The plants described in these articles are growing in my little garden and I am writing about my experience with them. The Sundrops must be my all-time favorites and they really do well for me. C. hartwegii was one of the first plants I planted in our backyard after my landscaper left me with a moonscape of rocks and gravel. I could not resist those wonderful yellow blossoms resembling evening primroses. The plant was planted in 1998 into my heavy clay soil and is thriving there ever since. In the books it says the plant needs excellent drainage. That is something I cannot provide in my backyard but as it gets very little irrigation it has survived so far. C. hartwegii is the largest plant in this family. Mine has grown 2 ft. tall and about 3 ft. wide. This spring it has bloomed so profusely that one can hardly see the leaves. These plants are western natives and will flower on and off all summer long till fall.

On my island in front of our house, I have planted C. drummondianus. It grows somewhat smaller, 1ft. by 1 ½ ft., and the flowers are not quite as large but it flowers just as nice from spring to fall. Here on the island the soil has good drainage and is not as compacted as in the backyard. This plant here has taken over my island. It spreads by rhizomes and pops up everywhere. Another plant that is very showy and undemanding. It gets very little additional water and I have never fertilized it in all these years, it never gotten any pond water either. That's how most of my plants get fertilized. The third one in this family is C. serrulatus, a little wildflower found in the prairies from Canada to Texas. This one has only grown 1 ft. to 1 ft. around. It is sitting next to my dry streambed in the middle of rocks. The flowers are also a lot smaller but it is a charming little plant. Spring is its main flowering season and in the moment it is covered with yellow flowers. It will stop flowering in the summer and have another flush in fall. All three plants stay evergreen in winter and the leaves are attractive all year long.