Crazy Daisies of Summer

Elisabeth — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 11:38:00 GMT

Coneflowers (Echinacea) are everywhere these days--in catalogs, online and in nurseries. And they aren't just purple any more. Breeding advances have brought us coneflowers in an array of colors and sizes. Some varieties are even scented, which adds another dimension to the summer show.

But sometimes having too many coneflowers can be overwhelming. To provide variety I mix up the coneflower clumps with groupings of Shasta daisies or daylilies. Pale yellow daylilies, like the reblooming 'Happy Returns' (above), work well with dark coneflowers like the big purple 'Magnus' (above). Shastas complement the newer yellow or pale orange coneflowers nicely. All of these daisy family plants make it easy for the gardener, as they like the same sunny conditions. Make sure the soil is well drained.

You don't need a lot of species to create a vibrant summer garden--just a little imagination.

Plant Collections

Elisabeth — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 13:30:00 GMT

In England if you go crazy about a plant genus--say snowdrops--and you collect as many different species and varieties as you can find, you can apply to the National Gardens Scheme to be designated as the holder of the national collection of the plant genus that you love. The National Gardens Scheme, which also sponsors the "Garden Open Days" program, publicizes this distinction and people with an interest in your special genus seek you (and your garden) out.

We don't have such a system in America, but if you are crazy about a particular genus, you are in luck. We live in a golden age of plant discovery and breeding, with new species and cultivars (cultivated varieties) coming into the marketplace every year. I thought of this the other day when I was trying to decide which coneflower to try in my garden this year.

In the old days, you could only find one species, Echinacea purpurea or purple coneflower. It was and is great, with beautiful purple flowers and an easy-going disposition that requires only sunshine and very moderate amounts of moisture to keep it happy. It tends to self-seed as well, so it's a good investment plant. Butterflies flock to it. In my garden it is the only plant that really draws fritillaries or checkered butterflies.

Now, if you love purple coneflowers, you can also buy improved varieties like 'Magnus', which has bigger flowers, or 'Kim's Knee High', which is a bit more compact. There are white coneflowers like the lovely 'White Swan' as well. The Big Sky series of coneflowers, which includes 'Twilight', 'Summer Sky', 'Harvest Moon' and a growing list of other cultivars has brought fragrance into the coneflower picture, not to mention new colors like yellow, orange and peach. Big Sky coneflowers are actually hybrids, resulting from crosses between good old Echinacea purpurea and another native species, Echinacea paradoxa.

Without much effort you can also find new or relatively new varieties of double coneflowers, coneflowers with quilled petals and bi-colored varieties. If you put your mind to it and have enough space you can assemble a wonderful collection. It may not be the national collection, but it will delight you and impress your plant loving friends.

Growing Wise : coneflowers

Crazy Daisies of Summer

Plant Collections