Garden tour

It's going to feel more like October than July here this weekend, with near-record lows in the 40s and highs that don't even break 70, but my flowers look great and thought I'd share some of them before it gets crazy hot again and everything wilts or gets eaten by bugs.

My criteria for what flowers to grow basically comes down to one question: can it flourish without me having to fuss over it? My gardening style is best described as trial and error and after 18 years of sticking plants in the dirt around our house, I'm finally learning what works and what doesn't.

Purple coneflowers need very little fussing. I think they would grow on the moon.


Yarrow is wonderfully tough, too. This particular clump is growing - unfortunately - right in the middle of Phoenix's shortcut from one side of the yard to the other. He could go around it or over it. He usually goes right through the middle of it. But it still looks pretty good.

Butterfly milkweed is tough and fun. I'll take another picture later this summer when the monarch caterpillars hatch. Last year, I counted about 60 of them on one plant. Yeah, they kind of munched up the plant but what the heck.

I love moonbeam coreopsis, too. It looks so feathery and fragile and it is tough as nails. It thrives in hot dry places, like this bed at the edge of the patio.