Dancing in autumn’s breezes.

An autumn pleasure is sitting on our front porch watching Maxmillian Sunflowers – Summer’s Goodbye wave as they dance in September’s breeze.

Our yard is a seasonal progression of color from spring’s delightful dandelions that grace our mowed yards to Maxmillion’s final wave. In early summer our porch view is of pale purple coneflowers that gradually yield to  common purple sunflowers. Then yellow coneflowers, purple prairie clover, compass plant and rattlesnake master make their appearance as  white clover looks like sprinkles on the lawn. We can tell the month by what’s blooming.

Autumn’s Hello

Fall’s a time for both joy and sadness. As summer’s warmth diminishes we know we won’t see our flowery color for months, but three blooms give us late summer gladness.

First comes the goldenrod of many species. We spot their earliest blooms on the final days of July but they come into full glory in late August and September. Then they’re joined by asters of several species. Our favorites are tiny flowered heath asters and deep lavender New England asters.  And the surprise pink petaled New England aster.

 Final Actor

The final actor to appear in the season’s progression of blooming color is the Maximilian Sunflower. Ours thrive in the south part of our labyrinth prairie and stretch higher than prairie grasses. Even a slight breeze entices their golden blooms to dance above the prairie as if to say, “thanks summer for your warmth and water.”

They are stalwart and resist early fall’s frosts and keep dancing. Their final bow of color  coincides with a hard freeze.

About Maximillian Sunflowers

Maximilian sunflowers are true sunflowers with many relatives. They are a perennial native to the Great Plains and tallgrass prairie, but people have planted them all over the world. Tall and vigorous, they make a delightful backdrop to a prairie or flower garden.

Supporting Actors

Goldfinches show up in the yard when various sunflowers bloom and turn to seed.

As a final delight our resident goldfinches love dining on any nutritious sunflower seeds. They start with cupplant and move on to Maximillian Sunflowers.

We delight that the blooms are exactly the same yellow hue as late summer male goldfinch feathers.

Brightening Autumn’s Days

Dancing sunflowers are a delight. Perhaps it’s sad that they herald an approaching winter, but they brighten fall’s gorgeous weather and lure us to sit on our porch