Penstemons’ throaty flowers have a lustre that comes from their blend of highlights and lowlights. P. ‘Alice Hindley’ is a popular purple variety that tends to grow taller and bushier than most. I’ve seen the colour much softer than it appears here. The flowers keep their pouting beauty as they fade.
Shared for Cee’s Flower of the Day.
While I am fortunate enough to be able to share a flower today from the peace of my home, my thoughts are with those in the path of Hurricane Ida, including my friends in Mississippi, and everyone else in harm’s way in these troubling times.
Susan Rushton 
“Pouting beauty.” How exactly right. Penstemon were one of the luxuries of my California garden. I’ve been thinking of you as I watch the approach of this awful hurricane. It is so scary! I hope everyone will be safe.
My sweetheart lost internet for a little more than a day, but considered that getting off lightly. If only everyone else had been as fortunate.
I’m so glad to hear that was all he had to deal with. Yes, if only!
Beautiful blending of its shades of purple. 😊
I love to see the apple blossom colours too.
Beautiful.
Thanks, Timothy.
So pretty
I’m glad you liked it.
So very beautiful! On a more serious note…like you, we are watching in alarm as Hurricane Ida rushes toward Louisiana and Mississippi. Oh, gosh!
We woke to read about the flooding in New York too. It’s hard to comprehend the force and duration of storms like this. I hope as it passes by Maine no more harm is done.
No harm done. Yay! So glad our New York daughter is safe and sound with us. Double yay!
I was glad of that too.
I love the name Penstemon. I think maybe I should give it another try.
I liked the sound of the Latin ‘agricola’ at school. It’s strange how some words appeal more than others.
I saw your comment elsewhere about the tendency of the media to dismiss Mississippi in favor of NOLA after Katrina. I visited Gulfport and etc. about sixteen months after Katrina, and still remember a comment made by a fellow I met: “You know, we had a storm, too.”
I’ve heard similar comments. The live oak stumps along the coast that have been turned into sculptures show pretty much all that was left in some places.
That’s not to say what happened in Louisiana wasn’t terrible. The news coming from New York this time is very sad too.
A pretty one. Penstemons are finally getting some well-deserved attention from growers. They have amazing drought tolerance.
Perhaps that’s why they sometimes fade away in cold, wet climates. They are beautiful where they persist.
Alice is a beauty! Might have to add her to the garden. And yes, the US has had more than its fair share of severe weather events this year. Let’s hope Ida doesn’t prove to be another.
Being without power in such hot conditions will be extremely difficult, but at least the levees did their job this time.
Alice has been purchased. Cross fingers she likes it in my garden!
A beautiful penstemon. I love them and have tried many varieties, but Husker’s Red is the only only with staying power in my garden. We just talked to my SIL who evacuated from NO yesterday–difficult times only many fronts. Take care.
Oh gosh, I’m very sorry to hear that but glad he managed to get away in time.