Sunlit beauty

My first sunflowers from seed are putting on a show. This is "Evening Sun" from Seeds of Change. There's a range of colors: red, orange, mahogany or this, which I think is closer to burgundy. Right now there's about three flowers fully open with several more ready to explode. I'll cut some for an arrangement and leave the rest for the birds.

In just days the Echinops "Globe Thistle" has started flowering. It's spikey ball is softening into a purple-blue cloud that floats above the plant's deeply cut leaves. I was asked by I Have Important Thoughts how I get this to grow and I can't say I do anything special. When I bought it, maybe three years ago, I tucked it nearly right up against the south side of the house. The soil gets baked there although it did get a dose of compost one year, which helped. It shares the space with a large Hebe, providing it a bit of shelter from the sun in the early stages.  But overall this plant is supposed to withstand pretty much any soil conditions and is a sun lover.

Crocosmia was one of the earlier purchases in my gardening journey. I'm not up on the many cultivars but this orange-apricot variety could be "George Davidson." (Correct me if you know different, please). The second year the plant only produced its long, narrow leaves that spill forward onto our path. I assume it was just settling in because the flowers have come back every year since.

Did I mention we have apples? Lots and lots of apples ...