Flower
Of Oakdale Oasis 2023
Look at that stately plant! Just gorgeous. This is the color I am selecting for this year. There may be some cross pollination, but my patch is looking pretty dark these days.
Snapdragon (Mulberry Color)
Snapdraggons are a hardy, short lived perennial. They grow to flower in one year easy, so can be grown as an annual. The mother plant had deep, dark, burgundy petals. They are edible but don't taste great.
Snapdragons are native to the medeteranian region, but since they are not invasive or aggressive, and pollinators like them, they are a great flower to grow here in Michigan. I've had snapdraggons bloom outside into December. They seem to just keep going until they are burried in snow.
Coreopsis
There are many different kinds of coreopsis. Some are perennial, some are annual. All are native to most of North America, and decently attractive to bees. Humingbirds and butterflies may alos be interested.
Coreopsis likes soil on the dry, sandy side. They tend to get powdery mildew if grown in situations that are too "lush". Coreopsis does well in poor, disturbed soil, such as you may find near driveways and roadsides. It gets a bit floppy with seedheads, making it good at self seeding. It can easily be kept more "kempt" for mannequired gardens, by deadheading blooming and spent flowers & seed heads. It makes a lot of seeds and they are easy to save.
Coreopsis seeds germinate best when they stay cold and moist for at least 30 days first. This can be accomplished in your fridge, or right where you plant them by sowing seeds as soon as the soil can be worked in the spring.
Coreopsis (Tickseed)
This yellow flowering plan is a perennial. Tha exact variety is probably lanceleaf. The flower center and petals are all yellow. Flower expression may vary a bit fom plant to plant (in terms of number of petals, strcuture, size). These are easy to establish and easy to eliminate if you decide to grow something else there instead. Thse are great for quick color and groundcover in a new established perennial garden.
Dyer's Coreopsis
These have a dark center and orangish yellow outsides. Annual and often self seeding. I wouldn't be surprised if one overwintered here and there too. I haven't dyed with them but I think it would be neat if you did.
