For many years [more than 30] there has been a small patch of lily-of-the-valley plants at one end of the house. Growing in a shaded area, house on one side and driveway on the other side, they made a nice little edging. Last year, I noticed that they had spread a bit, going around the house corner towards a small azalea bed beside the steps. I pulled up the errant pips and thought no more about it.

Spring has sprung around here, and the LOVs are pushing up green pencils of tightly wrapped leaves. In their own bed, around the corner and surrounding the azalea, under the edging and into a bed of pansies and oxalis, green pencils are massed and ready to spread their leaves. Having a fondness for the oxalis, DH spent a half hour clearing pips from an area smaller than a square foot: the pips are massed tighter than a tangled briar patch. Tired of yanking and pulling up pips, he was muttering about letting them stay, live and let live, and they looked okay... and then he walked down the driveway and discovered that several LOVs had pushed their pencils through 4 inches of asphalt.

Present score is LOV 1-DH O, but I think the next round is going to involve boiling water.