Coreopsis, aka Tickseed, is known to be a happy garden member; a no-fail perennial. My experience has been the opposite, leaving me to wonder how I could improve my hosting abilities. This year two clusters have returned without my need to “begin again”. I cannot boast that they are thriving; but their delicate beauty is a bright spot in my garden, seeming to award my greening thumb.

Coreopsis is so named from a combination of Greek words for bug and seed, as its’ seeds resemble bug. Tickseed derives its’ name from having seeds that look like ticks; perhaps a more specific identification of the “bug”. One can understand why both names have been used for a variety of flowers.

I have planted so many Coreopsis in my garden over my 28 years of care that I no longer record specific varieties into my gardening journal. So unfortunately, I cannot share the specific name for this survivor. The garden catalogs offer quite a few similar looking species, each with a clever, attention-grabbing name.

Photography note: When photographing small things, such as a flower, close-up, it is usual that the depth of focus is very shallow. These blooms were close together, yet only the center one is crisply in focus. This can help the viewer clearly understand your intended subject in a crowded scene. Focus is a photographer’s tool, mastered over time with trial and error and patience.