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even open, keeping the plant in a strictly vegetative state.
Birds are another element to consider when deciding whether you are going
to deadhead your perennials. Plants of genera such as Echinacea, Heliopsis, and
Rudbeckia are attractive to goldfinches, and I have had flocks of goldfinches in my
gardens happily munching away. Echinacea is a particularly favorite delicacy for
the finches as well as for the juncos over the winter. The only problem is that
echinacea will seed in outrageous proportions all over the garden. I tried
hanging bundles of cut stems from a tree, but the finches didn’t seem to be as
attracted to those as to the ones in the gardens, so I always leave a few drifts up
for them in various spots. Hosta seeds are savored by chickadees. Watching the
birds in the gardens in the summer and winter adds a special dimension to
perennial gardening.
Siberian iris (Iris sibirica)
seedheads are an attractive
addition to the garden, although
leaving too many can rob the
plant of energy.