Don't weed out the candleflower!

The first year I had a Swiss garden an extraordinary plant grew up. I had no idea if it was a weed or not. I rationalized that if it were it would spread. There was nothing else like it in the garden, and no imitators as summer wore on. On the other hand, I doubted I had planted it. I planted several things without noting them down and five years later I continue to find them here and there.

I left it alone, couldn't decide if I liked it or not, and the following summer it didn't return. The next summer it did, and grew to be about 8 feet tall. I looked it up: mullein, a member of the figwort family.

Last year it failed to grow, but this year, here it is, and it is thriving. I've decided to leave it in the middle of other tall flowers. And I've learned that it is also known as shepherd's staff and candleflower, that its yellow flowers are used in cough medicines and for sore throats.

The plants usually grow just one or two to a field, or at the sides of roads, singly. I was astonished a few weeks ago to see a small plantation of them outside a new and very expensive home on the outskirts of Geneva. Perhaps this is a pharmaceutical millionaire and this is his private crop?

Here is another view of my candleflower, for I think I prefer this name.