This sunny yellow flower is the Coreopsis, commonly called tickseed. A number of years ago a variety called ‘Moonbeam’ was all the rage, and appeared in every single garden plot and public landscaping space that the Northeast had on hand. As such, it lost some of its appeal, as did the entire genus in my eyes. Now that some time has passed, I put one in, as this seems to be a throwback to some garden favorites of the past. Its blooms are the perfect little echo of the sun, an orb from which rays of golden goodness emanate and enshrine.
I like the fiery color here, especially as it plays against a magenta penstemon and cool-hued patch of lavender (not seen, but trust me, it is glorious). I assume it gets its common name of ‘tickseed’ from the shiny seeds that resemble ticks. Not the greatest namesake, but accurate in description. We’ll see how well this hybrid reproduces. Maybe there’s no seed at all. I’d be happy either way.
