Friday, June 19, 2009

Fertilizer Friday - Cheery Cosmos


It's Fertilizer Friday! Please join me and our host Tootsie over at Tootsie Time and enjoy all the wonderful blooms and lush greenery.

For this week's installment I'd like to welcome you to my Cosmos patch.





Cosmos are a cheerful cottage flower that stand out in wildflower mixes. They are one of my favorite annuals because they are so easy to grow. I adore the bright large blooms, tall stature, and ferny foliage.

Look at this quaint cottage garden on Martha's Vineyard.


This is what I think of when I see Cosmos. I took this picture a few years back when we were visiting the island. It don't remember exactly where the picture was taken but I do know it was outside of an inn. You can see the chef standing on the steps taking a break from cooking. Imagine how lovely it would be to stay there.

Cosmos stand tall in a cottage garden. Depending on the variety they can reach anywhere from 3 - 6 feet tall. Some are bushy while others need staking. Cosmos love full sun and are drought tolerant. They are great in areas with poor soil. If you plant them in soil that is too rich and moist they will get lanky and not bloom as well. As an added benefit Cosmos are also pest and disease resistant. Now that's my kind of plant!



Cosmos are usually the centerpiece of my container plantings. They do well with other sun-loving annuals and drought-tolerant perennials like Echinacea, Zinnia, Lavender, Dianthus, Rosemary, Sweet Potato Vine and Thyme. This year I decided to plant them in the ground along my front walkway. I'm so glad I did because I love the way they sway in mass when gentle breezes blow by.



I always purchase my Cosmos from the local nursery but next year I'm going to grow them from seed. The seeds look like pine needles and are one of the easiest to grow so it's worth it for me to give it shot.



Did you know that the word Cosmos is derived from the Greek word meaning "balanced universe. " What a perfect name for one of the most perfect annuals!



Finally to wrap up this week's Fertilizer Friday I'm sending all my blog readers a big beautiful bouquet of peonies.



Thank you all so much for visiting my blog, adding great comments, sending me wonderful emails, and offering up this newbie gardener great advice.

Happy Friday!!

27 comments:

Tootsie said...

I love the colors on those cosmos! that is one flower I don't have this year...kinda wishin now that I had some! thanks for joining Fertilizer Friday!

Heather said...

Cosmos are always a pretty flower and make me feel summer is finally here when I see them! Love peony bouquet too!

CiNdEe's GaRdEn said...

Beautiful Cosmos. I am not sure if my seedlings are cosmos or poppies. They are growing so slowly I am almost ready to give up ever seeing what they are. I am fertilizing them too! Whats the hold up??? LOL(-:
Tomorrow I will hit them again with the fertilizer so hopefully soon we will know what they are!
Happy FF to You and Ellie of course!

Gypsy aka Tam said...

I love your cosmos. This year was the first year that I tried to grow them from seed since I had trouble finding them at our local nurseries and you are right they come up easily and don't seem to need much care. I also planted my first two peonies this year. I really enjoyed your post and blog.
Have a wonderful weekend,
Tam

Jan said...

I have never grown cosmos, but after seeing your photos, I am definitely giving them a try next year. I love those colors.

Jan
Always Growing

Simply Debbie said...

Dear Jackie,
what a beautiful blog....I love your cosmos...they are beautiful...I don't know if it is too late in the season to try and plant some seeds but I just may try it.
oonce again, enjoy your blog very much...beautiful and that adorable little dog
hugs
debbie

MILLIE said...

I grow Cosmos off and on. I bought some seed and haven't planted them yet. Yours are beautiful. I also enjoy your blog.

Cathy S. said...

I love Cosmos, they are so beautiful and wild like daisies. Great Photos!
Happy FF!

Anonymous said...

I love the dainty blooms of cosmos and your peonies are just lovely. Have a great weekend.

Carrie said...

I LOVE cosmos - growing them for the first time myself this year. I really am going to have to work out a plan for me and Maggie (the wonder dog) to start stealing other people's gardens...uuummmmm Martha's Vineyard you say, that may be difficult and costly to transport.......

islandgardener said...

Gorgeous bright pink colors in those pics! I love cosmos, too, and I have also used them in large urn planters when I gardened on this estate up in PA. Janet

Catherine@AGardenerinProgress said...

I love Cosmos. One of my favorite summer annuals. They are just so pretty and the colors so bright. It's fun to see how tall they end up getting.

Teresa~ Gardening with Soule said...

You are right about those cosmos. They are such a great flower and the colors are so cheerful and bright. Yours are really doing nicely. Thanks for showing us. Have a great Friday!

Dirt Princess said...

your cosmos are stunning! I grew mine from seed this year and have only had a few blooms. They are getting there though

Anonymous said...

They are beautiful and I like to have them every year too but . . . you just reminded me I tried seeds this year (inside) and they were going gangbusters then fizzled. So I sprinkled some seeds and nothing. This means I have no Cosmos!!! I've been so busy I forgot. Now I have to just go buy some! LOL

Darla said...

Cosmos are beautiful! Love the cottage walkway.

Joanne said...

Lovely interesting post. i have some Cosmos I have grown from seed but need to get the weeds out to make room for them.

I haven't grown them for a year or two but they do make good cutting flowers for the house.

Mary | Deep South Dish said...

Oh those Cosmos are just gorgeous!! So bright and colorful. I think I've just discovered what I need to add to MY garden! Love them!! I wish I had that bouquet of peonies too. The one that I salvaged and moved this year isn't going to bloom, but I'm hoping that it'll like it's new home and reward me next year!

SweetAnnee said...

I love Cosmo's ..they are easy to grow..and lovely colors..love the ferny stems..and the
Finches love to eat the seeds..
woohoo..
Deena

sweetbay said...

Love the picture of the sidewalk garden. It's beautiful.

Thoughtfully Blended Hearts said...

The prettiest cosmos I've ever seen...I have no luck with it at all...

Unknown said...

WOW how pretty! I never see cosmo's around here but would love them in my garden. Warm wishes, Esther

imjacobsmom said...

Oh I'm so jealous! I planted a flat of 60 cosmos on a Sunday afternoon and by Monday morning they were "bunny food". They sure are a pretty flower. I love how they can just "blow in the breeze". too. ~ Robyn

Kerri said...

Cosmos are a favorite of mine too. They reseed freely, so you shouldn't have to plant them again. Mine are right outside our back door and look so pretty in the morning sunlight. The plants are still quite small though, so it'll be a while before we have those lovely blooms.
That cottage garden is lovely.
I'll be picking a bouquet of peonies tomorrow. Aren't they glorious with those big blooms are wonderful scent?
Thanks for stopping by and saying hello. It's nice to 'meet' you..and Ellie Mae :)

lynn'sgarden said...

Lol, Jackie..your close up of the pink cosmo is almost identical to the one I just took! I love that they reseed and come up in perfect spots...love how that works!
Have a wonderful weekend!

Elsa said...

Thank you for visiting my blog.
Beautiful Photos of Cosmos.
I allways grow cosmos from seeds. They are easy to grow.

I really enjoy to visit your blog, and it is so interesting to read about your gardening and see all your photos.

Have a wonderful weekend:-)

Little Flower said...

Hi Jackie, Love the cosmos! -Little Flower