Nicole Balch of Making it Lovely and Pink Loves Brown in a bit of a soul sister. She is a designer, blogger, mom, and business owner with a so-so cottage that she is transforming bit by bit. Her blog is filled with her adventures of design, life, and home makeovers and I find it a charming, inviting, and down to earth place to go for a break from plants and gardens.
I would dare say Nicole’s favorite color is pink. (Duh) So my native plant inspired by her must be pink. It must be easy and casual with a certain charm. Oenothera speciosa, also known as Pink Ladies or Showy Evening primrose is an easy to grown Midwest native inspired by Nicole.

1. 00033-00006-00, 2. pink evening primroses, 3. IMG_0681, 4. Oenothera speciosa, detail, 5. Field of Showy Evening Primrose, 6. Showy Primrose, 7. Pinkladies on Evening (昼咲月見草も宵の華)~CIMG4820, 8. nature’s paint

Needing little water and nothing special for soil (except well drained), this sun lover will be quite happy…in fact it could become a invasive if you don’t watch out…which is why it is probably best used in areas where you can stand it to take over. I love it in a meadow and that picture of it with the brown horses in the field is about the prettiest thing I have seen in a while (I think Pink really does love Brown).