Where the native plants grow, a trial mini meadow is on its third year. A hodge podge of plants, some actually planted in threes, I love how it looks this year.
The ground covering plant with little yellow flowers is Lysimachia lanceolate var. purpurea or lance leaved loosestrife. So tight and dense is its foliage that at least one baby bunny runs out when I water. Given it's ability to suppress weeds, there are plenty of plants that rise through and grow well, among them are echinacea, parthenium, agastache, and salvia. The taller plant is Veronicastrum virginicum 'Fascination' or Culver's root, a source of nectar for many insects.
Three Rudbeckia maxima are gigantic this year, flowering at seven feet. I stand on a six foot ladder to photograph the first flowers as they open.
Clump growers, they are still large plants and threaten to overtake some smaller plants that are a bit too close. The foliage is a gorgeous glaucous blue, a beautiful complement to the flowers. If cut for a vase, expect flower stems of four feet or more.
Of the mix there is one that has taken awhile to grow large enough to flower and that is Parthenium integrifolium or wild quinine. In the aster family, the flowers may be small but the impact is big. Course leaves at the base with white flowers that last for more than two months.
Many meadow plants have yet to flower, I await echinacea, prairie dock, salvias, and hardy ageratum. The bed is twelve feet by eight with a south exposure and it might be the most happening place in my garden, until the sun sets. We can't ignore my night garden which is at a very quiet roar right now. So much to look forward to!
Beautiful!
Posted by: Elin | 06/28/2020 at 05:25 PM