I kept forgetting to post a photo of the purple milkweed I planted this spring that is blooming. The first 2 photos were taken July 8th. I love the pinkish vein in the leaves. That's leadplant behind it.
I'm not sure if I have a favorite flowers list, but milkweed blooms have been tied with the daylilies the last few days.
This photo was taken the 11th. I am trying to decide whether I should let it go to seed so I can have more, or deadhead it so the plant will become well established before winter. (I just planted it in May.) What do you think?
I'm sure this is a weed, but I kind of liked how it looked before it started going to seed. I'm thinking I better get this out. I want to find out if anyone knows what it is before I sit down with my weed book. (I think Msrobin correctly identified this as safflower. Thanks, Robin!)
Is this fleabane? (I did find my book on weeds, and think this is a fleabane of some kind.)
This is the third season for this 'Kim's Knee High' echinacea. It looked much better than this the last couple of years. I'm wondering if it's diseased. I couldn't figure it out by doing a search. I did come across Dawn's Bloggy Blog, and got sidetracked looking at some awesome photography, but forgot to get the link. She had a post from a year ago that came up in the search, even though it did not help me figure out if these are diseased. I've heard of some pulling them out if they look like this, and others letting them grow. Benjamin, from The Deep Middle, who lives in the same area I do, said he's had some like this, too.
Here's the 'Harvest Moon' I planted at the same time. I got these from one of our more expensive nurseries. I went out to look at the leaves awhile ago, and they are nice and green.
Well, have a great week! We are continuing to have lots of rain. It's nice out now. I'm either going to go out to garden or go to my daughter's and help her with some of her clutter.
That weed looks like Yellow starthistle. If it is, it will have a deep tap root. Don't let it seed!
ReplyDeleteThe milkweed is a very pretty plant. I, too, like the pink echoes in the veining.
I think whatever plant that is blooming, is my favorite!
that's a lovely milkweed. I tried that one in a drier area of the garden a few years ago and it didn't survive the winter.
ReplyDeleteMy white swamp milkweed ('Ice Ballet') has never bloomed, unlike the pink which blooms so well.
That weedy starthistle is here, too.
I realize the yellow plant is a weed, but it sure is pretty!
ReplyDeleteI have some coneflower in my front and back yard, the one in the back never looks as good as the one in the front!
Actually, I think your yellow weed is a safflower. Do you feed those to your birds? I do, and wondered what exactly a safflower is, so I let it grow and got a flower just like that! They look pretty weedy after awhile, but I never had a problem with them coming back, even though I continually feed safflower seeds to the birds.
ReplyDeleteHi Gals,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments. I found my book on the weeds of Nebraska, and looked up the star thistle. I didn't think my flowers looked just like the ones I found online. I took the book out, and didn't think that's quite what they were. The plant stem and leaves were different, and the seed heads were shaped a little differently.
I think Msrobin is right, that it is safflower. We do feed that to the birds in the winter. The images of safflower plants on the internet look like what I have.
I also found fleabane in the book, and think that may be what the small white flower is. There are different kinds of fleabane. Some are annual, and others perennials.
Enjoy your gardening time! The days are getting shorter now.
I too have noticed the days getting shorter. It doesn't take long to see the change. Love your milkweed--what a lovely shade of pink.
ReplyDeleteMy echinacea are just started blooming and I'm so looking forward to it. Do you have good luck with some of the newer varieties coming back reliably? I can't believe how many didn't come back this year and since then I've read a lot about their hardiness and long-livedness.
ReplyDeleteYou never cease to amaze me with your collection of plants. All I have learned about establishing plants is that it takes a good 6 weeks.
ReplyDeleteI have lilies in my yard but no milkweed. After looking at that beautiful blossom on your milkweed, I far prefer the milkweed! It's gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteLove your milkweed blooms. Mine is beginning to bloom but is a new plant so I'm not expecting much.
ReplyDeleteOoh I love your purple flowering milkweed, need to add more of this family of plants this fall. They are great for attracting the butterflies. That is definitely a weed of some type (the yellow bloom) but not sure of the name. Looks like a thistle of some sort. Pretty blooms today! :)
ReplyDeleteLove your header. I feed safflower to my birds too. I never saw any grow, now I will keep my eyes open to it. Not sure what is going on with your coneflower. The color of the flower of the milkweed is amazing!
ReplyDeleteI have some milkweed growing behind my shed. I'm thinking of transplanting it since the monarch butterflies love it. The flower is pretty. Great post! Jean
ReplyDeletelooks like your liatris is in full bloom...
ReplyDeleteVery beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI love milkweed myself! I have a couple that insist on blooming in my echinachea patch
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful garden, right in the front of the house.. I have something similar and I have a neighbor who hates it.. especially my little critters scattered around.. He asked me to take away some of them,, looks like (sorry to say this).. looks like a trailer park.. just wanted to say something back, but he is old and in a wheelchair.. so I walked away without saying one word!
ReplyDeleteYou have a "Lovely yard"!
Sandy
thewondersofdoing@blogspot.com
The safflower is really cool. I pull it as a weed in my garden too. I was really intrigued with your lead plant. I got some seeds in the blogger seed swap this year and have some seedlings here. I unfortunately do not think I have a spot where it will grow. No where do I have full sun that isn't already taken up and there isn't great drainage here. I'm still trying to figure out what I'll do with all the seedlings. The milkweed is awesome! I've seen it wild and considered putting it in my garden but haven't gotten around to it. Awesome blooms though!
ReplyDeleteHi, Sue, I have a perennial flea bane that looks like yours, but mine is purple. My milkweed, grown from seeds my husband gathered, hasn't flowered yet ... now I've seen yours, I can't wait.
ReplyDeleteWe had rain at last. It flattened some plants, but it was lovely not having to water this morning. Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving a second great comment on the same post. Glad to say I have a new post ready to go.
Your blooms are lovely! Pam x
Thanks for sharing all of your blooms! I think you should let it go to seed!!! Maybe I'm bias, but why not let it go to seed, then spread the seed around so it develops and you have more of the plants next Spring/Summer?? :)
ReplyDeleteAlyssa @ Beholding the Beauty