I’ve been chipping away at a conservation book, Braiding Sweetgrass, written by an indigenous botany professor, Robin Wall Kimmerer. There’s a chapter about goldenrod and asters, which gives a mixed account (of science, general aesthetic, ecological, and personal) of why their contrasting colors work so well together. She writes, “As it turns out, though, goldenrods and asters appear very similarly to bee eyes and human eyes. We both think they’re beautiful. Their striking contrast when they grow together makes them the most attractive target in the whole meadow, a beacon for bees. Growing together, both receive more pollinator visitors than they would if they were growing alone” (Kimmerer, 2013, p. 46). When I’m doing garden design for someone, I always err on the side of diversity… diversity of species, shapes, growth habits, and of course, colors. I enjoyed this passage, though, because it lended yet another great (and fascinating) point for why contrasting flower colors are so desirable.
