This week is all about Cosmos flowers. Well nearly all as I only have five so have had to add another relatively new plant to make up the six required (I don’t want to offend our host). The flowers attract a variety of bees, butterflies and hoverflies, and also make a good cut flower. Best grown in moist but well-drained soil, in full sun. Deadhead spent flowers to encourage repeat-flowering. Most of mine have been planted in containers for the summer patio, though a few of the taller Purity have been planted in the Bee and Butterfly bed where they look lovely among the purple Verbena ‘lollipop’, blackcurrant Allium and the pale yellow daylilies.
(1) Cosmos bipinnatus ‘Purity’ bears masses of pure white, single, saucer-shaped flowers, in contrast with bright green, feathery foliage. These grow to 1.2m tall and can look lovely in a border with grasses or dark coloured flowers such as dahlias.
(2) Cosmos bipinnatus ‘Sonata White’ is a compact cosmos, bearing masses of pure white, single, saucer-shaped flowers, which is suitable for a container as it grows about 60cm tall.
(3) Cosmos bipinnatus ‘Daydream’ has the palest pink blooms with a dark rosy throat. Grows 70-100cm tall.
(4) Cosmos bipinnatus ‘Fizzy Rose Picotee’ has flowers which are variable in two respects. Some are single while others are semi-double or even fully double blooms. The second is that the colouring is somewhat variable. Some flowers are definitely white with dark lilac-pink edged petals, whereas others are almost completely lilac pink with a little bit of white. Reaches 100cm.
(5) Cosmos atrosanguineus (Chocolate Cosmos) is a tender perennial. With lovely velvety maroon to a deep chocolate brown colour they even have a hint of chocolate and vanilla scent about them. Height 90cm. This is also planted in the Bee and Butterfly bed and well fleeced over the winter months!
(6) Clematis ‘Princess Kate’ – It is a texensis type, producing upright to nodding, bell-shaped flowers to 6cm long, that flare out widely towards their pointed tips. The petals have an attractive colouring, being white on the inside and stained reddish-purple on the outside. Growing alongside an unknown wine coloured clematis and a white rose, Kate fits in perfectly! This clematis grows by the side of my conservatory so receives lots of sun whilst her feet are in the shade.
(1) – (4) were purchased as seedlings from Ashridge nurseries online. The plants arrived in a very healthy condition and well packaged and could have been planted on arrival, but my pots weren’t ready so I planted them on indoors until they were a bit bigger and could hopefully withstand the S&S. Next year I will look for some other colours, but this year I quite fancied a paler display after the vibrancy of my tulips.
As always, if you want a peek over other people’s garden walls then please pop over to our host, the lovely Jon, AKA ‘The Propagator’ where you find links to many more wonderful garden enthusiasts from all over the world.
See here for the participant’s guide.
Cornwall in Colours 
I can’t imagine my garden without Cosmos and yours look lovely. I’ve not tried ‘Fizzy Rose Picotee’ but will look for seed for next year. The Clematis is a stunner
Fizzy is fab.