Bluebird House and Tall Coreopsis-Lin Frye

Bluebird House and Tall Coreopsis
Originally uploaded by linfrye

Daily Practice
Journal
Summer Garden

This weekend I sat on my porch and painted the bluebird house across the herb beds as it was surrounded by one of our native coreopsis - a tall variety that reaches almost 10 feet (Coreopsis tripteris). I obtained the seed many, many years ago from the NC Botanical Gardens. I planted a few seeds, but oh my gracious, has it ever become a 'bit!' invasive. The yellow flowers are relative small for coreopsis - and the flower stalks are somewhat short as well. The leaves are in threes and broad and it grows at our woodland edges in mostly dry soil .

The original planting was about 10 feet away - and the plant formed a large clump that invaded other parts of the fenceline. The seeds have spread to other parts of the garden, and other 'clumps' have begun to form.

I think what make this a particularly challenging plant is keeping the clumps a bit shorter than 10 feet and constrained. I've cut this particular cluster back TWICE this summer, and yet it has already flowered as tall as the bluebird house.

The bluebird house -- empty now -- had only one clutch this year -- due I know, to six cats who seemed to enjoy sitting in that cluster of coreopsis! Sigh -- makes me wish we could all get along a bit better since those cats are certainly well fed! LOL

I kept an impressionistic look to this painting, and kept the petals lighter than they are in person to denote the high temperatures and hot sun.

It's been a brutal beginning of the week with current budget cuts changing schedules, plans and futures. We're all hanging in, but I'm told there's more to come. For now, my schedule, already hectic and full, has a new element which will make commitments made difficult to keep. We're busy working out details. I do know that my Internet time will be cut ... at least during the week.

Meantime, we forge forward, and enjoy the flowers -- while they're in glorious bloom!

Lin Frye
North Carolina