The coming of cosmos

Warmer temperatures, new varieties and the greater accessibility of plugs have made comos a must-have plant for gardens this summer, says Graham Rice

- Graham Rice

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.