A group of flowers in my garden on July 13, 2011.  You can see a tall Shaster Daisy, Hot Lava Echinacea, Prairie Sun Rudbeckia and a white coneflower grew from seed 3 years ago, didn't even know I had it until I severely cut back and pulled out all the Rudbeckia.  Makes for a pretty contrast.

Pink Double Delight Echinacea

The flowers are continuing to open, here is how it is looking now:

Pink Double Delight Echinace today

The bloom continues to form:

Pink Double Delight Echinacea

I purchased this very small plant (like a plug) 3 years ago from Spring Hill Nurseries for $19.99.  It has done nothing!!  When I thought I had pulled up all coneflowers in this section, I missed this one.  As it grew, I cut it back and when I bought the artesmia moss plant, I was going to pull it out.  For one reason or another, I kept putting it off.  This past Monday, that was on my "to-do" list, but I got tired from weeding and didn't.  In just a couple of days, this plant has come alive.  I'm happy I did not pull it up now.

This is what it is going to grow into:

Milkshake Echinacea

This was suppose to be a variety called Little Angel, but it is actually Milkshake.  I bought this as a plug a few years ago, this year it has come into it's prime.  You can see the blue Balloon Flower to the right.  The new orange rose bush is in the rear center.

Pretty Gaillarda in Bloom

This plant has been a pleasant surprise for me in the garden.  Even though some varieties are called perennials, most do not survive our New England winters.  This one not only survived, it sent out seeds that bloomed elsewhere in my garden this year.  I need to deadhead this plant.  While at the garden this year, I've not noticed the white coneflower in the lower right portion of this picture.  The coneflower in heavy bloom is a variety called Hot Lava.

Various flowers in bloom

This is a variety of coneflower called Little Angel.  There are 2 different plants pictured below.  It looks more like the variety called Milkshake, but it is not tall enough.  When I google images for Angel Eyes, this is NOT what the plants look like, but here is the tag that came with the plugs:

I wanted the shorter variety of coneflower and white.  I went through a period where I was in love with the white coneflowers.  I will double check today when I go to the garden.  I pulled out most of my echinacea this year, there were too many for the small space.   Look at all the weeds between the bricks, UGHHHHHH!!!

Hollyhocks in bloom

The top phots not only shows the Hollyhock in good bloom, but you can see my white delphinium.  You can see the purple delphinium leaning from all our rain lately.  It got really, really tall.  Did not expect the height from this plant for this year!  I see that I have one Hollyhock plant that is a "single bloom" plant, all the others are what is called "doubles". The Hollyhock are in colors of white, red and pink.

The middle photo shows the pink Hollyhocks and you can see some of my Blazing Star in bloom.

The bottom photo shows the pink single flower Hollyhock.  If you click on the photo, then click on it again, you can get a good close up picture and see all the details of the flowers.

Echinacea

(ek-in-AY-shee-a)

The cone flower's botanical name is Echinacea. It is from the Greek word echinos, meaning hedgehog or sea urchin, referring to the spiny seed heads of the flower.

It has long been esteemed for its herbal qualities and was widely used by the Native American Indians and the white settlers, who used it to treat snake bites, rabies, and other wounds.


In the late 1800s, a traveling peddler from Nebraska, one Joseph Meyer, began making a tincture from the root of Echinacea. He touted his tonic as being able to prevent and/or cure poisonous snake bites, giving rise to the pejorative term "snake oil salesman."

Despite its colorful history, Echinacea is one of the most popular herbal remedies used throughout the world today, mainly for warding off colds and flu symptoms.

Coneflower sections in my garden

This is today's picture of my pink coneflower section.  These plants are about 4 feet tall, at least.  This is my original pink coneflower offspring.

White Coneflowers

I did not realize I had so many white coneflowers in my garden.  This bottom picture is a variety called Little Angel.  The bottom one is called Meringue.  The top two were bought as plugs last year and I have no idea what varietythe one with the bee is.  Could be one of the ones from seed I planted last year.  I will have to look back in my records to see what I bought.  Just wanted to share the whites with you.

Hot Lava Coneflower

This is my coneflower plant called Hot Lava.  It is an orangy red flower and this is really a first year plant.  This is what they call a Hybrid, it will not give true form and color from any seed and in fact is probably sterile.  Click on the pictures to get a better close up view of the flowers.  Notice to the left in each picture, you can see a tall Lupine going to seed.  The black fence is 4 feet tall!  I did not realize when I was at the garden that this plant was that tall.

White Milkshake Coneflower

I so wanted a white coneflower this year.  I bought this one last year as a small plug.  Looks like I got my wish on this one.  Turning out so pretty.  The hand holding a plug plant is not my hand and not a plant I have.  I found this picture in Google Gallery to show you how small this plant was when I planted it.

Buds from my Milkshake Coneflower

These are 2 buds from my Echinacea Milkshake.

It is a fully double cone of lime green, surrounded by white ray petals. As the flowers ages the pom-pom expands and lightens in color.  These flowers should open within this upcoming week.  Here is another picture.

Pink Double Delight Coneflower

This is my Pink Double Delight Echinacea.  It is going to be a a large, fully-double and tufted-pink flower.  I bought it last year from online from a place called Spring Hill.  It is the only plant out of 5 that I bought that survived the winter.

Here is another picture from a different view.

Unknown Coneflower

Last year I bought Coneflower plugs and this is one of them.  Of course, it does not have a label and I now have no idea what named variety it is.  Once it is in full bloom, I will know. 

Echinacea Hot Lava is getting bigger

My beloved Hot Lava is starting to open more.  I don't know why, but I thought this was a red flower, it is not.  It is an orangy/red flower.  This flower has a long way to go before it is fully mature.

Coneflower is fully open

The Coneflower (Echinacea)  I've been following has finally opened fully.  The center cone will continue to get fuller and take on a shape.  For right now, this is my pink coneflower.

Hot Lava Echinaera

This is the first bloom to open on my Hot Lava Coneflower Echinaera plug from last year at Dave's Garden.  This plug plant came from Terra Nova Nursery.

Hot Lava Coneflower starting to open

This is my beloved Echinacea Coneflower called Hot Lava just starting to open.  I have 3 plants with lots of buds, but this is the first one to start to open.  This is suppose to be a red color.