Tickseed

Coreopsis produces a continuous supply of cheerful golden-yellow daisies on long stems from early summer well into autumn — one of the longest-blooming perennials available to the cutting garden. It thrives in poor, dry soil and full sun, asking almost nothing in return for months of bloom. Like cosmos, rich soil produces lush foliage at the expense of flowers.

Cut when flowers are fully open; deadhead or cut anything that has finished to keep the plant producing. The warm yellow works well with late summer purples and blues — paired with scabiosa, nigella seed heads, or echinacea cones for a naturalistic late-summer arrangement.