10/21/10 Update: Swamp sunflower is the best guess so far. The deer allowed some of these to bloom!

Nancy offered the opinion that these are swamp sunflowers (Helianthus angustifolius). So until more information comes in that's what they are. Thanks Nancy.

Laura says Helianthus aka sunflower.

Note cute kitty paws.

??? Next door near the pond.

Next door by the pond. [Theora says probably Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)]

Bad pictures of this latest mystery weed. Must try to get better ones tomorrow.

Found this one hiding in a neglected part of my garden.

Crown Vetch (Securigera varia) says Michelle. Thanks!

Garlic mustard.

Original title for this post: Could this be something called Malva? I saw a similar plant at a farmers market but didn't note anything but "Malva." There are a LOT of Malvi.

7/9/10 update: Top picture taken after all the violets were removed from the middle of the plant. Still waiting for a flower and still convinced this is something worth keeping (not just a violet).

3/1/11 update: Could this be skunk cabbage?

4/12/11 final update: Theora and Samohta-- see comments -- have convinced me that this is garlic mustard. It never seems to bloom but I think that's because the deer are snapping off the flowers before I ever see them. Related post is here.

Sheep sorrel, suggests Michelle. I think she may be right, but I need to see the flowers first. TBC.

4/12/11: Cleavers, Clivers, Goosegrass, Stickywilly, Stickyjack, Stickyweed, Stickyleaf, Catchweed, Robin-run-the-hedge or Coachweed

Little itty bitty white flowers.

I think brianheagney, see comments, has ID'ed it. These are all the common names used for this weed, according to Wikipedia. Galium aparine. 4/21/12 update: A new vote has come in. Patricia Newport (see comments) says this might be Galium tricornulum. I need to do some close examination to see which one it is. Does it produce 2-7 tiny white flowers OR 3 drooping tiny white flowers? This plant may be confused with other weed species of Galium, especially Galium tricornutum and Galium divaricatum. G. aparine has 2-7 tiny white flowers on erect stems up to 2.5 cm long, G. tricornutum has usually only 3 drooping tiny white flowers on shorter stems, up to about 1.5 cm long, and G. divaricatum, a more erect plant, has 3-12 yellowish red flowers. From here. The International Environmental Weed Foundation, in Sydney, Australia.

Creeping Jenny blooms. This is why I love my weeds.

June 12 update: Deptford Pink (Dianthus armeria)

I feel pretty sure that this is it. And deer don't like it according to one website that says;
"The foliage of members of the Pink family tends to be high in saponins and unattractive to mammalian herbivores."

Cranesbill (Geranium endressii)

3/1/11 update: Thanks to Patricia Newport for the ID.

10/10/10: White boneset or thoroughwort. I'm letting it bloom but I won't let it grow next yr. Takes up too much real estate in my veggie garden.

Forget-me-not (Myosotis sylvatica).

I think Michelle and Theora are right: this is a forget-me-not. And I also think I have a vague memory of planting some seeds for this last year. They look so weedy coming up that I'm sure I've yanked up a bunch of them before they could bloom. If they survive the deer, they'll be keepers.

???

Sowthistle (Sonchus arvensis). [5/24/10 update]

Here's a picture from last year. I'm letting them spread. They're weedy but are also pretty, in a modest, plain-jane way. And I STILL don't know what they are.

Could be something I planted & forgot about. I wonder what it is? [8-13: Andrea says maybe Lobelia inflata. I'll look for flowers to be sure.]

Virginia bluebells (Mertensia virginica).

Near the C & O Canal off River Road in Bethesda.

Bluets or Houstonia caerulea.

Lesser celandine (not marsh marigold).

Ranunculus ficaria (not Caltha palustris). Also called fig buttercup.
Thanks to theora for the information.

Weeds in Italy versus weeds in Maryland. The ones with little white flowers look the same to me. (4/18/10: Hairy Bittercress)

Cardamine hirsuta.