I make no secret about zinnias being my favorite flowers. They come in bright, happy colors, are ridiculously easy to grow from seed, and bloom from early summer to first frost in fall. Plus, they’re pollinator magnets.
Well, folks here we are at first frost in in my 7b garden, right on the money according to the good folks at The Old Farmer’s Almanac. November 15, give or take a day.
The bees and butterflies are still enjoying the scraggly zinnias left in the garden, so I’ve let them do their thing.
I took my scissors into the garden and snipped a few last blooms for a cut flower bouquet. Intense lime coleus leaves framed the blooms. The blooms will brighten my window sill for a few more days, then we get busy with Thanksgiving and Christmas, and before you know it, January and dreams of spring will fill my brain.
Until next year, my zinnia friends.
Are You a Gardener?
When I make new friends, the topic of my job sometimes comes up. “What do you do?” they say, and I’ll reply, “I write about gardening for the nation’s #1 home improvement retailer.” If they seem interested when I say that, I’ll follow up with “Are you a gardener?”
I have a pretty broad definition of gardener. If you grow anything from a philodendron in the windowsill to tomatoes on the porch, or roses by the front door, you’re a gardener in my eyes. And I love to know what gardeners are up to. It makes me a better communicator and gardener.
Let’s talk more about gardening! Just reach out on Instagram or Facebook. I’d love to know what’s growing in your garden.
