Trade Annual Zinnias for These Stunning Perennial Coniferous Flowers
My point in gardening is that you should stop planting zinnias—everyone’s garden favorite—and plant coneflowers instead. While I love zinnias as much as the next person (and have spent years and tons of money on expensive mixes and varieties), I don’t enjoy growing them from seed, planting them, and pruning them just to watch them die at the end of the season. . season—and do it again next year. I missed the zinnia palooza this year and thought I’d be crushed by their absence from the July and August garden, but as it turns out, the coneflowers and rudbeckias (two forms of coneflowers) that I’ve been planting en masse for the last two years are finally here. came into its own and filled the space with similar-looking flowers.
Annual zinnias and perennial coniferous flowers
Zinnias are annual, and coneflowers are perennial and self-sowing. Not only will they return year after year, but they can also give birth. As I get older, the sheer amount of work involved in growing, planting and caring for annuals becomes less appealing. The downside to perennials is often the price: buying a perennial will likely cost four to five times more than a six-pack of annuals. But now is the perfect time of year to grow them yourself from seeds or cuttings and plant them in the ground before fall so you’ll have a beautiful, respectable plant next year. And in two years it will explode with color.
However, there are many new varieties that can only be obtained as a starter and not from seeds. However, I say they are worth it when you consider the longevity of the plant compared to planting zinnias year after year. Bluestone perennials stand out in the park with their variety of colors and coniferous flower shapes. You can plant a whole ombre from pink to green.
How to Achieve the Same Color and Shape as Zinnias with Perennials
The reason people adore zinnias is because of their endless variety of colors and shapes. Whether it’s varieties like Thumbelina, which tend to stay within a foot or two of the ground, or Benary Giants, which crawl up to four feet tall, there are an endless number of shapes and faces. to zinnias. Echinaceas are having a moment and there are endless varieties of options in different colors and facets. I would even go so far as to say that some coneflower varieties are more interesting than zinnias while maintaining the same flower shape. Here are some of my favorites:
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Cheyenne Spirit: A mixture of orange, yellow and red. I would grow several plants to get a whole row.
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Double Decker: Many of the double-blooming conifers can only be found as a starter, but this pink version will delight people who see it in the garden and can be grown from seed.
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Green Twister: Green flowers are rare, and this ombre flower changes from lime to pink, which is incredibly pleasing to the eye.
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Double Golden Gloriosa: This is probably the closest thing to the Zinnia Echinacea cactus.
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Echinacea Puff Vanilla: One of the new double conifers from Bluestone Perennials, this creamy puffball dream is coming to my garden soon.
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Echinacea Lemon Drop: I’m fascinated by this soft yellow, double-blooming coneflower that’s top-heavy, making it look like the sun shooting up into the sky.
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Sunseekers Rainbow Echinacea: Like a smaller, less erect sunflower, this bright electric orange coneflower is an eye-catcher. I can’t stop looking at it.
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Double Scoop Raspberry: This is still a double-blooming coneflower, but it has more delicate, sherbert crimson-colored upper flowers.