--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What a time herbs and weeds, and such…" description: "\"What a time herbs and weeds, and such things could talk, A man in his garden one day did walk, Spying a nettle green (as th'emeraude) spread in a bed o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/905/john-heywood-3045_bed_what-a-time-herbs-and-weeds-and-such-thi_2619296.png" --- # What a time herbs and weeds, and such things could talk, A… ![“What a time herbs and weeds, and such things could talk, A man in his garden one day did walk, Spying a nettle green (as th'emeraude) spread in a bed of roses like the ruby red. Between which two colors he thought, but his eye, The green nettle did the red rose beautify. "How be it," he asked the…” quote by John Heywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/905/john-heywood-3045_bed_what-a-time-herbs-and-weeds-and-such-thi_2619296.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/905/john-heywood-3045_bed_what-a-time-herbs-and-weeds-and-such-thi_2619296.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/905/john-heywood-3045_bed_what-a-time-herbs-and-weeds-and-such-thi_2619296.png) > “What a time herbs and weeds, and such things could talk, A man in his garden one day did walk, Spying a nettle green (as th'emeraude) spread in a bed of roses like the ruby red. Between which two colors he thought, but his eye, The green nettle did the red rose beautify. "How be it," he asked the nettle, "what thing Made him so pert? So nigh the Rose to Spring.” [John Heywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heywood/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker marvels at how a green nettle enhances the beauty of a red rose, illustrating how contrast can heighten perception. **In simple terms:** Contrast makes things stand out. Key Takeaway Notice how differences can improve things. Themes perception contrast beauty nature artistic observation Mood curious reflective Type literary observational When to use this quote - garden walks - art criticism - design thinking - floral arrangement Key Concepts Aesthetics visual perception interdependence Questions to Reflect On - How do you use contrast in your work? - When does contrast distract rather than enhance? A Different Perspective The effect depends on the viewer’s eye; not all contrasts are pleasing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Color](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/color/) [Flower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flower/) [Flowers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flowers/) [Garden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/garden/) [Gardening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gardening/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Nettles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nettles/) [Red](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/red/) [Red rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/red-rose/) [Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rose/) [Rubies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rubies/) [Spring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spring/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“Nettie, is that short for Annette?" Dr. Carlyle asked. "It's short for Nettle." Nettie hated the way her voice quavered as she shivered in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-herrick/nettie-is-that-short-for-annette-dr-carlyle-asked-it-s-short-for/) [Ellen Herrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-herrick/) > [Each worm to his taste; some prefer to eat nettles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junichiro-tanizaki/each-worm-to-his-taste-some-prefer-to-eat-nettles/) [Junichiro Tanizaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junichiro-tanizaki/) > [The strawberry grows underneath the nettle And wholesome berries thrive and ripen best Neighbour'd by fruit of baser quality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/the-strawberry-grows-underneath-the-nettle-and-wholesome-berries/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [The world's a nettle; disturb it, it stings: Grasp it firmly, it stings not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bulwer-lytton-1st-earl-of-lytton/the-world-s-a-nettle-disturb-it-it-stings-grasp-it-firmly-it-stings/) [Robert Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Earl of Lytton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bulwer-lytton-1st-earl-of-lytton/) > [Take your nettles and sew my mouth shut but you well never here the last of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james/take-your-nettles-and-sew-my-mouth-shut-but-you-well-never-here-the/) [James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james/) > [A man should not love the moon. An ax should not lose weight in his hand. His garden should smell of rotting apples, And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/czeslaw-milosz/a-man-should-not-love-the-moon-an-ax-should-not-lose-weight-in-his/) [Czeslaw Milosz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/czeslaw-milosz/) > [And when April like an over-lustful lover leaped upon the lush flanks of the Downs there would be yet another child in the wretched…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-gibbons/and-when-april-like-an-over-lustful-lover-leaped-upon-the-lush-flanks/) [Stella Gibbons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-gibbons/) > [“Tall Nettles Tall nettles cover up, as they have done These many springs, the rusty harrow, the plough Long worn out, and the roller…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-thomas/tall-nettles-tall-nettles-cover-up-as-they-have-done-these-many/) [Edward Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-thomas/) > [Try the meditation of the trail, just walk along looking at the trail at your feet and don't look about and just fall into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-mcdougall/try-the-meditation-of-the-trail-just-walk-along-looking-at-the-trail/) [Christopher McDougall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-mcdougall/) > [My mother's great line was, Grasp the nettle with two hands, girl, because if you don't somebody else