Sunrise Coneflower
Echinacea 'Sunrise'
(ek-in-AY-shee-uh)
This is another of the ‘Big Sky Series’ that Richard Saul at Itsaul Nursery in Atlanta, Georgia has been developing. This is my second year with this particular plant so it wintered over in Westchester County, New York. Although our wacky winter probably wasn’t the best to judge its hardiness on. I actually like the color and size (plant) of ‘Harvest Moon’ better but I have had no luck growing those. I might try again but after you have been burned by a plant a couple of times it is hard to keep buying it. I am just considering it for a more protected location. ‘Sunrise’ has been growing out in the open and has been mingling with the regular Purple Cones. It is quite tall and can seem to hold its own among the purples. It seems to have been blooming for an awful long time, which I have read is one of the traits of the Big Sky Series.
I planted a Coneflower garden last year and holy mackerel did they grow. It is a small border that used about 10 different types in and it just went crazy. When I saw it I thought that it was just too much but the customer was happy, ecstatic actually, so I thought well what the heck. There are several hundred flowers out in that garden now.
I know some garden purists don’t like the new Coneflowers and I have seen some disparaging remarks about them but I like most of them. They liven up the summer for me and just goes to show how far plant breeding has come.
I am taking the boat out to Long Island today to get some perennials at the wholesale farm. I need to get two Crape Myrtles out there too. I have a client that wants to try them in New Canaan. I will be visiting a couple of retail places for those. I am going to try and get them from the ‘Indian Tribe’ series from the U.S. National Arboretum. They seem to have increased hardiness as I have a couple growing at the estate and one in Darien. I must remember to site them in one of the warmer microclimates in the garden.
This is a weird abstract of a backlit Banana leaf.
4 comments:
I thought I wouldn't like the new colors but when I saw them in a nursery they were quite nice. I love the yellow and light orange colors especially.
It seems there are a few new ones every time I go to the nursery. They are quickly becoming summer staples for me.
I really like that backlit banana leaf. Very lovely.
I don't mind the new colors of echinacea, so long as they have the same "classic" form. It's the doppelgangers and the razzmatazzes that irk me. :)
Thanks, Kim. I guess you are right about those flowers.
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