Golden wonders

They are so common we take them for granted. Many gardeners wage war on them. But these wildflowers are marvels of natural design, vigorously well adapted to life in all its forms. Phil Gates celebrates the dandelion

- Phil Gates

Often rejected as a pervasive weed, brilliant yellow dandelions can produce a delightful spring spectacle as they bloom across a pasture

Dandelions stir strong emotions. The poet John Clare was moved to celebrate their beauty in verse: "Shining like guineas with the sun's warm eye on We almost think they are gold as we pass Or fallen stars in a green sea of grass."

They can also provoke apoplexy among gardeners who strive to maintain a perfect lawn. I know of one who, outraged by dandelion seeds wafting over his hedge, used a flame-gun weeder to incinerate his absent neighbour's offending weeds. But most of us do admire dandelions for their beauty, even if they are sometimes a little unruly. A pasture turning gold under a blanket of their flowers is a joy to behold, one of the great natural floral spectacles of late spring. A road verge fringed with a ribbon of their golden blooms brightens a tedious car journey. A solitary plant, blooming from a crack in the pavement or a crevice in a wall, can light up a grim urban landscape. Somewhere, in every month of the year, you can find an irrepressible dandelion in flower.

The bold yellow flowerhead holds over 100 florets, which spread outwards from the centre