will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-wood/my-mother-s-great-line-was-grasp-the-nettle-with-two-hands-girl/) [Fiona Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-wood/) > ['Tis dangerous to take a cold, to sleep, to drink; but I tell you, my lord fool, out of this nettle, danger, we pluck…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/tis-dangerous-to-take-a-cold-to-sleep-to-drink-but-i-tell-you-my-lord/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [The world is a nettle; disturb it, it stings. Grasp it firmly, it stings not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-bulwer-lytton-1st-earl-of-lytton/the-world-is-a-nettle-disturb-it-it-stings-grasp-it-firmly-it-stings/) [Robert Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Earl of Lytton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-bulwer-lytton-1st-earl-of-lytton/) > [Sweet to me was not the voice of man, But the wind's voice was understood by me. The burdocks and the nettles fed my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-akhmatova/sweet-to-me-was-not-the-voice-of-man-but-the-wind-s-voice-was/) [Anna Akhmatova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-akhmatova/) > [Better be a nettle in the side of your friend than his echo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/better-be-a-nettle-in-the-side-of-your-friend-than-his-echo/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“Virtue? A fig! 'Tis in ourselves that we are thus or thus. Our bodies are our gardens, to the which our wills are gardeners.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/virtue-a-fig-tis-in-ourselves-that-we-are-thus-or-thus-our-bodies-are/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) ## More by John Heywood > [To give importance to trifling matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heywood/to-give-importance-to-trifling-matters/) [John Heywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heywood/) > [Little pitchers have big ears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heywood/little-pitchers-have-big-ears/) [John Heywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heywood/) > [Who is so deaf or so blind as he that willfully will neither hear nor see?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heywood/who-is-so-deaf-or-so-blind-as-he-that-willfully-will-neither-hear-nor/) [John Heywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heywood/) > [Praie and shifte eche one for him selfe, as he can.Euery man for him selfe, and god for us all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heywood/praie-and-shifte-eche-one-for-him-selfe-as-he-can-euery-man-for-him/) [John Heywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heywood/) > [It is a poor dog that is not worth the whistling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heywood/it-is-a-poor-dog-that-is-not-worth-the-whistling/) [John Heywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heywood/) > [If you will call your troubles experiences, and remember that every experience develops some latent force within you, you will grow vigorous and happy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heywood/if-you-will-call-your-troubles-experiences-and-remember-that-every/) [John Heywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heywood/) > [The nearer to the church, the further from God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heywood/the-nearer-to-the-church-the-further-from-god/) [John Heywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heywood/) > [Might have gone further and have fared worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heywood/might-have-gone-further-and-have-fared-worse/) [John Heywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heywood/) > [A day after the faire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heywood/a-day-after-the-faire/) [John Heywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heywood/) > [Feed by measure, and defy the physician.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heywood/feed-by-measure-and-defy-the-physician/) [John Heywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heywood/) > [Better to be happy than wise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heywood/better-to-be-happy-than-wise/) [John Heywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heywood/) > [When the iron is hot, strike.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heywood/when-the-iron-is-hot-strike/) [John Heywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heywood/) > [There is no fyre without some smoke.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heywood/there-is-no-fyre-without-some-smoke/) [John Heywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heywood/) > [Many hands make light work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heywood/many-hands-make-light-work/) [John Heywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heywood/) > [Prove your friend ere you have need, but in deed A friend is never known till a man have need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-heywood/prove-your-friend-ere-you-have-need-but-in-deed-a-friend-is-never/) [John Heywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heywood/) [Explore all 141 John Heywood quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-heywood/) ## 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She reclined her seat, and listened to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tao-lin/in-the-parking-lot-she-drove-and-parked-in-a-dark-area-with-no-other/) [Tao Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tao-lin/) > [It wasn't really touching to be young; it was touching not to be young, because you had less of life left. Touching to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-macaulay/it-wasn-t-really-touching-to-be-young-it-was-touching-not-to-be-young/) [Rose Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-macaulay/) > [I have to meditate before I go to bed, always. I have to let the day go and let the eternal in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bellamy-young/i-have-to-meditate-before-i-go-to-bed-always-i-have-to-let-the-day-go/) [Bellamy Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bellamy-young/) > [Sometimes by a woodland stream he watched the water rush over the pebbled bed, its tiny modulations of bounce and flow. 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