They are long lived perennials for me.
I am a big fan of fall planting. Our summers are so hot and dry that new plants just struggle to live and often die. If I can get them in early enough in the spring and manage to water them enough, but not too much, I can usually coddle them through the summer... whereas, I find that new plants, planted in the fall are very busy underground developing a root system, without coddling on my part, such that by the next season they are well suited to thrive and bloom with significantly less supplemental watering. Same goes for transplanting--if I relocate something in the spring, I have to baby it all summer, but if I relocate something in the fall, I don't have to baby it the following summer. (And when I relocate something in the summer--I might as well just throw it in the compost and I know that, but I am going to move a germander today, anyway, because I want to put something else in its spot--wish me luck )

my volunteer

petals angling down a bit now

I agree with you, DD.

Very pretty photo!

Is there anything that rabbits don't like 😡

Here are my pink echies outside of my daylight basement. They were planted as seeds several years ago, as part of a hummingbird and butterfly mix. They've seeded themselves, and keep coming back every year in larger clumps.


I found a few nice plants at our local nurseries this past week. I got a few Cheyenne Spirit, 2 Milkshakes, 1 Big Sky Harvest Moon, and Pow Wow Pink







And I'm really excited about Sombrero Hot Coral.


I never knew that echinacea were fragrant, what a bonus! Hot Coral has a faint rose scent.

These are just beautiful, makes me want to have more.

Lovely! I too have decided that I love fall planting for two main reasons. One is that everything is on sale, and two is that I don't have to water every day because I miss all the hot dry weather. I haven't lost anything yet, even though we have extreme winters here. I have planted as late as October, and I mean perennials, not tulip bulbs. One other reason is that you know where you need to add or revise because you have been watching all summer.

I'm turning around on my steadfast rule. I bvoyght annuals a week ago and have to water constantly or they droop.

Coneflowers are the one thing rabbits never seem to eat in my yard. This year they're wiping out my coleus. It's systematic annihilation. Every night he returns and chomps off the next coleus. There are so many rabbits in the neighborhood, I think they're outnumbering the humans now. Another neighbor told me today that she has given up gardening because of the destruction from deer, rabbits, and raccoons.


I have a lot of coneflowers but I never remember them being eaten, either by rabbits or deer.

Karen

foraygardengirl said:I suspect the issue with my coneflowers disappearing is rabbits. Their two favorite treats in my garden appear to be lilies and coneflowers. The rest they mostly leave alone except for shaving off hosta leaves here and there.

Try the Milorganite, the rabbits do not like the smell and it is good fertilizer. My plants love it, and since it is a slow release you do not have to apply it as often as bonemeal or bloodmeal.
Even the cats stay out of the beds when I put that stuff down. I don't think they like stepping in poo.

Here's what I'm gonna try for the rabbits! I bet these kitty cats will keep them out if the garden.



All jokes aside, as I've stated before the rabbits are cute, but it's frustrating to go for years without seeing a plant bloom because they've been munched to a nub. I do have some Milirganite, so I'll try that around the plants being eaten. Thanks for the suggestion
Susan.

You are welcome, it worked pretty good for me. Then a large bird ate him.

Have you explored your options for rabbit resistant plants?
You can search that way in the database here.

With the groundhogs here, I see what gets eaten and then I choose something else to replace it.

I do not have any rabbits.....

No rabbits, no deer! You're clearly in need of one of them!

The rabbit that appeared two years ago was a run-a-way pet. Most of them get hit by a car or a bus.

I could not resist taking another picture of my Lily today, so I will post this one on the Coneflower thread, just to be fare. LOL.

Great match for the echinacea!

Thank you!

virginiarose said:The rabbit that appeared two years ago was a run-a-way pet.

An abandoned pet.

People release them thinking they will know how to make it out there on their own, but they don't. The rabbits kept as pets (and ...shudder...raised for meat) are a completely different species from out native cottontails.

Jumping right in here. Like Dirt & a few others, I have found the same results with fall planting. I MUST fall plant or else flush the $$$ down the drain. I want more Coneflowers but can't plant before fall; so where do I find them for sale then? I could do great with corms of them even if I could find them.
Also, those of you in the deep. deep south; what varieties have you found the best success with?




BTW, if you haven't seen this, you might wish to read it, especially since coneflowers are such attractors of pollinators of all kinds.
The thread "Neonicotianoids" in Gardening for Butterflies, Birds and Bees forum

Ann and ALL. who buy from sales in fall. I am not disagreeing here but want to pass on a hint I saw on another garden site.
When you buy from a nursery where you can choose the plants you want, be sure to inspect the pots for full root growth. A gentle tug on the plant should be enough to feel if its full rooted in the pot,also if roots are coming out of the bottom. This insures a plant that has been in the nursery ALL season.
The gardener went on to say ,many nurseries buy pluggs and repot them just for a half price sale. She felt these plug sale plants had less of a chance for winter survival.
The plugs slide out easily because they have just been planted. AVOID these plants at "end of season" sale.

I agree JoAnn, even though I hadn't heard about the plug thing. I actually found a 2-gallon size Magnus for $2.00 on the 4th and snapped it up, along with several other plants. All but one were full and lush looking but not blooming, so maybe that's why they were so cheap. Only one looked a bit rough on top, but it's a fringed bleeding heart and should recover. All were definitely rootbound; the Sunningdale astrantia was even growing out of the bottom of the pot. Sometimes the end of season plants do look crispy or sparse on top, but as long as there are a couple of good leaves I then look carefully for signs of disease or pests and for good roots. If the plant passes those tests, I will buy it. I generally trim and water them, and keep them segregated for awhile just to be sure of the plant health-but I haven't had a problem yet.