Every year I like to try new varieties of flower seeds and I have had some successes this season. If you like to grow flowers, then check these out.
Zinnias are my favorites and I grow as many as I can find space for! For picking, I like the Park’s Picks Mix, but they grow very tall and fall over when it rains or there is a wind. They looked a bit untidy last year in the gardens at the front of the house, so I did a little research to find something better behaved. Magellan Persian Carpet Mix sounded like a winner and it is! The plants are low-growing (about 12″) but have large blossoms. The seeds seemed a bit more difficult to start than zinnias usually are, but don’t they look great now?
Another new zinnia for me is the Giant Cactus Mix. This golden one is a knockout!
Usually I like the bright, bright colors, but check out these subtle cactus zinnia colors. They are so pretty in arrangements and look like a quilt in the making….
Sunflowers are something that’s fun in the garden, but for a variety of reasons, I’ve had trouble getting them started in South Carolina. Then I remembered one I used to grow long ago, Teddy Bear Sunflowers. They started blooming about a week ago on sturdy, 36″ plants. The flowers can be cut, but almost as soon as they bloom for they go to seed quickly. Their upright form makes them a great addition to the flower border.
I am growing carnations from seeds and it’s slow going! I planted them in early May and as of today, I have about a dozen plants that are about 5″ high. Last week I staked them up as they all had single stems that were flopping over. They looked like they were forming buds and I was wondering whether to pinch them, as I do with young zinnia plants. The decision was taken away from me by a rabbit, I presume. Luckily s/he only ate the tops off. I love carnations and am hoping to get bunches of them sometime…. (They should be perennials here – at least I hope so!)
And now I just have to share some produce pictures. The big tomatoes are finally ripening… The unattractive one on the right seems to be a local favorite, Cherokee Purple. It is a very meaty, mellow tasting variety.
And look at this cantaloupe! She weighs over 6 pounds and her sister was over 5. We’re eating cantaloupe with every meal.
What’s looking good in your gardens now?
Love zinnias and I don’t have any this year. 😦
As I recall, lots of people grow sunflowers in NM. I love visiting SF in the summer to see the beautiful flowers everyone grows on their lovely adobe houses. And that blue, blue sky!
I have never had luck growing flowers from seed–our growing season is so short and I don’t get focused. But I do love zinnias so I buy them already growing and enjoy them as long as I can!
My seed starting wasn’t awfully successful this year; not sure why. I do think that the plants are better if I start the seeds in the ground. Still experimenting. But zinnias are the best. I looked at where you live yesterday as someone I know bought a summer house on Thompson’s Point on the VT side. You are seriously north!!!