Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
Every year there are more and more brilliant coloured echinacea hybrids available but the tried and true native, the purple coneflower remains my favourite. It never stops giving: in the summer, it brightens up the garden and attracts bees and butterflies. In our cold season, the coneflowers provide winter interest, especially when snow falls on the spent seed heads, looking like intricate lace.
These grow 30 – 48 inches tall (75 cm – 120 cm) and provide many features: they are long blooming, drought tolerant, can be an accent in the garden and make lovely cut flowers.
Even though these are my favourites, I still love some of the newer hybrids in oranges, peaches, corals, and reds. These self-reliant plants are designed for the lazy gardener.