local market by a herb gardener. I like it very much, is plain and simple but adds colour to the garden. It seems it is a deterrent for insects, but I am not an expert. It is quite hardy, spreads and increases in size every year.

Flower of the Day: 02.08.2016 Tansy