We have had a few days with sun thank goodness. More already in July than all of June I think. Echinacea are stating to color up and bloom. Here are some so far. The first one and way ahead of any other is CL. It is not as pretty because of the weather as last year, but it is a very good plant and blooms no matter what apparently. I just love it.
Merlot is also going well. It is about five feet tall. Love the dark stems.
Pink Double Delight is another one that blooms like mad.
Tiki Torch has doubled in size in it's second year.
New this year and I am impressed. Hope it comes through the winter, 'Pink Poodle'.
'Sunrise' was moved but is still looking good and just starting to bloom. Still waiting for 'Purity', 'Ruby Giant', 'Fatal Attraction' and 'Harvest Moon'. They all are doing well with lots of buds except HM which is small after being moved, but it does have buds. Oops forgot about 'Primadonna' and 'Green Envy'. They are doing pretty well in their second year considering the ground hog munched them down to nothing at the end of last summer. Both have buds.
This message was edited Jul 11, 2009 12:56 PM
Nice photos. Nice to see some height in your "Tiki Torch" plant. Mine keeps teasing me into thinking its going to grow upward. Glad I gave Coconut Lime a try this year....it's great. Your "Sunrise" looks better now than mine has ever looked. Glad to see your "Oranges & Lemons" Gaillardia nearby the Tiki Torch is doing well also. That's one of my favorite, less likely to flop, Gaillardias. Thanks much for sharing.
Jon
Awesome photos. Were your plants plugs or did you buy them larger?
Thanks Jon. I like the O&Ls very much. Even with all the downpours, hail and wind this year they are standing tall. I also have 'Amber Wheels' which was pretty good for a while, but has been beaten down now. 'Burgundy' is also standing up well but is surrounded by other plants which may help hold it up tall. Hope they all return.
Echinaceamaniac: The smallest one was a three or four inch extra deep pot. Most were at least a 5"x5" pot or larger. Most bought online and a couple were purchased locally. I am very impatient for them to really fill out with blooms. The summer is flying by but it seems like we just now got the weather to go with the season. Also got another 'Hope' echie late this spring. I am hoping it will make it through the winter. Trying a different location. Last chance for that one. I really like it though, so fingers crossed.
Yeah, I like Gaillardia "Amber Wheels" also. I grew two of them from seed last fall. One died a few months ago when I moved it into full sun. The other one is a huge and blooming very well now. I'm just afraid to plant it in the ground now in mid summer and perhaps kill it. The only ones I have in full unfiltered sun that seem to be unaffected by our summers are "Goblin", "Oranges & Lemons" and a new 2009/10 variety named "Mesa Yellow". Burgundy and Fanfare do great in the winter here, but seem to go downhill once we get to June.
I hope your Echie "Hope" overwinters for you this time. I had one last year and thought it didn't make this spring. By the time I got around to pulling it out a week later it took off so I left her alone. So far it's blooming a little better this year compared to last. It does take awhile to get used to this huge coned/short petaled variety,right?
I hope so. I put it on a slight slope in a spot that the snow melts faster. It was a nice big healthy looking plant all summer. Nice large blooms too. Guess it just didn't like all the snow last year. Here's a pic of it; very pretty I think.
Kind of funny. Mine are also on a very slight slope. Mine blooms quite different from yours. It's always large cones and short petals. Here they are this week. Perhaps our different climates is the reason???
Jon
Very pretty bed. I am hoping the little bit additional drainage and more protection from the wind will give it that extra chance.The climate can effect how they grow according to Terra Nova, especially heat or lack of in my case this year. It is amazing how many kinds and how well you do growing them there where they are not supposed to do at all.
Many thanks. I would think your extra drainage would have to be a good thing. The Echinacea in the photo also probably benefit from the palm tree nearby. It filters some of the suns rays. It's also a tree that doesn't develop a massive root system so perhaps the roots do not disturb the Echies too much. I'm just happy I tried to grow them here despite reading many articles telling me not to bother. You just have to find out for yourself if its something you really like.
ngam - Your Tiki Torch is beautiful. I lucked up and found one locally this year that was larger in size. My plugs last year didn't do so well. This new plant is doing awesome in my new coneflower bed. I'm taking up so much yard with Echies. It does make mowing easier though doesn't it!
It is liking the more seasonable temps and sunny day we are finally getting now. I lost several of the first blooms just as they were starting to show color to an insect or fungal attack and they would have been the largest flowers. We are still getting downpours of rain every day or two but at least some sunshine in between which seems to perk everything up.
Pretty cone flowers. I really like the pink poodle.
I really like Pink Poodle also! I'm going to have to find that one. Tiki Torch was a the top of my list, I found a larger one this weekend at a nursery.
