This year is the first year I ever planted Zinnias. They have brought inspiration to me as I’ve watched them grow. They didn’t have the best start, my seed pods were a failure, but once they got established in the ground, they’ve taken off and now are in full bloom.
My favorite inspirational facts about Zinnias:
Named by Carl Linnaeus who designated the Zinnia in honor of Dr. Johann Gottfried Zinn. Dr. Zinn had an eye for anatomy and provided lasting inspiration to botanists and anatomists during his lifetime – Born December 6, 1727, and died April 6, 1759.
Hummingbirds and butterflies flock to zinnias because of the various colors and the patterns of the blooms.
One day this summer, I had the pleasure to watch a butterfly flutter and linger around the garden bed. During its investigation time, he lands on every one of the zinnias, it was as though it stopped by to say, “Hello, thank you, you brightened my day.”
Zinnias are hardy and endure all sorts of treatment – from the hot heat of the sun to the bugs who nibble on them uninvited.
They grow in all different sizes, from ¼ inch (yeah, I have dwarf ones I guess) to 7 inches in diameter and can grow up to 4 feet tall (I don’t have any that size, but rumor has it they do grow that big).
I love that they grow in so many different colors – magenta, red, orange, yellow, white, purple, and even a light green.
My favorite colors hold special meanings –
- Magenta = lasting affection
- Red = steadfastness
- The mixed = fondness of a friend you miss or who is absent
I’m so glad I planted Zinnias this year. From the first bloom that opened up this year, to the last one due to open right before the frost, the colors they radiate in my garden inspire me.
They are complementary to my other flowers, and they bring inspiration to me as I admire their presence of joyous endurance in my garden.
Post Inspiration thank you to Linda Hill’s One-Liner Wednesday Inspiration Blooms
PS – What are your favorite flowers or the facts of your favorite ones? What is your favorite color? Where do you find inspiration that blooms?
Your flowers are so lovely! I did not know where the name came from. Now I know. Thank you for that. And I have to agree that they are hardy. They thrive really well in our country. Now I have to try planting them. 😉
Thank you! I’m sure you’ll enjoy them too if you plant them! 🙂
That’s for sure! I need some colors in the garden and I need flowers that are hardy because of the unpredictable weather. I killed the blue pea vine since it took over the small garden. I planted another and it has one flower already. Oh! You gave me an idea! I’m going to take a picture of it if it’s still there lol.
Yay – see how flowers provide the inspiration to bloom :-)! :-)!!
Yes! 😊
I love zinnias. A staple in my garden are Portulaca for the hot corners that nothing else grows in and my Sea Status or Sea lavender. I love the tiny purple flowers(Similar to baby’s breath) And they attract green bottle flies for some reason. So it looks like lavender lace with little green jewels.
Oh, my goodness, you have inspired me to look into those flowers! I’m so new to this gardening thing, I just grabbed seed packets with pictures that I thought were pretty. I’m still discovering what will survive or not. Thank you for the hot tips!!
I’ve learned to avoid anything with an aggressive name like scourge. I dislike anything “Ground cover” they take over and are hard to get rid of. Climbers like four o clocks can be a real pain. I have learned to avoid most perennials that say “Fast growing”
My nemesis plants are periwinkle, Lilly of the valley, four-o-clocks(perennial) and “Snow on the mountain.” Worst plants ever IMO.
I do love my gladiolas and mini day lilies. for pretty annuals my fave right now are snap dragons, cosmos and petunias.
With all your knowledge and understanding of what happens, I bet your garden is gorgeous! Thank you for sharing your insights, I appreciate the tips.
These are lovely!
Thank you!
You are welcome.
Beautiful! <3
Thank you, Linda!
I love zinnias ! I have seen them attract both butterflies and hummingbirds to my garden. I tried Cosmos and I found that they grow as easily and as fast as zinnias do. The bonus was they also attract butterflies ! I buy the Sensation Blend seed packet because it contains three different colors of cosmos, white, pink, and hot pink ! They appear to be a very delicate flower with wispy leaves on a tall stem that supports the flower but they can withstand the heat of summer so they are stronger than they look ! 🙂
Thank you for the insight and the tips about flowers. I’ve not heard of the Cosmos – I’ll have to look it up! I appreciate you stopping by to share your thoughts! Happy Gardening to you!