Why does everyone hate Dandelions?

I don’t like dandelions in the lawn, because the leaves spread horizontally and kill the grass

Really? I've never found this. Maybe we have robuster grass.

Actually we have about 12 species of grass.

Some of the grasses are really beautiful when in flower. But they have to be allowed to get to the flowering stage. Most lawns don't manage that.

Insects like grass flowers.

I am very fond of dandelions. Those aren't dandelions in your photo btw.
I have quite a meadow with orange and yellow hawkbit, common orchid, buttercup and yellow rattle.

Baggs

*I don’t like dandelions in the lawn, because the leaves spread horizontally and kill the grass*

Really? I've never found this. Maybe we have robuster grass.

Actually we have about 12 species of grass.

It could be, but I think it’s more likely that it’s different types of dandelions, as there are over 250 different ones. I’d say we have at least 20 different types here, I’m surrounded by fields and moors, and keeping weeds at bay is a constant battle. I’ve also got lots of different types of buttercups.

Our back garden is a riot of self-seeding poppies (yellow and orange), buttercups, dandelions, ox-eye daisies, and we have some fritillaries in a damp corner. Also a couple of flowering cherries which provide some shade. Keeps the bees happy. Me too as we let it grow wild. Our little nature reserve.

Casdon

Baggs

I don’t like dandelions in the lawn, because the leaves spread horizontally and kill the grass

Really? I've never found this. Maybe we have robuster grass.

Actually we have about 12 species of grass.

It could be, but I think it’s more likely that it’s different types of dandelions, as there are over 250 different ones. I’d say we have at least 20 different types here, I’m surrounded by fields and moors, and keeping weeds at bay is a constant battle. I’ve also got lots of different types of buttercups.

I've stopped thinking of wildflowers as 'weeds' (although that word's original meaning is simply 'herb'). The result has been over 220 wild plant species (probably more since I last ID'd them all a few years ago). I'm still finding new ones occasionally such as what I think is Broad-leaved Helleborine, not yet flowering.

Must do a study of the dandelions here and see if we have a few of the 250.

We are surrounded by fields and forest and deer, both roe and red, eat any cultivated plants. That's what initially made me switch to the enjoyment of the wild ones, though I've always had an interest in botany and wildflowers.

If it’s yellow, the tortoise likes it so we leave them yellow weeds on the lawn and he eats them. I dig them out of the edge of the drive though. Weeds make it look unkempt.

Baggs

We are surrounded by fields and forest and deer, both roe and red, eat any cultivated plants. That's what initially made me switch to the enjoyment of the wild ones, though I've always had an interest in botany and wildflowers.

I grow lots of flowers for cutting, so I do try to keep parts of the garden as weed free as I can, although it’s a constant battle - I’ve got fencing all round because of the dog though, which prevents too much wildlife getting in, rabbits and hedgehogs succeed, but so far no deer.
My daughter did a wildflower project at school many years ago, that’s when I found out about the different types of dandelions, as she tried to collect a leaf and flower from each type.

If dandelions were difficult to grow, everyone would want them in their gardens.

They make a very good homemade wine 😂

NanaDana

Our back garden is a riot of self-seeding poppies (yellow and orange), buttercups, dandelions, ox-eye daisies, and we have some fritillaries in a damp corner. Also a couple of flowering cherries which provide some shade. Keeps the bees happy. Me too as we let it grow wild. Our little nature reserve.

That sounds lovely. The patch in which I allow buttercups is currently full of oxeye daisies as well - I bought five little plug plants a few years ago, they were so tiny I thought they wouldn’t survive but they have seeded so well. I’m ridiculously proud of them. We also have red corn poppies each year, appropriate as this area of Norfolk is often called Poppyland. And lots of self-seeded orange ones from a few I planted years ago. I would love some fritillaries but our soil is too free-draining I think. I get at least as much pleasure from self-seeded plants as from those deliberately planned. Unfortunately though I have very few foxgloves this year despite planting many out last autumn - only those that have seeded in very dry places. I think it’s because of all the rain during early spring. Such a shame.

I think there is a quote somewhere that says, " There's no such thing as weeds, only Wild Flowers".!
I love all the wild flowers, we have a patch here in our garden at home, also encourage them at our little home-from-home in NW Norfolk.

Nope not at the moment ..
One dandelion become hundreds once the flower head seeds.
I live next a large green space "field" which is cut by the local council every few months.
No mow May has led to hundreds and hundreds of them,they all went to seed, and are now the seeds are trying to sprout in my pots, beds, sides of the drive even in my palm trees trunks in fact any space that's can support a tiny seed. Dandelions everywhere
So.. No not this year, I don't.

I had a neighbour from abroad some years ago, he asked me what to do about the “ dandeeleons “ since them I hated them less and always refer to them as dandeeleons!

On a side note, here's one reason to love dandelions

youtu.be/wU4DgHHwVCc

I don’t exactly hate them,,but there are always so many coming up in beds here, that need weeding out. My weed puller-upper does make it easier, though.
Buttercups, OTOH - I love them!

This is another yellow-flowered weed/aka wild flower I really like - lots of it seeds itself in the garden every year, mostly against walls, but this lot obligingly establishes itself in 2 adjacent pots every year, and doesn’t mind if I forget to water them now and then.
Corydalis lutea, I think - it doesn’t seem to have a common name, not that I have found, anyway.

I don't hate dandelions. They make a grand addition to a salad and if you have a whole heap of fresh leaves you can cook them like spinach and serve warm with lemon juice and oilive oil.

Our front lawn is full of dandelions. Been so dry we haventvwanted to cut it. The bees are very happy. Problem is the grass needs cutting now we've had some rain and it's Impossible to cut grass and not dandelions.

I like them, but appreciate that some people find them a nuisance.
They are such lovely flowers. This one in my garden was a perfect, cushioned puff of a bloom - the photo just doesn’t do it justice!

Not everyone does hate them...

My 2 baby tortoises love them. I grow a pot of dandelions especially for them

I find sunny dandelions pretty in our fields of wild flowers.

I used to make dandelion wine and eat the petals and young leaves in salads as well as many other wild flowers.
Sad to see all these artificial lawns these days.

I also like dandelions, daisies in my grass and buttercups. I also have a patch of violas self seeded in the corner of my lawn and cannot bring myself to cut them when mowing the lawn, so they are spreading and look lovely. Flower weeds are not the issue, but the nasty spiky things that hurt if you stand on them or prickle when you try to pull them out.