Meet Joe & Co

Joe is a bit of a rough-and-tumble kind-of-a-guy. In fact, he spends most of his time in the gutters. Despite this, the ladies love him. Painted lady butterflies that is. A few years ago, he changed his last name to "Flower" to try and wash away the stigma that comes with the last name "Weed". He's a formerly unsung hero of the flower world who is finally starting to get the recognition he deserves. Most of his life, he's been relegated to ditches and swamps, but if you get to know him, you'll see that he deserves a place in your garden, at your table, and in your heart.

Ash is the easygoing neighbor who smells amazing, brews a mean cup of tea, and somehow never seems to stress. He loves to spread out in the sun, and will stand around literally all summer long just watching the clouds, the birds, and the butterflies drift by. Despite this, he’s surprisingly tough for someone so mellow. He’s blessed with abundance, so he gives and gives—and somehow ends up with more every time.

Achilles is old-school handsome with a medicine cabinet full of herbal know-how. He’s dependable, practical, and somehow always in the right place when you need a hand—or a calming tea. He’s not flashy, but when you’re feeling out of sorts, he’s the first one you turn to. Some say he’s boring. They’re wrong.

So you can probably guess that “Joe” is Joe Pye Weed, but can you guess who Ash and Achilles are from the list of flowers blooming this week? I’m going to try enabling comments for this blog post so that you can guess! Have fun!

• Rudbeckia Triloba

• Indian Summer Rudbeckia

• Cosmos

• Heliopsis

• Helenium

• Echinacea

• Queen and Uproar Rose Zinnias

• Statice

• Anise Hyssop

• Pincushion Flower

• Cress

• Yarrow

• Solidago