This month, Jude of Earth Laughs in Flowers is asking us to share a macro picture taken in a garden. My offering is this Herb Robert flower.
It’s a spidery, shallow rooted type of geranium that grows wild in my part of the world and self-seeds freely. The distinctive fragrance easily transfers to your fingers.
Unfortunately it’s not a scent I’ve learned to savour: if only the scent of roses transferred as easily!
Susan Rushton 
Ah, yes I see these little plants everywhere, but never realised they were related to the Geranium (though come to think of it they do look like them) or had a scent. I shall rub my fingers on the next one I see. Only hope it isn’t like the curry plant which lingers with you for days! Thank you for sharing Susan 🙂
My pleasure. I don’t remember the scent lingering, so if you don’t like it either, it isn’t too much of a risk.
I love Herb Robert, despite the scent😉. Such cheerful colour and I like the leaves shape as well.
Yes, the leaves are very pretty and they go reddish under stress, which is attractive.
I really like when the leaves go reddish and flowers still stay bright pink.
Herb Robert is a ‘supreme therapeutic herb’ – according to Isabell Shipard. Here’s a link to her Free Herb information website. She is a treasure trove of information. http://www.herbsarespecial.com.au/free-herb-information.html
Lovely photo. I like Herb Robert; it’s definitely a wild flower rather than a weed. I do find it a bit too eager so pull a lot up, but the ferny leaves, red stems and pretty flowers are so nice in early summer.
‘A bit too eager’ is a great way of putting it. I wouldn’t be so aware of its scent if I didn’t share your assessment!
It’s pretty to look at, at least. 🙂
I think I’ve seen a white cultivar too, but the wild ones near me all seem to be pink with white streaks.
Thanks for introducing me to Herb Robert. He is such a delightful little fellow😊
I’m sure there must be a story behind the name.
For sure!
Lovely photo! Thanks for the ID, we have these growing all over.
The springy seed mechanism is very effective!
What a pretty little thing. We also have them growing in our garden and always considered it to be weed. But we have to reconsider! Your photo shows that small flowers like these can also be very beautiful.
If they’re growing ‘out of place’, I think they must be one of the easiest plants to weed – you just have to pick them up. One plant I always see as a weed, though no one else seems to, is alchemilla mollis. I know it’s pretty (especially when water drops are on the foliage) and a classic cottage garden plant, but I have spent so long weeding it by hand at one time in my gardening past that I can’t help viewing it with suspicion.
I know all about alchemilla mollis. It pops up in the garden long after you think you got rid of it permanently. So now we allow it to grow in one place, maybe trying to placate it and keep it there and there only. 😉
Good luck with that! People often say you should always plant mint in a pot so it can’t run, but I can see alchemilla mollis escaping from almost anywhere. I’m not denying it’s a pretty plant and I’ve known several florists who really like using it.
Well, we did the ‘plant mint in a pot’, but it ran anyway. It was a nightmare (although it made great tea), and I mean that literally: I had dreams about mint growing everywhere in the garden. So now I buy my mint from the Friday market downtown.