I have loved zinnias since I was a little girl. It is the first flower I ever grew from seed. Mother would let me pick all I wanted and create bouquets. Sigh...love those memories... And I have continued that summer tradition of planting zinnia seeds in anticipation of the summer show of color plus cutting some of the beautiful flowers for my kitchen.
This year I bought a seed packet of every type of zinnia I could find. They are all planted in the bed around the Chinese Pistache in back. Luckily for now, that tree is too young to produce much shade, so the zinnias get plenty of hot sun and lots of room to breathe. I tossed and raked them in this bed a couple of months ago. They are now starting to bloom, and I am being rewarded with so many different types and colors. Some are almost ruffled..
this one is a candy striped..
this is my favorite of the new--it has the colors of blanket flowers.
And can you see the large red standing proud and tall? Those came from seeds Cindy atMy Corner of Katy sent me last year. They are scattered through out the bed. I also have lots of what are called "cut and come again." Perfect for me! I have a bouquet in the kitchen, and I love to have several little vases with one flower in each on my breakfast room windowsill.
I have never tried planting seeds for profusion zinnias, but the plants I bought a few months ago are looking pretty happy in this old galvanized bucket.
Last year I was so afraid my zinnias were not going to grow, and they ended up doing beautifully. I hated the day I had to pull them up. You know what the problem was? ME! I simply could not wait for the flowers to grow and bloom. One of the hardest lessons for me to learn as a gardener is "patience." Zinnias are a good teacher!"Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience." Ralph Waldo Emerson
Types of zinnias I planted:
Giant Cactus Mixed; Giant Double Mixed; Starlight Mixed; Oklahoma Mixed; Giant Scarlet; Whirligig; Big Tetra; Candy Cane; Cut and Come again; Pass-along Large Red
16 comments:
They sure are beauties! And look most happy too!
I thought I was the only one who loved zinnias - thanks for sharing yours - I enjoyed looking at your garden.
Thanks Tina! I think they are as happy as I am! :)
Cottage Done--glad you liked the pictures and how nice you enjoy zinnias too. I know what you mean though..not everyone cares for those flowers.
I love zinnias too...mine aren't blooming yet. They make such colorful bouquets.
Balisha
Balisha--they DO make colorful bouquets! Now that mine are blooming, if I cut them they will bloom until fall. Well worth the wait!
I just discovered zinnias by mistake 3 yrs ago when a friend gave me a pot of mixed ones; last year only one of those zinnia seeds germinated, and it was a huge, tall bright pink one! So last fall I collected seeds and scattered them all over my beds. This year I have tons of tall pink ones! I went out and bought seed and planted tall purple ones, so next year I hope to have many of those. I think I'll just keep adding more and more; they are so bright and ez to grow. When I harvest seed this fall, remind me and I'll mail you some!
You have so many colors and types, and they look gorgeous. Profusion Zinnias are easy just like the others to grow from seed. I like them since they don't get that mildew that the larger types are so famous for. :)
Thanks Nola--let me know if you want any that I have too. We can exchange seeds! I cleared the area last fall to plant bluebonnets, so I did not have any volunteers this year. (and I am re-thinking that decision)
Racquel--I need to try the profusions from seed next year. Luckily the large ones around the tree did not get the mildew that can happen so often to zinnias. I think it was because they were out in the open with enough air circulation. Wish I had lots more beds like that!
Love your zinnias. Mostly I've always heard about them & marigold. I do like them & have a volunteer that is not blooming yet. Anxious to see what color it is.
I could almost cry for looking at your zinnias; they bring back memories for me, too. They were my first seeds planted, also. I must have been about 5 or 6. Yours are gorgeous! I want to grow them so badly, and I did try a couple of years, but here they become blanketed with gray/white powdery mildew - nasty stuff! I love yours!
Lola--if you ever want seeds let me know. I tried marigold from pass-alongs seeds but they never came up. I have pretty good luck with zinnias though.
Barbee--mine always got that mildew too until I planted them out in the open. By the time Sept gets here, these may look bad, but I will be ready to pull them by that time anyway. I looked at Burpee's catalog and saw that they now have some mildew resistant varities now. Let me know if you want more information on that. :)
Wow - this really brings back childhood memories....zinnias were amond the few seeds I could plant and they'd actually grow like my mom's and my brother's...lol. Loving your pictures with all the varieties and colors!!
Thank you ever so much. I would love some zinnia seed. Love them.
JJ--looking at the comments I think zinnias stir childhood memories in all of us. I love looking out my breakfast room window and seeing the pretty flowers blowing in the breeze. (that is--when we have a breeze!) :)
Lola--great! I will start saving as soon as they start to go to seed.
Zinnias are perfect for cutting, aren't they? I really should start a cutting garden, it's on my wish list. I have Queen Red Lime this year, and even with only one flower so far, I know it's a winner.
MsRobin--Queen Red Lime is on my wish list for next year. Did you order the seeds, or find them at a garden center? I walk around the yard about every other day looking for things to cut and bring in. I do miss that in the winter--so...I buy flowers from the grocery store!
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