Weed

 Why, why, WHY are Dandelions considered a weed?!

From the MedicinPlus site:

Dandelion is an herb. People use the above ground parts and root to make medicine.

Dandelion is used for loss of appetite, upset stomach, intestinal gas, gallstones, joint pain, muscle aches, eczema, and bruises. Dandelion is also used to increase urine production and as a laxative to increase bowel movements. It is also used as skin toner, blood tonic, and digestive tonic.

Some people use dandelion to treat infection, especially viral infections, and cancer.

In foods, dandelion is used as salad greens, and in soups, wine, and teas. The roasted root is used as a coffee substitute.

OK, the site also says:

Dandelion is used for many conditions, but so far, there isn’t enough scientific evidence to determine whether or not it is effective for any of them.

You can also make wine from them! Beyond that, the big thing, to my mind anyway, is their beauty. Mindbendingly useful, peasant stunners, they are.

Time lapse Dandelion flower to seed head vid by Neal Bromhal

Violets too. How can this be!?

They're edible, just like Dandelions and have medicinal qualities. JUST like dandelions.

From Blind Pig & The Acorn where you can also find recipes for Violet Vinegar, Triple Violet Salad, Violet Leaf Tea, Crystallized Viola and more:

All members of the Viola family are edible-I'm sure at some point you've seen the fancy fragile looking candied violets on a wedding cake-but there are a variety of other edible ways to use violets. Both the leaves and blooms are edible-they can be tossed in a salad, used to make violet tea, violet syrup, violet jelly, and even violet vinegar.

Oh yeah, they're stunningly beautiful too. They're the herb/flower/weed (OK, there, I said it. Happy now?) version of Svetlana Lunkina dancing Giselle. No, seriously!