Tansy, Buddleia, Russian Sage, Echinacea Purpura, Goldenrod and Cosmos - July Blooms - 2009

Tanacetum Vulgare - Tansy

The old herb garden Tansy, native to Europe and Asia, is widely naturalized across

North America. It loves the sun and grows freely. This perennial  has aromatic foliage on 3 foot high stems and pleasant heads of golden, button-like flowers. 

This plant is invasive and survives most trauma so when planting find a location

that you feel comfortable with  it taking over and you will enjoy it's beauty.

Buddleia - Butterfly Bush

This perennial shrub originated in China and was introduced into Europe by French missionaries in 1864. Grows 12 to 15 feet high and has fragrant lilac to purple flowers. 

As it's name indicates, butterflies are attracted to this bush and it brings many

unusual butterflies into your garden. Grows well in full sun and is very hardy in colder climates.

Echinacea Purpura - Purple Coneflower

This perennial plant is native to the grasslands of the east-central United States. It has stiff stems about 4 feet in height. In the summer, spherical black buds open and long purple-pink 

petals unfold and hang. The great central disk is cone-shaped and orange-brown in color. 

They love the sun and are hardy under snow to Zone 4.

Goldenrod - Solidago

This has been considered a weed but most gardeners love the golden blooms. They

have often been mistakenly blamed for causing hay fever but this is not true.

They usually just show up among the flowers and in the spring I weed out many

but always leave some in certain parts of the garden for a wonderful show of color.

They can be invasive but are easily weeded. They thrive in the sunshine and 

are hardy to Zone 3.

 

Monarda and Queen Anne's Lace

 Cosmos bipinnatus

 Commonly called the garden cosmos or Mexican aster, is a medium sized flowering herbaceous plant sometimes grown in gardens. It can be found in the wild in much of North America where it is a garden escapee, sometimes becoming weedy.

This species is considered a half-hardy annual, although plants may re-appear via self-sowing for several years. The plant height varies from two to four feet. The cultivated varieties appear in shades of pink and purple as well as white.

Flowering is best in full sun, although partial shade is tolerated

The plant is tolerant to drought after germination, and is seldom subject to insect or disease damage. The flowers of Cosmos attract birds and butterflies, including the Monarch butterfly

 This annual is easily planted by seed in early spring. Germination takes between 7 and 10 days at the optimal temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit (24 °C); flowering begins between 60 and 90 days after germination.

They provide a wonderful splash of color in the garden and are easy to care for.