Pollinator Garden Pattern No. 8

Overview

These are two old familiar perennials. When they mingle together they create a distinct personality of bold colors of gold and yellow with contrasting texture of course and fern-like foliage. The Achillea flowers as they age during the season keep a nice dark brown horizontal look just above the golden yellow, daisy like flowers of the Rudbeckia. The plants are very complimentary to each other. That’s many of the joys of gardening, to come to know, appreciate and understand the health and beauty of creating plant relationships.

Stewardship

There is no need to do traditional dead heading of the maturing flowers. The flowers going into seed development are actually continuing the expression of both plants energetic beauty. In March everything can be cut back with a string trimmer. Start cutting the plants from the top to the bottom, about 3 inches from the ground. Then you can mow everything with a mulching mower breaking the remnant plant material into smaller pieces.  

There’s your mulch!!

BUTTERFLIES, BIRDS AND POLLINATORS

The Rudbeckia is well visited by native bees, native wasps, native pollinator flies and many moths. Also look for Goldfinches, Cardinals, Nuthatches and Chickadees. The Achillea attracts butterflies and a variety of bees. There’s not much specific information available about particular bees that favor Achillea ‘Coronation Gold’. Be observant and note the pollinators you  find visiting the plants. Have fun!!

*These garden plans can be followed explicitly or adjusted to meet individual needs, unlocking rich perennial landscape designs for individualization and creativity.