Shadowmeld Photography

Small, purple daisy flowers with thin ray florets and a dense central flower disc, Wild Fleabane is a vital food resource for  Monarch butterflies  in the north after spring and summer migration. While it may look like a common weed before flowering, fleabane is a great way to attract butterflies with fairly robust, colorful, and clustering flowers. Increasing the footprint of this pretty Asteraceae is potentially a way to naturally improve butterfly populations in areas of thinning or lost habitat.

With smooth white petals layered in a circular pattern with a budding yellow center, the common Daisy flower can be identified in the wild with relative ease. Daisies symbolize a number of pleasant emotions for many and have a knack for cheering people up with an elegantly pure and simple design. Macro views of a wild Daisy above showcase the white ray flowers and yellow central disc flowers in detail with close-up views. A small bee and insect are present and provide a glimpse into their tiny world.

A favorite and pretty flower for many gardeners, Dahlias are known for large blooms which bring colorful fun to outdoor areas year after year. Tuber bulbs produced by the plant make it easy to grow new Dahlia plants each season in colder climate 3-6 zones, while warmer 8-10 zones provide the opportunity for the flowers to come back each year without digging and resewing. The red/yellow and pink/purple varieties shown here were potted from replanted tubers originally, to easily bring the plants inside each year instead of regrowing.