Cosmos: A Cottage Garden Classic

Cosmos have to be one of the best cottage garden flowers of all time! The classic daisy-like flowers, their light and ferny foliage, and the way the flowers gently sway in the breeze makes them a personal favorite in my garden.

We added some new flower beds last year, so I finally have the room...and the luxury....to plant an expanse of Cosmos, instead of single plants here and there. How refreshing it has been to gaze out the window, as I wash dishes....and drink in the color and beauty of these humble flowers.

These were all grown from my own saved seed from 2008. I grew many different kinds that year. The seeds were all mixed in an envelope I had labeled "Cosmos - Pretty ones"......and pretty they are indeed!

There are many interesting bi-colors....this one with streaks of white. These are second generation plants, pollinated by bees, so it is always exciting to see what sort of colors nature produces.

View from the other direction, with the woodshed in the background. The foliage is almost as pretty as the flowers.

I particularly like these.... with their dramatic dark centers.

A pair of Cosmos Twins.

One with delicate darker edges makes an attractive looking flower.

I have grown these Seashell Cosmos in the past, but have never seen one with a pink edge like this....they are usually solid pink or white. Lovely!

A pink Cosmos with a hot pink center really accentuates the yellow eye.

Cosmos are wonderful in bouquets! I put together this one for my dear daughter's birthday on October 14th. I added Verbena Bonariensis and Queen Anne's lace , along with several fronds of curved Honeysuckle vine to give it some softness and movement. This bouquet traveled in the car for 3 hours, and still looked great when we arrived at her house.

Frost crystals give the above Cosmos flower an extra dimension of beauty. Our first frost arrived on October 17th.

Though several nights of frost turned my zinnias instantly brown and ended the life of my squash and tomato plants, these Cosmos....though not quite as bright as their former selves, are still bravely blooming this afternoon, October 31st. Gotta love a flower like that!


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