More is more
Celebrating the rain!
Overnight we received another inch of rain, for a total of 2 1/2 inches over the weekend. Early this morning we heard two transformers blow somewhere in the neighborhood, probably from wet or windblown tree limbs falling against power lines. Our electricity is still running, but I’ll bet there are neighbors doing without A/C or the TV or the Internet (heaven forbid!) right now.
Sunrise echinacea. This is one of the new colors of purple coneflower available now. I’m not a traditionalist where new colors are concerned. In my experience, the “normal” color is hardier, but I can’t resist trying one of my favorite cottage flowers in a brand-new color.
Cedar bench with Rudbeckia goldsturm in the background
More rudbeckias
Succulents in glazed pot
Another look at the Sunrise
I haven’t tried any coneflower yet, but they’re growing on me. I’m working on a succulent planter, too, but it’s a little sparse at the moment. I planted rudbeckia seeds this year, but none of them came up.
Pam, you have so many cool accents! The musicians are great.
That’s the first time I’ve seen Echinacea ‘Sunrise’ in a real garden instead of a catalog, and it looks good in your garden. Your photo even shows how greenish the center looks. I have some Echinacea ‘Purple Stars’ and a few unnamed white coneflowers, but now am tempted to try another – that creamy yellow color is nice. Over the winter I put in some plants of Coreopsis ‘Creme Brulee’ and the first flowers are opening in a similar soft yellow.
Thanks, Annie. I’ve seen gigantic mariachis, made of the same scrap metal, all over town, most prominently on El Arroyo’s patio on Far West Blvd. and on the rooftop deck of the woman in Enfield who spraypaints circles on her lawn. Tacky but fun!
I’d love to see pics of your ‘Purple Stars’ and your new coreopsis ‘Creme Brulee’. My ‘Sunrise’ is looking good, but the ‘Sunset’ variety I planted next to it is going nowhere. Several flowers have tried to open, but their petals are thin and ragged looking. I don’t know what’s wrong but may have to try them in a new location next year.
Roxanne, I’ll try to convert you to a coneflower lover with my many photos of them. I love ’em all. Perhaps because they’re so darn easy to grow and yet so cheerful about being neglected.
Pam, I took a photo of the ‘Purple Stars’ coneflowers and put it on my blog, but they look pretty much like yours! Only a couple of the ‘Creme Brulee’ coreopsis have opened so far, so no photo yet.