Coneflower Seedheads

Coneflower Seedheads
Originally uploaded by linfrye

Daily Practice

I cleaned the garden yesterday, and spent a good time pruning and tidying - readying my garden for fall and winter. I removed the tired tomatoes and squash, spent spiderflowers, weeded many of the ornamental grasses that had over- propagated, removed weeds, spent daylily leaves, and began spreading some of the seeds from the purple coneflowers.

I snipped a dozen or more of them and placed them in jars -- I just love their colors and their prickly seedheads. I've admired teasel seedheads, but not having any of those around, I substituted the coneflower heads instead.

This time of year and moving into winter, it's time to really appreciate the grasses and seedheads of plants. Although it is typically the color, shape, and scent of the flowers that attract us, if we observe well enough, we'll be absolutely amazed at the variety, ingenuity, and diversity of the mechanisms plants have evolved to disperse their seeds.

These prickly heads, while seemingly firmly held on a central axis, would slowly drop with every gust of wind or touch of my hand. As they're dropping, I'm collecting them, and spreading them around the garden. Already, I've seen the first year's showing -- leaves only -- so that next year (since coneflowers are a biennial), they'll be ready to product their incredible flowers. The cold of winter scarifies the seeds well enough so that there's little I need to do to 'plant' the seeds, other than spread them around.

I painted these twice, unable to decide WHICH background I preferred!

We're off today for 'Labor Day' --- and since I've labored most of the weekend, I think today will be a bit more resting! LOL

The weather's been incredible to get outdoors and in the garden! Have a great day.