The Cosmopolitan Cosmos Flower
A garden bed of cosmos
There are few annuals which are as beautiful and robust as the cosmos. It’s the flower that keeps on giving right up until frost time with little or no maintenance.
Originally a native flower of Mexico called the Mexican Aster; the cosmos has gained world-wide acclaim as a favourite in the garden with its multitude of varieties. Add the fact that they thrive in a sunny location in good or poor soil and it becomes a preferred for novice and experienced gardeners alike.
This season our garden brought so many cosmos seedlings from the year before, they even spread into the grass. Pulling out young seedlings from the lawn is very easy, simply place your fingers near the base and gently pull them out. Have a bowl of water nearby to put them in if they are not being planted right away; this will keep them happy, fresh and healthy until it’s time. Young cosmos transplant easily and can be placed anywhere there is a sunny location, in fact if they are transplanted early enough, by the end of the summer they will grow so tall one will wonder if that’s where they started in the first place!
The variety of cosmos in our garden usually attains five feet or one hundred and fifty centimeters. They are pink, hot pink, and white but there are other varieties with varying degrees of height and colours to choose from.
Originally a native flower of Mexico called the Mexican Aster; the cosmos has gained world-wide acclaim as a favourite in the garden with its multitude of varieties. Add the fact that they thrive in a sunny location in good or poor soil and it becomes a preferred for novice and experienced gardeners alike.
This season our garden brought so many cosmos seedlings from the year before, they even spread into the grass. Pulling out young seedlings from the lawn is very easy, simply place your fingers near the base and gently pull them out. Have a bowl of water nearby to put them in if they are not being planted right away; this will keep them happy, fresh and healthy until it’s time. Young cosmos transplant easily and can be placed anywhere there is a sunny location, in fact if they are transplanted early enough, by the end of the summer they will grow so tall one will wonder if that’s where they started in the first place!
The variety of cosmos in our garden usually attains five feet or one hundred and fifty centimeters. They are pink, hot pink, and white but there are other varieties with varying degrees of height and colours to choose from.
Even though cosmos are an annual, it reseeds itself so well it seems like a perennial. In the spring just exercise a little patience and in no time they will start popping up; this cuts down on gardening expense as there is no need to purchase new cosmos unless a different variety is desired.
The fern like leaf of the cosmos is interesting in itself as it has a lovely texture. The plant is very sturdy once established, and unless it is exposed to heavy winds staking the plant won’t be required. Cosmos don’t appear to ever have any kind of disease problems; where I live in zone five there are no pests which affect this plant.
The fern like leaf of the cosmos is interesting in itself as it has a lovely texture. The plant is very sturdy once established, and unless it is exposed to heavy winds staking the plant won’t be required. Cosmos don’t appear to ever have any kind of disease problems; where I live in zone five there are no pests which affect this plant.
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Cosmos are the perfect flower
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Cosmos attract butterflies, bees and birds to the yard, thus making it a champion to have in the garden. Bumble bees and honey bees love the flower and so do butterflies such as the monarch. In the fall when some of the cosmos are starting to seed, the goldfinch always finds a way to balance itself on the stems and pick the seeds for a tasty treat. If they are planted close to a window the goldfinch will be so close as it lands on the flower it will almost be as if it is right beside you!
Each plant of the cosmos has continuous multiple blooms. There really is no requirement to pinch off the dead heads because it never appears to stop blooming and as indicated the seeds attract birds. Planting a flower bed with just cosmos works very well, in fact and entire field would sway in the wind beautifully if one had the room to place them there.
Each plant of the cosmos has continuous multiple blooms. There really is no requirement to pinch off the dead heads because it never appears to stop blooming and as indicated the seeds attract birds. Planting a flower bed with just cosmos works very well, in fact and entire field would sway in the wind beautifully if one had the room to place them there.
Cosmos attract bees of all types
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The goldfinch is attracted to cosmos seeds once they have finished flowering
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A garden is simply not complete without the forever blooming cosmos; it purely is one of nature’s true delights and makes the garden have blooms all summer long!
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