Saturday, July 25, 2009

Today's Flowers


Go visit Today's Flowers to visit a virtual flower garden from around the world.

Written information on this post is from Gardens Ablaze.

Pictures were taken in our backyard - Musashi's Garden.

All our zinnias were planted by seed and in pots.

I remember my grandmother seeding zinnias and how lovely they were.
I'm so glad this old-fashioned flower is back in style!




If you didn't grow any Zinnias this year, put them on the top of the spring wish list for next year, and you will thank yourself over and over all season. This is a plant that is started incredibly easily from seed, flowers very quickly, has a wide range of flower types and colors, withstands full sun and heat, makes an excellent cut flower, attracts bees and butterflies, and can make the difference between so-so garden bed and a spectacular garden showcase. Whether a beginner or a seasoned gardener, there is a Zinnia out there for every taste, budget, and style. Creating a Zinnia garden is the perfect way to teach children about gardening, and they will delight in the big, bright, bold colors.



Zinnias are another member of the large Aster family of plants and originate in Mexico and the Southwest United States. They come in a form suitable for every garden situation, including single, double, cactus, dahlia, ruffles, and pompon. Colors include every shade except blue, and many are multicolored. Most are prolific bloomers that add beautiful color to the landscape, and many have growth habits that make wonderful additions to container plantings. The uses for Zinnias in the home garden are almost endless. Use them as border plants, fillers for bare spots in perennial gardens, or massed in a garden all their own.



Zinnias are quite easy to start from seed, grow quickly, and adapt well to many gardening situations. Seed can be started indoors and seedlings can be transplanted easily outside for earlier bloom, or the seeds can be started in the garden after the last frost date when the soil has warmed. Germination is not as good in cold soil.




In a Habitat type situation, Zinnias are veritable beneficial insect magnets, and they will thrive in less-than-perfect soil conditions as long as their minimum sun (at least 6 hours a day) and water requirements are met (though they do come from the hotter zones, they do still need an adequate water supply).




Zinnias are not a poisonous plant and are safe for gardens frequented by children and pets. However, they are not a culinary flower, and are not used as food garnishes, etc., though cut flowers do make a colorful and elegant centerpiece for the table.



Where flowers bloom, so does hope. - Lady Bird Johnson

Have a beautiful day!




22 comments:

Pat - Arkansas said...

Pretty zinnias, Snap. I've bought a few late season ones in pots to put in my new front garden, but I hope to have many more next year -- from seed.

Mark Kreider said...

Wonderful posting... getting some zinnias is a must!!

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Great post, Snap... Love Zinnias. I grew up with them in our yard since my mother loved Zinnias.

Have a great day tomorrow.
Hugs,
Betsy

Tammie Lee said...

you have me convinced that zinnias are wonderful and your photos show how beautiful they are!

Spirithelpers

Huzhar said...

Beautiful zinnias, well captured. Very informative post, thanks for sharing and thank you for visiting my blog, please come again..

Anonymous said...

Thank you for visiting.
Very easy to grow zinnias are always a welcome addition to the garden. I love the second picture a lot. Have to get some seeds for next year!!
Lovely pictures and great information!!

Ebie said...

These are beautiful zinnias. Such a lovely garden.
My entry is here

Anonymous said...

I like your flower photos. I have some nice flowers this year but few bees and no butterflies to admire them.
Pick a Peck of Pixels

The Bodhi Chicklet said...

I didn't know there were so many of varieties of zinnias! I grew to love them about nine years ago when I was late to the garden center near my cottage and that was all they had left. I took them because it was a really difficult time in my life and I needed to see something grow, nurture something. Thanks for bringing them back to my attention. Love the pompoms!

Leora said...

Your zinnias are wonderful. Thanks for the warning of not thinking they are edible. I've grown them in the past, but I don't share your enthusiasm for them - perhaps mine got mildew or aged in some way that didn't influence me to plant them this year. Great photos.

i beati said...

yes I identify with the grandmother comment. I used to love it when she picked a bright bouquet because they lasted so long.

Mia N said...

Theses zinnias are lovely.
I have been unlucky wiht my zinnias I don't know why.

mimi said...

wow that's pretty zinnia flowers.

VALKYRIEN said...

Lovely collection of beautiful flowers! I fell in love with the second one! Gorgeous!

sweetbay said...

I love Zinnias too. I got hooked on them after picking up a package of Violet Queen at the grocery store that kept calling to me. lol
Great post.

Kim Mailhot said...

I love Zinnias too - my beautiful orange ones got very waterlogged and kind of drowned I think with the rainy, rainy summer here in NH but they keep bouncing back whenever we have 4 or five days of sun in a row (rare this year !!!!). A great flower to celebrate !

Inday said...

One of those beautiful flowers that makes me miss home. They are easy to grow and they come in simple and composite petals on top of their array of colours. :)

DeniseinVA said...

What a lovely post, now I know a little more about zinnias and I am going to put it on my list for planting next year. Thanks for sharing.

Snowbrush said...

Lovely flowers, and I like the Lady Bird quotation too.

Naturegirl said...

Any flower that attracts bees and butterflies is surely fine for my garden! Love the variety that you grow...oh that pink captures my heart!Lovely flowers today!

Arija said...

I love Zinnias too as my mother always had some to brighten up the summer border. Unfortunately they need more water than we have here and resent salinity. I geat a great first flush and then pfft they just collapse. Ah well, that is gardening, you win some, you lose some.

A very nice post.
PS I grow most things from seed or cuttings.

Anonymous said...

I like ur statement :)
When flowers bloom there's hope! :)