Tag: Cutleaf Coneflower
The Susans Cope With Drought

Late summer and fall are the time when Brown-Eyed Susans, Black-Eyed Susans, and other members of the genus Rudbeckia come into their own. This year has given us a chance to consider how some of these species perform in a year of moderate drought and with no supplemental water provided. Let me be up front …
Kittens AND Butterflies

My recent life feels as if it can be divided into two periods, BC and AC (Before Chemo and After Chemo). Having been through the first round of six treatments, I have no desire to discuss chemotherapy. It’s enough to say that while many have experienced much worse than I, the modern improved version is …
Our Early Yellow Period

Just as Picasso had his blue period, our garden has its Yellow Period. Actually, there’s an Early and a Late Yellow Period. The Early Yellow Period starts in late July and is defined by 3 plants I refer to as the Jolly Yellow Giants. I’ve written recently about Yellow Coneflower (Ratibida pinnata), the shortest of …
Return of the Monarchs

The first Monarch Butterflies of the year were spotted in our garden back in June. However, they were loners who made a brief appearance and then were seen no more. It’s only been in the last week or so that we’ve seen a pair of Monarchs maintain a consistent presence. Or maybe it’s been multiple …
Some 2018 Garden Highlights: Summer Breeze
Today is New Year’s Day. While a patchy blanket of snow lies on the ground outside, it seems a good moment to look through some favorite photos of our garden in summer.
Season of Seedheads
As the days get shorter, flowers become scarcer and the garden fills with seedheads.
Reminders of Brighter Days
Today is the last day of September, which means that no matter how many lawyers you hire to argue otherwise, autumn has truly begun. It’s simply undeniable. And yet, should we want to deny it, there are certain plants that stand ready to back us up in our denial. These are the plants that, once …
Pollinators, Known and Unknown, in the Late Summer Garden
Summer is winding down, but there are still plenty of pollinators in the garden. Here’s a collection of some I saw recently. Some are old friends, while certain others and I have never been properly introduced to others. Help with ID would be much appreciated.
Yellow is the Color of August
If each month were assigned an official color, August’s would be yellow. This is when yellow daisies of all sorts come to dominate, at least in our garden. Some cranky botanists refer to the ubiquitous yellow daisies as DYCs, or Damn Yellow Composites.
Favorite Flowers of 2017
It’s New Year’s Day, and I’m sitting on our back porch looking out on the garden, which is in a state of deep freeze. Now seems like a good time to think about the flowers that made me happiest over the year that just passed.