Cosmos

Sun-loving plants with a long flowering season, cosmos are great for colour, cutting and even fragrance

- Graham Rice

MOST cosmos are sun-loving annual flowers that bring us a summer-long season of golden-eyed daisy flowers set against fresh green, feathery foliage.

Easily raised from seed sown in spring, the plants have a gentle and relaxed style that fits well with other annual and perennial flowers, as well as shrubs. They make superb cut flowers and shorter varieties can also be grown in large containers.

Cosmos and climate 

In most of the country, seed of cosmos can be sown outside in late spring where you need the plants to flower. Wait until after the last frost date in your area, then sow the seeds in rows according to the guidance on the seed packet.

Seeds can also be sown in pots or cells in a propagator or on the windowsill. The seedlings can then be moved into individual pots and grown on protected from chills ready to plant out after the last frost in your area.

Three types of cosmos 

The feathery-leaved annual cosmos with the large red, pink, pale-yellow or white flowers are derived from Cosmos bipinnatus. The annuals with broader foliage and smaller flowers in fiery shades are derived from Cosmos sulphureus, which are slower to start but may overwinter in mild areas. The chocolate-coloured and chocolate-scented varieties are derived from Cosmos atrosanguineus, and their tubers are the most likely to overwinter.

6 special cosmos