The Dutch garden designer Piet Oudolf taught me to appreciate that plants are beautiful in their dying away in the fall.
These "buttons" in our meadow always strike my eye at this time of the year. They are the seedheads of the Monarda fistulosa flowers that grace the meadow in late June and early July.
I never thought about the seedheads until I saw some of Oudolf's gardens, either. Have you checked out "Seedheads in the Garden" by Noel Kingsbury? That book is actually devoted to the beautiful decay of plants, and lets you know which plants are best for it. I thought it was such a cool idea that I bought it--and I have really enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteNo, I haven't checked this book out. Sounds right up my alley, though.
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