Annie's Garden

Did I forget this blog or have I just been busy.  I have more pictures, I just need to spend time to add them.  As the holidays approach and the garden is now just

dying back, believe it or not I still have a rose or two blooming, it seems I have less time and not more.  Thanksgiving is just around the corner and I still have to plant the Spring bulbs I bought 4 weeks ago so it is not surprising that I haven't kept up the blog.

 

 

The  gardens are taking on a different look and feel as summer progresses.  The butterflies, bees, moths, and other creatures seem to become more active.  Maybe the brighter color palatte has a little to do with it.  Or, maybe it is becuase the temperatures are much warmer and the fragance of the flowers more potent.   It is often too warm to be out pulling weeds so if you spot any in the pictures just look the other way.

I recently read a blog that indicated why cone flowers were a favorite flower.  This person was from Nova Scotia.  Cone flowers are also one of my favorite flowers.  I live in Illinois and the Purple Cone Flower is a native perennial that is easy to grow, survives with no rain, keeps filling in all the bare spots (and some spots where I hadn't planned for it to fill in) and attracts, bees and butterflies during the bloom time and yellow finches after seeding. 

 

I can still remember the first year that I let the cone flowers go to seed and looked out the window to see the seed heads bobbing everywhere.  Looking closer that was a yellow finch on each bobbing seed head.  From that time on, I don't cut back the seed heads until spring to give the birds a chance. 

 

Admittedly, the garden looks a little ratty all winter but the birds love it.

It is iteresting to watch the seasonal changes in the garden.  As the weather get warmer different flowers begin to bloom. The garden never looks quite the same two days in a row.  this is what makes gardening fun, besides getting your hands dirty after working on a computer all week.

What better way to celebrate than taking pictures of the garden.  Yes I do like variety and a lot of my flowers qualify for the cottage garden.  A little wild and untamed.