Wildflowers in the sun

coreopsis beginning to bloom in sunny bed

Just because a plant has a wiry stem doesn't mean it won't make a good flowering garden plant. Plants like ox eye daisies and coreopsis (tickseed) can seed and spread and pop up just about anywhere without taking up too much space. They are both blooming now, and will continue for a while with dead heading of spent blooms.

My daisies and coreopsis share space with lilies, coneflowers, black-eyed susans (rudbeckia), liatris, phlox and monarda. All of these plants are sun lovers. Full sun is at a premium in my yard. So I require my sun-loving plants to get along and share space.  I really like the kind of crazy quilt flower bed that results.

Who can resist playing " loves me/loves me not" when you pick a daisy?  It's also a great way to teach odd and even numbers to kids.

coreopsis

 Blooms that have a round center with radiating petals are always referred to as "daisy-like".  But it's much harder to play "loves me/loves me not" when petals overlap.  You should stick with the daisies.

 This is "Jethro Tull" coreopsis I got last year.  I just couldn't resist.  Why the name?  Well, the petals are fluted and IT ROCKS!

As you probably noticed, the pink phlox pilosa is till blooming! It's happy to have the company of the daisies and coreopsis! 

Make the most of your sunny areas.  If you let those wildflowers spread, soon you will have a fiesta of flowers!

I am joining Gail at Clay and Limestone for Wildflower Wednesday. 

 

Wildflower Wednesday: Seeing Stars!

I am joining Gail at Clay and Limestone for Wildflower Wednesday, celebrating native plants!

 As any young child will tell you, a star shape has 5 points. As a kindergarten teacher teaching shape identification,  I  never had to teach the star or the heart shape to any 5 year old.  It seems that those are the 2 shapes kids always pick up first.  My students were always fascinated by the number of flowers that have the star shape.  In my gardens now, I'm seeing lots of stars blooming.

pink oxalis

Star of Bethlehem (or SOB - very invasive)

blue creeping phlox

  LOTS OF PHLOX!

creeping phlox

phlox pilosa

                                       

woodland phlox

amsonia "blue star"

yellow jessamine

cross vine

virginia creeper - not a bloom, but it will certainly be a "star" when it puts on its fall colors

 I hope you're seeing lots of stars in your garden!

Please head over to Clay and Limestone to see some of Gail's wildflowers and check out links to
other garden blogs.