SOMETIMES, the moment is right.Everything comes together and a plant just catches the imagination. This is the time of the cosmos, as a number of factors are combining to grab the attention of more and more gardeners.
First, we always used to treat cosmos as half-hardy annuals and sow the seed in a propagator in March or April for planting out in June. But as our summers have crept forward and the soil has been warming up earlier and earlier, we can now sow cosmos seeds outside in the open garden with confidence. And you can sow them today.
Second, new types have been developed in recent years taking us beyond the elegant simplicity of single flowers to a range of doubles and other types, including the captivating cupped varieties – all set against fresh-green feathery foliage.
Many more individual colours are available than there used to be, so you can choose precisely the shade you need for a particular situation in the garden or to match your taste in homegrown bouquets. And some of the new colours, such as the beautiful new peachy ‘Apricotta’ – well, there’s never been anything like it.
Cosmos for cutting
We also have the first cosmos variety developed specifically for cutting, and there are now varieties ranging in height from 8in (20cm) to 5ft (1.5m) to suit every situation.
And then there’s the odd one out, the fabled and always enjoyed chocolate cosmos, Cosmos atrosanguineus. Chocolate coloured and chocolate scented, it comes with roots like slender dahlia tubers that will survive the winter outside in many areas if mulched deeply. There’s also a group with sparky, fiery little flowers.
この記事は Amateur Gardening の May 08, 2021 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
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この記事は Amateur Gardening の May 08, 2021 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
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