Cool Plants

Some of Rick's fave late-summer flowering plants include Dahlias, Hebes and Rudbeckia. Did you know that there are over 90 varieties of Hebe? Did you know that Rudbeckia or 'Black-Eyed Susan' is in the same cone-flower family as echinecea? Speaking of echinecea, we're lucky enough to have three newer varieties at Falling Water Gardens. You'll be hard-pressed to find these beauties at any other nursery around. Come check out our growing selection!

Echinacea, a North American genus in the Daisy family, has big, bright flowers that appear in late June and keep coming into September. Plants thrive in average soils or hot, dry conditions, shrug off cold, and are equally at home in full sun or partial shade. Blooms last well as cut or dried flowers, and the large cone at the heart of the flower head turns black as the seeds mature, adding further interest and providing nourishment for goldfinches.

Echinecea purpurea 'Harvest Moon'

Blooms of Echinacea Harvest Moon offer a lively combination of golden yellow petals surrounding a cone of golden orange. The big (4in), fragrant flower heads hold their colors atop thick stems ideal for bouquets. These plants are hardy and vigorous and will produce up to 30 blooms once established.

Echinecea purpurea 'Coconut Lime'

Another breakthrough in Coneflowers, 'Coconut Lime' is the first ever double-flowered, white Echinacea. The flower heads feature a ring of white petals surrounding a large pom-pom of pale green florets. These blooms are big, but the stems are strong enough to hold them. 'Coconut Lime' not only looks great in the border but also is a distinctive and very long-lasting cut flower. It's as easy to grow as any traditional Coneflower.

Echinecea purpurea 'Sundown'

Another hybrid Coneflower in the Big Sky series from Richard Saul of ItSaul Plants in Atlanta, Georgia. Like its siblings ('Sunset', 'Sunrise', and 'Twilight'), 'Sundown' is fragrant. It also adds vibrant orange to the color palette of these vigorous, hardy perennials. 'Sundown' produces blooms for weeks on multi-branched stems and makes an excellent cut flower.