Nothing says summer like the color yellow. The spring garden is full of pink, lilac, blue and white. In the autumn, I want depth: oranges, reds, deep purples, golds. But yellow is for summer.
This shaggy rudbeckia grandiflora thrives and returns each year where others fail. It is beautiful in a chaotic, messy way – as if it couldn’t be bothered to fully dress itself or comb its hair in the morning.
“Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability.” ~ Sam Keen
I gave up on the drama of planting huge sunflowers. The jack in the beanstalk varieties required constant watering and staking for big floppy heads that wilted and dried almost as soon as they bloomed. So much work – and they seemed out of place.
The Helianthus annuus – or Delta Sunflower – is so carefree that you will find it growing along the freeways in our region. It loves heat, makes do with little water, is not fussy about soil, and it is poetic in its profusion of dancing stems.
It feels right at home in our garden. I’m sure the birds miss the giant seeds – but they have devastated the grapes again – so they can make do!
Helenium looks like little Mexican sombreros to me.
So happy and sunny – it should be a painting!
The daylilies spread their short-lived happiness – from sunrise to sundown.
Gaillardia blankets the garden from June until September,
while beautiful bulbine puts in repeat performances in spring and late summer.
Yellow flies and flutters through the garden. On dragonflies –
bees –
butterflies –
even this yellow bird has taken up residence in the garden.
I have not seen it before…a Western Kingbird, I believe.
“How wonderful yellow is. It stands for the sun.” ~ Vincent Van Gogh.
And Yellow Labs, too. 🙂 Meet Carter. He’s looking for home.
I’m sure Carter will find his home soon. He’s a handsome boy.
And, yes, yellow IS the color of summer. Your daylilies are pretty! We have them, too, in various spots in our yard. I’m surprised we don’t have sunflowers growing – the seeds are part of the wild bird seed mix we have in the feeder.
You make a good case for “yellow is for summer” with excellent exhibits and I love the photo above Carter.
Thank you, David! I little poetic license taken. 🙂
Gorgeous!
Beautiful post. The finches will love the leaves of the Helianthus annuus.
Can you buy seeds for the Helenium flowers around here? I was on a bike ride on the Levy last week and was thinking how I’d like to grow some
I have not seen them, but you can order them from the Prairie Moon Nursery online. By the packet…or in bulk.
The garden is looking beautiful – a marvelous homage to yellow! And a sweet golden Carter 🙂
Thank you!
Beautiful and handsome – you’ve got yellow covered.