I have been carefully watching my new 'Sundown' Echinacea for the first bloom. It was a birthday present from my husband this spring, which I described in an earlier post.
Here the flower is just starting to unfold. The petals have a two tone effect, as the color on the top of the petals is orange, but the backs are more mauve-ish, like it's purple coneflower cousin. At this stage, I am hoping it will be as beautiful as the picture on the nursery tag.
A couple of days later.... in full bloom! I like the color and way the ends of the petals look....sort of like they were cut with a pinking shears. I doesn't seem to match very closely the photo or description on the nursery tag which reads "coral petals tipped in salmon," but is what I would describe as a soft orange. Never the less, it is pretty and it may still color up a bit as it matures, as flowers sometimes do. It has bloomed ahead of the purple coneflowers, which are still in the bud stage. This in itself is a reason to smile! ;-)
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Coneflowers are the backbone of my Summer flower beds
and they are just delightful .... such HAPPY flowers!
Shoot, the photos aren't coming up. I'll check back later - I love coneflowers too!
ReplyDeletenope. can't see the photos. I'll check back too.
ReplyDeleteIrena
Yes - now I can see them! Beautiful and really, really different from any I've seen before.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely color. I wonder...if they seed true...?
ReplyDeleteI have planted these in the past but lost them to the voles. They just disappeared overnight.
ReplyDeleteChelle's mom these photos are awesome. I always have a great respect for people who give such love to their gardens. i would love to garden myself, but I can't get past the dirt aspect of it. Sigh
ReplyDeleteI planted some cone flowers this year and am anxious for them to grow, and bloom, and then return next year. Keep your fingers crossed! Nancy
ReplyDeleteConnie, I love coneflowers too and that one is absolutely breathtaking. I bet it would look great with some purple and soft violet.
ReplyDeletethe wait for the pictures was well worth it. that is a lovely colour. reminds me of sherbet.
ReplyDeleteIrena
Your Echinacea is very different and I adore it. I will have to look for that over here! Have a great week! Andrea
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the first bloom. I've wanted to add that Echinacea to my garden for a while now.
ReplyDeleteNice! I'm just getting started on a coneflower collection this year, as part of my "operation pollenator lure" project. There sure are some new beauties out there, I hope I can enjoy similar sucess!
ReplyDeleteFinally, found this one again! I will add this to my list. I've been focused on the vegetable garden with some flowers mixed in, but now I want to start a bed with such wonderful flowers as these. I hope they are drought tolerant as my other coneflowers (for our couple summer low rain months that is). Thanks for sharing! Paula
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