Crazy for Cosmo's

Cosmo's always  have a place in my garden. When I remember the first spring in our first house cosmos grew in the back corner. I didn't plant them there, never watered there. Basically it was the side of an unmarked driveway, dry, dusty  hard ground. I didn't know anything about growing in California at all, yet they were growing, and they were beautiful. The back neighbor grew cosmos in her yard, and I benefited. One day I Saw her working in her yard, and asked what kind of flowers they were. Like most gardeners she told me, and shared some knowledge, and was glad I was enjoying the volunteer cosmos. I felt pretty and tough was a great flower to grow, and have grown them ever since.
Over the years they have become a background flower. As I grew roses, and well way to many flowers to mention The cosmos were the plan Jane of the garden. I still grew them, but more out of habit, rather than a flower I loved.
This year (2026) I grew a few new varieties. They have reminded me why I love cosmos. They are delicate, different colors, and kind of whimsical. They are my favorite flowers this year, and I'm so glad I kept growing them. The new varieties I'm loving is apricotta, and the cup and saucer kind.

A fun little tidbit about cosmos that I learned this year.

I have a very small rock-lined raised bed by the side of my house that I grew cosmos in this year. Somehow, someway a seed germinated between some rocks and grew horizontally across the nearby driveway. This soon became a trip hazard as the plant had grown a main stem nearly three quarters of an inch thick. My wife uprooted this plant and just tossed it on the top of a cold compost pile thinking it would shrivel up and die. To out surprise, the thing rereooted and somehow survived a heat wave!

Cosmos are pretty AND resilient plants.