In choosing which flower to feature this winter, we didn’t have to dig very far back in the archives. Our recent blog, “Love Letter from the Birds,” highlights echinacea’s relationship with the birds. In this post, however, we are focusing on the design elements that echinacea adds to a winter garden, as well as how valuable it is as a food source for our overwintering friends.
Also called “coneflower,” echinacea has a small footprint in the garden, meaning that it grows in a strong, vase-like shape. This means that they play well with lower, more full-bodied friends around them, like native grasses or sprawling perennial geraniums. We love that echinacea provides aesthetic interest in multiple seasons. In the summertime, it produces showy, pink blooms that attract all kinds of creatures; hummingbirds, butterflies, bees, and more. It invites all kinds of exciting activity. As the temperature shifts into a lower gear, the petals drop and the garden begins to rest. When the stems and leaves fade, we begin to notice the “bones,” or structure.
While most other perennials bow to the heavy snow and become a soft, subtle blanket of white, shifting the snow into gentle mounds, the echinacea stands proud and tall. They dot the landscape with their prickly seed heads, bobbing about and creating visual movement and cheer in an otherwise quiet, landscape. Rather than planting just one or two, we recommended planting around five in a cluster so that they will make a slightly more bold design statement. They also add delightful color (yes, brown is a color!) to the otherwise crystal-white views.
Our friend echinacea teaches us in this slow, wintry season that each part of the ecosystem has its opportunities to shine. Humans do, too! We experience seasons when we are receiving more than giving, and we also find ourselves in abundance – so much that our cup spills over and we get to give back to others. Just like different plants in the garden, we can all take turns pulling the weight so that there are always resources for the community. A happy ecosystem has a balance of give and take. Echinacea certainly stands out as a perennial that supports its community in the winter. It is a strong, faithful pioneer that goes where most perennials cannot during the winter, offering seeds of hope to those traveling on (such as overwintering songbirds). Their perennial peers are shrinking back into themselves while echinacea stands strong, holding their seeds out like a selfless gift. Their prickly, spiny seed heads offer a food source that is protected from deer and other large animals so that the smaller, daintier ones can have a morsel too. It is comparable to taking care of those in our community who are fragile.
Echinacea’s winter bones can mean survival for our friends overwintering in the northern snows, making the difference between life and death. It is quite exciting to observe available resources in such stark times. Echinacea invites our feathered friends to come have a snack during the cold, dark days, providing a much-needed refueling. They fly from seed head to seed head, gathering support to carry them through the harshness of winter. A gathering spot of sorts is created so that various creatures can share stories, encourage each other through the darker days, and talk and dream of the spring season ahead.
When we look around us and see others in their desolate, isolated winter season, what kinds of seeds can we share with them? How do we share hope and stories of better days? We can help each other dream. Thank you to echinacea for these messages of encouragement and community.
Until next thyme,
My Thyme Gardens