Time-lapse coneflower
The purple coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea) I’m growing from seed collected from my former garden are starting to bloom.
One by one, they unfurl their hot-pink petals…
…and pop up their glowing orange coneheads. What an easy, simple, and yet beautiful flower.
Time has lapsed on the building of the pump shed (faux garden shed), but as you can see, it is seemingly frozen in time. My DH has been busy with work and training hard for an Ironman, with no time left to devote to his wife’s crazy shed dreams. And the crazy wife has been too busy working and building paths and weeding (oh yes, lots and lots of weeds are appearing this spring) to even contemplate finishing the job on her own.
So there it sits. But I know that one day it will be a fabulous feature in the garden. One day.
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Oh, how I understand waiting on the hubby to make our landscape dreams come true! Ha ha. I think it looks great – why don’t you just attach a lattice board along the bottom to cover the pool equipment and then plant a couple of climbing antique roses or maybe an evergreen vine? Thanks for the posts!
That’s a good suggestion, Kelsey. But I have faith that my original vision will eventually become reality. I just need to be patient. —Pam
Its always satisfying when you can grow something that is so pretty with so little effort-and for free-how fortunate that you brought so many plants over from the old house!
Yes, that was a silver lining to not having a quick sale—more time to divide plants from the old garden! —Pam
Coneflowers are one of my all time favorites. It’s fine to see things in progress around the gardens, it’s never complete anyway, is it? Mailed you a package yesterday….let me know when it arrives, should be tomorrow hopefully.
No, it’s never complete. And wouldn’t it be boring if it were? Thank you so much for the sedum, coleus, and sponge vine! I can’t wait to try them out. —Pam
Time has a way of lapsing, doesn’t it? The coneflowers look lovely – I didn’t have any come up this year and I’m disappointed! 🙂
That IS disappointing, Joseph, but that’s what happened to me last year. It was a dud. But this year, lots of coneflowers. So perhaps they’ll emerge for you next year too. If not, I’ll have plenty of seeds to pass along. —Pam
Haha, if it was all done in one season, what would you do next year?
Relax? Just kidding. It’s too fun to mix things up to even think about just sitting and admiring, isn’t it? —Pam
I must be doing something wrong. I can’t get cone flowers to grow here. Even the plants from the big box store never came up.
Lola, I can’t remember where you garden. But in central Texas coneflowers like deep soil (clay is fine) and plenty of sun. They can take some drought but do better with occasional watering if it gets dry and stays dry. —Pam
Purple cone flowers are so reliable. I am glad that you have some from your old garden. The pool shed will eventually reveal itself in its completed splendor. I have faith.
Me too, Lisa. It’ll happen eventually. I just need to be patient. —Pam
Beautiful time lapse coneflowers! Did you plant those seeds directly in the ground?
And your post makes me feel SO much better. Crazy schedule means just 4 hours on Sunday to tame garden before humidity collapses me. This is depressing. But as they say, “Projects happen, and will get done.” Or so I tell myself as I look around at all the mess and projects to be done/finished.
That is so cool on Ironman! Keep us posted and best wishes to DH. Can’t even fathom doing that. I’m so proud of him. And of you too, you crazy wife. Love being your groupie!
Yes, I sowed the seeds on bare, amended soil in the fall of 2008. In the spring of ’09, a few plants came up, but overall it was a bust that summer. In the fall, however, with the rains, lots of coneflowers began to appear, and I have a bumper crop this spring. —Pam
Time lapse magic. Oh so pretty. You’ll get the shed done. You’re very motivated.~~Dee
But is my DH? 😉 No worries. He’ll get to it when he has time, especially with the longer days this summer. I’ll probably be painting it in the dead of August—ha! —Pam
I don’t seem to have much luck growing coneflowers from seed. I’ve tried for several years now so I’m glad I can see yours.
Vertie, are you sowing them on bare soil in full sun? That’s what they seem to need, and regular watering as they get established doesn’t hurt either. If the seeds won’t take, I’d try buying a few one-gallons and see if that works. Once you get a couple of plants established, you’ll have plenty of seeds (and seeding out) for the future. —Pam
I haven’t had luck with coneflowers either. Yours are beautiful. And that shed will be a great feature in the garden one day. Believe and it will happen.. one day.
It will, Jayne. You’re quite right. Regarding the coneflowers, see my advice to Vertie, above. Everyone should have a few coneflowers. Hope it works out for you! —Pam