i've been increasing the amount of time i go walking in the neighborhood, lengthening my route. one of the yards i often pass has a lovely outcropping of native plants on the strip of land between the sidewalk and road, making it easy for passers-by like me to admire. during a warm dusk, the bees have the right idea to conserve their energy by resting atop the flowers they love to work on.
i recently met the homeowner and complimented her. she thanked me and said it was her husband who recreated a design similar to something they had seen elsewhere. the coneflowers flourish and spread with little maintenance, as plants tend to do when supported in their native habitat.
