Think bold, think bright Think zinnias

Want to add some zing to your borders? Flowers don’t come much more colourful than zinnias. Sow seed now for a particularly vibrant summer.

- Graham Rice

IF you like vivid, brightly coloured​ blooms that look equally lovely in the border or when cut and arranged in a vase, then zinnias have to be on your must-grow list. Tall or short, long stemmed or bushy, single or double – these brilliantly coloured daisies come in nearly every colour and they are a doddle to grow from seed.

There are some two dozen species of zinnia, with most originating in Mexico, a few growing further south and a few in south-western parts of the USA. So it’s safe to say that they enjoy the sun. In fact, they insist on plenty of sunshine and well-drained – or at least not soggy – soil; once established, they are unusually tolerant of summer drought.

Half-hardy annuals, they can be sown outside around now in most parts of the UK – although if you can give them a little protection, you can start them off a little earlier. Tall zinnias can be fussy about root disturbance and are often best sown in the open ground rather than pricked out from pots or trays.

Zinnias can be divided into two main groups. For edging and containers, there are neat, bushy, well-branched plants with mainly single flowers. They come in some exceptional single colours as well as lovely combinations.

Of these, the Zahara Series really stands out. With a choice of 10 different coloured single flowers and five doubles, plants are very floriferous and will keep you in bright blooms for months if deadheaded. State-of-the-art low growers, they’re a great starting point if you’ve never grown zinnias before.

Small cells

For edging, sow where they are to flower, but for containers sow seed in small cells on the windowsill or in a cold (or simply frost-free) greenhouse. This year, I’m experimenting with Rootrainers. Either way, you can then plant them out in your containers next month.