What I’m Planting This Year: Zinnias & Wildflowers
Each spring, I get excited to start planning out what I’m going to plant in my flower beds. Some flowers are old favorites that make an appearance every year, but I also like to try something new to keep things interesting. This year, I’ve got a fun mix of both.
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Zinnias have always been one of my favorites. They’re easy to grow, bright, and make great cut flowers for the kitchen table. I’ve always loved growing them, but this year I’m trying out two new varieties—Peppermint Stick and Green Lime. The Peppermint zinnias are supposed to have a striped pattern in shades of red, white, and pink, while the Green Lime ones have a soft green color that I think will add something fresh to the beds.
I’m planning to plant a big patch of zinnias by the old garden shed that I rebuilt last year. It’s a sunny spot that just feels right for a burst of color. I’m also working on a new flower bed up near the storage building we added recently. I’m going to add some sunflowers to this bed since it gets good sun. I think it’ll be a perfect place to experiment with a few new varieties.
This year, I’m adding in some wildflowers and giant asters, too. I’ve always enjoyed tossing out a wildflower mix and seeing what blooms, but this time I’m planning a little more carefully. The mix I picked includes cosmos, coneflowers, black-eyed Susans, and aster, along with a few others I’ll be able to identify once they bloom. The asters are new for me, but I’m excited to see how they do.
Since I love chamomile tea, I’m planning to plant some german chamomile to try and grow my own! Won’t that be fun!
If you’re thinking about growing zinnias or wildflowers this year, here are a few simple tips that might help:
- Zinnias like full sun, so pick a spot that gets at least 6 hours of direct light each day.
- Start from seed. Zinnia seeds are inexpensive and easy to plant directly in the ground once the soil warms up.
- Don’t overwater. These flowers don’t like soggy soil. Let the ground dry out a bit between waterings.
- Deadhead regularly. Snipping off the old blooms encourages new ones to grow and keeps your bed looking fresh.
- For wildflowers, lightly rake the soil before scattering the seeds. Press them down gently, but don’t cover them too deeply—many wildflower seeds need light to sprout.
- Try something new. It’s fun to have a few tried-and-true plants, but adding a new variety can be a nice way to change things up without much risk.
- Save the seeds at the end of the season.
One of the best things about growing flowers is how simple it can be to start. You don’t need fancy tools or a huge garden space. Just a patch of soil, a few seed packets, and a little patience. Whether your garden is in the backyard or a few pots on the porch, there’s always room to grow something beautiful.
As the season gets going, I’ll be sharing updates on how these new varieties are doing. I’m looking forward to seeing how the different colors and shapes come together in the beds—especially near the old shed and the new flower space.
What are you planting this year? Let’s grow something great together.
Keep Growing,
Sharon
