Helenium

Heleniums again... Although I blipped this a few days ago, this group of flower buds shows all the stages from the green pincushion of the initial bud to the fully opened flower, with its rings of tiny yellow florets. I love the colour of these heleniums - I think I like it more than any other in the garden. It manages to be beautifully intense whilst being more restrained than the often dazzling shades of spring and early summer flowers. The plants themselves are less vigorous than they used to be, so it may be time to divide and replant them once they're over for this year.