It is quite likely that black-eyed Susan seeds came east from the midwest in hay bales, or perhaps caught in the cloven hooves of cattle. Human history is entwined in the natural history of plants. Late-blooming wildflowers in particular make wonderful dried flower bouquets. I may cut a few stalks to use indoors in this decorative fashion, but most of the wildflowers and the garden flowers I leave standing for my winter garden. The texture of the stalks, dried leaves and seed heads add interest to the winter landscape.
Birds eat the seeds and are fun to watch.
The caps of snow which stick to the plants have a poetry of their own. Dr. Larry Nadeau, on the Board of Directors of the Stanton Bird Club, once suggested that I let the edges of my yard go wild by not mowing. In a few years, mallow, fox glove, celandine, hawkweed, jewelweed, evening primrose, and milkweed have volunteered from seed carried in by the wind or by birds. The mixture of wild and cultivated plants gives character to the yard, and increases the attractions for butterflies, moths, bees and birds. There is a sequel to the phoebe episode in my June column.