Z is for Zinnias

Every summer I seem to have a new favourite flower.  Last summer it was the delicate peach sweet peas.  This year, the sweet peas have been most disappointing.  They have been replaced in my affections by the zinnias.

Zinnias and I go way back.  One of my earliest childhood memories is helping my grandmother in her vegetable garden.  She bordered it on all four sides with what seemed to be thousands of giant zinnia flowers.  Of course, I was very small so everything seem bigger and brighter to me. 

I seem to remember most of grandma's zinnias were bright red, orange, and hot pink.  I suppose that's why zinnias fell out of favour and were considered a bit 'common' as they say here in Britain. 

These days you can buy seeds to suite every kind of situation and taste.  I fancy the more pastel colours. 

I particularly like this soft, buttery yellow.  I am going to collect some seeds in the hope that I can grow more of these next summer. 

With our summers becoming hotter and dryer, I think the zinnia is due for a revival.  They are easy to grow, bloom ALL summer long, and make a great cut flower.  When their summer season is over you can collect the seeds from your favourite flowers for free!