Georgia Gardener Newsletter Design Tip

Georgia Gardener Newsletter Design Tip: April 20, 2006

Native Flowers for Sun

Sun-loving Native Combination:

1. Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea 'Magnus')
2. White Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea 'White Swan')
3. Bright Eyes Phlox (Phlox paniculata 'Bright Eyes')
4. Indian Summer Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta 'Indian Summer')

The blooming flowers in this combination are all native and very easy to grow in a bed that receives plenty of sun and has rich, but well-drained soil. Blooming reaches its height in early summer and will continue towards fall if the plants are deadheaded as needed. All of these plants are perennial, although you may find the Indian Summer Rudbeckia to be short-lived and best treated as an annual.

Mixed with these flowers (but not blooming until the fall) are the native Obedient Plant (Physostegia virginiana) near the bottom and the non-native Sedum 'Autumn Joy' behind the phlox. By September, these plants will be in full bloom as the coneflowers, phlox and rudbeckia finish their season.

The Georgia Native Plant Society will be holding its annual native plant sale on Saturday, April 22^nd from 9AM to 1PM in Piedmont Park near Magnolia Hall. Many hard-to-find native plants will be available. For a park map, click here.