RICHARD WILLIAMSON: Painted Lady butterfly

'I hate '˜Ground elder! I spend hours digging out those horrid little white roots which wriggle like worms all the way through my flower beds. I wish I could spray it safely. It takes up hours of my time!'

I have heard these complaints so many times.

I remember the late, eminent botanist, Oliver Buckle of Chichester, giving a talk to the Chichester Natural History Society back in 1965 I think it was, being asked that question by a lady in the audience. ‘What can you do with it? Eat it!’ was his reply. That caused a moment of shock horror.

But everyone listened attentively because the speaker was greatly respected; still is of course, having been an authority on European plants, in particular arum lilies and one of the few people to be allowed into Tito’s Yugoslavia on plant hunting trips.