Horton's soft clover...

That's the only name I can come up with for this exotic, Dr. Seuss-like perennial. I'm calling it a perennial because it's in the same location every year, but I'm not the architect. Just an admirer. And coveter. I do want this plant. This bloom turns into a brilliant red fuzzy ball 'round about August and it does resemble the fluffy puff of Whos Horton hears in that other perennial classic, 'Horton Hears a Who'.

Judging by its street side sunny location, I think it could handle my front parkway "prairie" bed. I call it the prairie bed because most of the residents are (thankfully) extremely low maintenance and native, I think.

There's false indigo (Baptisia Australis), goldenrod (Solidago), black eyed susans (Rudbeckia hirta), lots of liatris and a bit of yarrow (Achillea millefolium). All of these, however, are getting crowded by the coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) and I'm looking to mix things up a little.

Maybe this Horton plant would offset the wispy, ok weedy, textures without too much fuss. This is all part of next year's plans, of course. Vacation's coming up and then it's August. Time to find out what's really drought tolerant. Maybe I should call that bed the Darwinian bed...

So, all I need to do is head to the garden center and ask for the beautiful, freaky famous Horton's soft clover.