Phlowers – Echinacea

On July 30, 2024July 30, 2024 By TimelessladyIn Phlowers4 Comments

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge for this week is a Single Flower. I chose this beautiful white Echinacea that grows in full sun near my patio. The identity of the seed source is Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. Since I planted the seeds indoors sometime in Spring of 2022, it took two years for the plant to flower outside. As soon as I finish writing this post, I will follow the link to Baker Creek and purchase another packet. I plan to start the echinacea seeds now, in late summer, and grow them to blooming size by Spring.

I had many unusual colors grow from this variety: peach, deep coral, the typical pink, and this white flower. If you love the sturdy stems and reliable bloom of Echinacea plants, try growing this unique mixture.

Echinacea Paradiso Mix

Paradiso Echinacea loaded down with blooms in late July.

(Later) I did purchase the seeds and they are already shipped. At this slower time of the growing season Baker Creek Seed company is very fast with order fulfillment. Baker Creek is definitely in the upper echelon of best heirloom seed companies.

The Farmer’s Almanac has an excellent article on how to grow echinacea.

Phloral Arrangement – IAVOM/Coral and Cream

On June 24, 2024June 24, 2024 By TimelessladyIn Phloral Arrangements23 Comments

I’m attempting to have flowers on my kitchen table every day, especially in the summer months when my garden is bursting at the seams with colorful blossoms. This plan will fulfill two goals, and I will also create a vase for In A Vase on Monday. (IAVOM) This challenge is hosted by the Ramblings in the Garden Blog.

When I gazed out the window this morning, the coral petals of two roses grabbed my attention. They would perfectly match the lilies blooming in another garden bed. I added white Snapdragons and some cream-colored Echinacea to the bouquet.

The vase looked so pretty in the guest room I almost felt guilty moving it to the kitchen.

Photograph – The Bone Yard

On September 30, 2015September 30, 2015 By TimelessladyIn Photo Challenge at Wordpress, photograph2 Comments

Autumn has brought out the beauty in the “Bone Yard” of my garden as my blossoms turn into seeds.

In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Change.”“This week, show us a change in progress. This can be done in one or multiple photos — we’ll let you decide!”

ACORNS - WASHED BY RAIN FROM THE ROOF — ACORNS – WASHED BY RAIN FROM THE ROOF

Pic-Monkey is a terrific site for adding special effects to photographs.

Prevention – Immunity Booster/Echinacea Tea

On December 12, 2014December 12, 2014 By TimelessladyIn Prevention4 Comments

Echinacea is a terrific supplement for enhancing your immune responses. I like to use Echinacea in tea form. The warmth of the brew seems so much more conducive to believing you are being boosted than popping a supplement. The taste is rather nondescript, so to enhance and cool the tea, I add a splash of my favorite fruit juice.

There are some precautions on who should take Echinacea. The University of Maryland has a good article on the do’s and don’ts of using Echinacea.

Echinacea is also a terrific garden plant, and one of the workhorses of my gardens. Not only are they beautiful when cloaked in their summertime blossoms…

They also form attractive seedpods that help supplement the diet of local birds all through the winter. I think they are beautiful dappled with yesterday’s light snowfall.

My Echinacea grows best in 6 -8 hours of sun per day. Planted near the birdfeeder, the plant provides both a meal and a resting place for birds throughout the entire year.

Plants – Three for Autumn/Lobelia, Echinacea and Cockscomb

On September 12, 2014October 13, 2014 By TimelessladyIn PlantsLeave a comment

Blue Cardinal Flower (Lobelia siphilitica) is a perennial lobelia. The flowers bloom in late summer. I love this plant, and if you saw my gardens at the moment you would not need an explanation as to why; the plant is growing EVERYWHERE! I started out with one plant over twenty years ago. Blue cardinal flower produces large amounts of seed, microscopic, they make up for their size by plenitude, hundreds upon hundreds of seeds in each pod. Each blossom develops a seed pod. You can imagine the millions of progeny that have been distributed in my garden beds over the years. I have also helped them out and broken pods over each and every flower bed on my property.

Yesterday I spotted a hummingbird sipping nectar from a blue cardinal flower growing in the front garden. I was ecstatic, I thought the small winged creatures had already left for warmer climates. Blue cardinal flower is an excellent hummingbird plant.

Excuse the quality of the goldfinch photograph. The moment was captured through my window screen. Goldfinches are feasting on the seedpods of my echinacea plants. They quickly flutter away anytime I try to approach them with camera in tow. Echinacea is the workhorse of my garden.

Beautiful, and full of goodness also, Echinacea is a tried and true herbal remedy. The maturing seedpods draw Goldfinches. Attracting Goldfinches is always a desire of those who watch birds.

Cockscomb (Celosia cristata), what a beautiful plant, is a perfect choice for an Autumn ornamental. I purchased this plant from a farm market this week. It is a perfect disguise for plants that are beginning to wane and fade away.

Happy Gardening!

Posies – Garden Bouquet

On July 7, 2014July 7, 2014 By TimelessladyIn PosiesLeave a comment

I’ve added a new widget to my blog sidebar – “Garden Bouquet.” I thought it would be fun to display an ever-changing bouquet of what is blooming at any given time. Right now, daisies are having their “hey-day” in my flower beds. This bouquet features Echinacea, a Gerbera, and a few Black-eyed Susans. I’ve also added a stem of Four O’Clock, Violet leaves, Vinca vines, and some sprigs of Lavender and Verbena bonariensis.

By the way, after I succumbed to the big writing “no-no” of using a cliche , I wondered where the phrase “hey-day” originated. According to English Language and Usage “hey-day” has its origins here:

Hey·day [hey-dey] noun
1. The stage or period of greatest vigor, strength, success, etc.; prime: the heyday of the vaudeville stars.
2. Archaic . high spirits.