I really don’t want to go to seed as in “to decline in looks, status, or utility due to lack of care”, sounds pretty awful to me. In general conversation the term certainly has a derogatory edge.
However, in the gardening world I believe it can add to the beauty of the garden and by allowing your choice veggies to go to seed it certainly adds to the garden’s abundance as you collect seeds for the next season.
I believe the hardest part of letting your vegetables run to seed is that if you are wise you choose the finest specimen and leave it alone. That might be your biggest gardening challenge. Feed it, watch it grow in size, health and beauty – and don’t eat it!!
So I went out to the allotment the other day and strolled around the farm with my camera.
My best lettuce, shooting up ready to go to seed.
Broccoli flowering and running to seed
We plant flowers at the farm to attract the bees. I didn’t plant this flower but I think it’s Cosmos.
Cosmos (I think), still beautiful, going to seed
Allotment Adventures with Jean 
Jul 31, 2012 @ 22:16:34
Hi Jean
Thank you for your interest and comment on my blog. I love your photos and the happenings at the allotment. I am following so I can keep up to date.
Aug 01, 2012 @ 14:34:26
Hi Fairy, thank you for visiting and for your kind words. I love spending time at my allotment, spent a few happy hours there again this morning.
Aug 01, 2012 @ 07:12:54
I love “Lettuce Towers”. They are pretty little plants anyway, but when the go to seed they do it with magnificence! 🙂
Aug 01, 2012 @ 14:31:31
I like that. “Lettuce Towers”, never heard the expression before but will use it from now on. Do I need your copyright???
Aug 02, 2012 @ 04:13:29
I leave my spring broccoli to flower and go to seed as it’s so pretty and the bees love it!
Aug 02, 2012 @ 08:03:43
It is pretty, means you can harvest the seeds, and we need all the help we can get over here to encourage the bees.