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Echinacea – a great source of pollen and nectar.
Echinacea, a.k.a. coneflower, is one of the
most popular perennial herbs worldwide
for good reason: heat and drought resist-
ant, easy to grow, bloom for months,
make great cut flowers and attract birds
and pollinators. They come in glorious
shades of pink, orange, yellow, red and
chartreuse, and a range of flower
forms—standard shuttlecock to horizon-
tal ruffs to doubles with a powder-puff
center. Google them, you’ll be amazed!
If you want to enjoy butterflies and song-
birds in your garden, plant echinacea.
For weeks even months during summer
and fall the blooms and seed heads at-
tract a multitude of winged beauties.
Each flower is a fully-loaded buffet table
for butterflies, bees and hummingbirds.

scented bouquets. Sunny, well-drained
sites are perfect for Lavender Hidcote.
Mass plantings look amazing, but just
one or two plants stand out sweetly in an
Echinacea herb garden or simple mixed container.
Iris • an early spring food supplier.
Lavender • gorgeous clusters of flowers. Tall, beautiful iris (named after a Greek
Perennial lavender can last for years in goddess who rode rainbows) comes in
the right conditions. Because of its many magical colors. Despite its divine
Mediterranean origin it loves blazing hot origins, this June bloomer is rugged,
sun and dry soil but may not thrive with reliable and very easy to grow. They
overwatering, heavy shade or high hu- mostly flower in early summer but
midity. A member of the mint family, some, like the bearded hybrids, are
lavender has been used for centuries for r e m o n t a n t ,
its fragrance and subtle flavor. English meaning they
lavenders are best for culinary purposes, will bloom Iris
buds and leaves can be used fresh or again later in
dried, but go easy or it can overpower summer. They
your dishes! Buds are best harvested are attractive to
right before they fully open when essen- hummingbirds
tial oils are most potent. Beautiful, fra- and bees and
grant, edible and attractive to pollinators, make lovely
Lavender is a win-win plant – and deer cut flowers.
resistant. Dry flowers for long lasting,

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