Captivating Cosmos

It’s time to take a fresh look at this star of the garden

Feature Kate Harding Main image Anna-Lisa De’Ath

Although a familiar face in cottage gardens and allotment plots, the merits of Cosmos are often underplayed. However, as 2016 has been named Year of the Cosmos by Fleuroselect (the international organisation for the ornamental plants industry), it is finally able to enjoy its moment in the sun.

The benefits of this summer staple are manifold, primarily it’s very easy to grow, making it ideal for novice or nervous gardeners. It’s not particularly fussy, as long as it’s in a sunny spot it will tolerate poor soils and dry weather, perfect for those who aren’t terribly good at regular watering. Cosmos flowers are also very attractive to pollinators, making them a great addition to allotment and vegetable plots. Yet its biggest selling point has to be the sheer volume of blooms it can produce in one season, with some varieties beginning to flower as early as May and continuing through to the first frosts in October. Meaning that, with a spot of deadheading, you can have a garden full of colour at very little cost, as well as a steady stream of cut flowers all summer long.

Growing Cosmos from seed is a quick, easy and inexpensive way to fill any gaps in your borders. You can either sow undercover in spring then plant out once any chance of frosts has passed, or sow directly in the soil once you are confident you won’t experience any more cold snaps. Alternatively, if you’d rather skip this step, many seed companies and garden centres sell a good selection of plug plants, allowing you to just pop them in a pot or the flower bed and watch them flourish in no time.