Oh, so yellow!

Occasionally while out wandering around on the hill, I come across plants that I have seen time and time again but still do not know exactly what in the world they are. I have no clue as to the name or species. Even when I try to research the plants, I can always find some small detail that leaves me in doubt of an exact identity.Today, I found a couple of those plants. Both are rather pretty plants with nice yellow flowers.

First is a quite tall plant. It has decided to call my daffodil garden home and is sort of spilling out amongst the blueberry bushes. It is about two feet tall with sort of slender, pointy leaves. The stems are not round but almost squarish. The bloom has four petals and a tiny ball in the center. The individual stamens fall off almost immediately after blooming which I find rather strange. (Of course, this could be due to the drought.) There are also square buds and reddish sepals left after the petals fall from the plant. These stay for quite some time and eventually dry. I am thinking that this might be in the primrose family but I really do not know.

The other plant is much smaller. It is more like a groundcover but does not spread profusely. It seems to contain itself in small clumps. The leaves look like little tufts of grass. On this plant the bloom is very distinct. The three-lobed petals spoke out from the center button much like the blades of a fan. These centers are actually multiple little "knots".The bloom is much darker yellow than that of the aforementioned flower. These are growing in sandy spots in the yard. I try not to run over them with the lawnmower when I mow because they add a nice bit of brightness to the yard.

Perhaps some reader knows the identity of my plants..any suggestions as to their true names would be appreciated! Until I find the answer, I will just continue to enjoy their yellowness in the yard!