#SixOnSaturday: flowers for insects

 The garden has turned out to be a bit of a survival of the fittest situation, with no rain for weeks, and even then insufficient rain falling to properly soak the ground. There are many plants looking good, despite this, but I've concentrated on flowers this morning surrounded by the most bees and other insects. What flowers do you think would have most insects on them? In my garden, it's Echinops which is loving this hot weather. 

I'll start with my best photo of a bee on a plant I bought from Great Dixter where it had self seeded by the cafe area; it self seeds freely here, and can grow to well over 6 foot, I don't know what it is called, but it's a member of the thistle family I imagine, but doesn't have prickles.

And then move onto Echinops which also freely self seeds everywhere, I love how prolific it is and how much insects love it:

This perennial lives from summer to summer in this pot, and it's always touch and go whether it survives the winter, again no name, although I bought it from Rumsey gardens

Below, bees moving happily between Allium sphaerocephalon and Nepeta Six Hills Giant

I think it's time to give the Nepeta a trim to help it survive the drought, but there are so many bees still enjoying it that I'm reluctant to do so

I think this might be Rudbeckia ratibida pinnata it's growing well, but unfortunately growing into a damson tree which I've pruned to try and give it more room.

So there are my six, I wonder what the Propagator has for us this week? Do have a look and consider joining six on Saturday, it helps me look at my garden in a different way each week. Lots of other gardeners join in with their unique take on their gardens.