When learning to take care of our gardens there's one thing we're always taught - weeds are bad for your lawn. When weeds appear, they compete for air and steal water and nutrients from other plants.
Many gardeners spend a considerable amount of time trying to get rid of, and cursing, the opportunistic wild plants - essentially going to war against them.
But it turns out they aren't as bad as you might think, and you could be saving a lot of time by just leaving them be - and your garden can still look amazing.
According to gardening expert Chris Bonnett, despite their bad reputation, many weeds can be incredibly beneficial and pay a huge role in helping your garden flourish due to their "hidden talents".
Speaking to The Express, Chris, who is the founder of GardeningExpress.co.uk, explained: "Gardeners who utilise the hidden talents of weeds can significantly improve their outdoor spaces.
"Instead of getting consumed with tearing weeds out of your lawn, leave them alone and let nature reclaim its place in your garden.
"Embracing weeds can help support biodiversity, enhance the soil and conserve water. Just keep in mind that weeds can quickly overgrow, so it's important to not let them take over the garden."
Instead, try to allocate them a certain area so they aren't competing for the nutrients, water and sunlight with the other plants you've spent so much time on.
Having some weeds in your garden can truly help it flourish, for example, they can attract a variety of insects, birds and other wildlife.
This will create a safe haven for pollinators to thrive, and they are "vital" to the production of healthy plants, explained Chris.
Not only that, but you can use decomposed weeds to improve the soil in your garden. Simply let the weeds rot down in a bucket of water, and then pour it onto your compost bin.
During the summer months you can also use the weeds as mulch for the soil, because they cover the surface, which helps to reduce water evaporation.
According to Chris, this "reduces the need for frequent watering".
Lastly, weeds can also prevent soil erosion from the wind or water by covering bare patches of lawn.
That being said, weeds are definitely not for everybody, especially if your garden is surrounded my beautiful flowers and plants.
A garden expert previously shared the best ways of getting rid of pesky wild plants for good, including using salt.
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