Cosmos Flowers Photo Gallery

When it comes to planning a colorful garden that has nonstop summer blooms until the weather turns cool in the fall I plant cosmos flowers. These flowers are so easy to grow from seed and they are maintenance-free, although I do water them when the weather is extremely hot or there is summer drought.

Here is a photo gallery of cosmos flowers grown in the garden and in masses.  

These pretty cosmos flowers attract honey bees, monarch butterflies, and other butterflies. I recommend that you plant the flower seeds in an area where you can view the flowers and the pretty butterflies fluttering around the blooms.

 I grow cosmos flowers in my butterfly garden, containers, and along my side slope.  I also grow these flowers in masses in my side meadow that I can view from my sun porch.   

It is nice to sit on the porch and view the pretty flowers in the afternoon while sipping some lavender and chamomile tea.  This is a natural way to relax and unwind after a hectic day.

My favorite cosmos flower garden is the meadow because there is a path

where you can walk among the flowers.  This path serves as a nature walk for the kids and adults in my neighborhood.   They all enjoy standing in the middle of an enormous flower garden where they can view the butterflies, and take photographs of butterflies, birds, and rabbits.  Occasionally you can even see a deer or fox.

If you enjoy gardening and monarch butterflies then I recommend that you grow

cosmos flowers. 

Late Summer Flowers are Blooming

Today when I walked in the garden I saw that there were only a few late summer flowers blooming; belladonna lilies, four O’clocks, toad lilies and the sweet autumn clematis. When these flowers bloom I know that the summer season is coming to an end and that the fall mums will start to bloom soon.

The toad lilies remind me of dainty orchids.  They are such an exotic looking flower but have no fragrance.  They grow amongst my Hosta plants and their beauty brightens the shade garden.

The fragrance in the garden today was glorious.  The sweet scent of the belladonna mixed with the vanilla scent of the clematis and the sweet scent of the four O'clocks  attracted wildlife; bees, butterflies and hummingbirds.  They were all busy buzzing around in the yard. 

I spent a few hours in the yard, watching the light and when it was just right I took some photographs.  If you like flowers as much as I do, then I know you will enjoy these photographs of my late summer garden flowers.

Vintage Gardens of 1928 Home

The gardens that are located on my property date back to 1928, they were designed by a professional gardener who built the home.  

The original garden designer landscaped the entire yard by planting flowers in several different level gardens.  

She moved the earth by hand and installed cement blocks for the steps and red brick walkways. These steps go to the upper gardens and to the lower gardens.  

Wrapped around the gardens is a privacy river rock wall with stately columns at the garden entrance. 

It took the original owner of the home many years to complete the gardens and the rock wall as all of the rocks needed to come from the creek bed.  

My elderly neighbors tell me how she brought the rocks up a steep hill from the creek by wagon and worked on the wall by hand.

Since 1928 there have been four property owners and each of the homeowners has enjoyed gardening.  All have contributed in one way or another to enhancing the beauty of the landscape.  

I moved into the home in 2004 and my contribution was designing and installing a flagstone patio and walkway, a red brick patio, a stone garden path, and capstone paths.  

New gardens; garden mint, daylily, ornamental grasses, hosta, irises, herbs, vegetables, wildlife, and a rose garden.  I planted a wildlife habitat in the side yard and there I grow wildlife forage, wildflowers, and switchgrass.   

Along with the wildlife gardens, my husband and I installed three small ponds.

I love residing in a home that has history especially when it has a lovely garden.  here are photographs of the gardens.

Spring and Summer Flower Gardens:

 

The Wildlife Habitat

Growing Tips: Black-eyed Susan Flower

The Black-eyed Susan is a cheerful yellow flower with a dark brown eye that looks like a daisy and blooms at the end of June and continues to bloom into the fall. 

Black-eyed Susans will brighten your yard and garden when your other flowers have stopped blooming.  This flower will also attract butterflies and hummingbirds to your yard and gardens. 

Here are some photographs of my Black-eyed Susan flower gardens.  The splashes of yellow make my yard and garden inviting.

Black-eyed Susan Questions and Answers

Where should I grow Black-eyed Susan?

Grow the black-eyed Susan in masses or add it as an accent plant for your wildflower, prairie, or cottage gardens. Plant the black-eyed Susan close to home or patio, that way you can benefit from this colorful mid-summer flower.

Can you grow Black-eyed Susans from Seed?

I grow the black-eyed Susan from seed.  I start growing the seeds 8-12 weeks before the last frost in spring.  They are easy to grow from seed all you need is the grow kits and a sunny window sill or grow light.  

For growing indoors you would plant the seed in the center of the container, water, and set the container on a southern exposure windowsill.   Water the Black-eyed Susans when needed; it is best to not let them dry out. I like to keep them evenly moist but not wet.    Transplant your seedlings outdoors when they are 4-6 inches in height and after the danger of the last frost has passed. 

Plant outdoors after the threat of spring frost has passed by sowing seeds into a garden bed.  Cover the seeds with soil that is mixed with compost or manure and top with organic much; grass clippings, pine needles, or straw. Keep the soil evenly moist.  The seedling should break ground in 12-16 days.

Note: the black-eyed Susan can be planted any time throughout, the growing season provided the plants receive adequate water. If you plant in the summer, select a day that has rain in the forecast, better to plant on a cloudy day, as it is less stressful on the transplant.

I grow these black-eyed Susans with coneflowers and Shasta daisies in my gardens as the flower combination compliment each other and attracts butterflies.