Happy Thursday, sweet friends. We were excited to see a day with rain on Tuesday! God’s provision of rain is far better than RM watering daily with the hose!
“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.”
James 1:19-20 ESV
If you are in need of a dose of color, you are at the right place. Long-time readers know that we plant zinnias and sunflowers for their color and longevity during the hot summer days we experience in our Appalachian Foothills.
Zinnia seeds were ordered from Johnny’s Seeds in January. New for this year were ‘Agave’, large cactus-flowered zinnias in sunset colors!
A butterfly, one summer day
Spoke to me as he fluttered my way
He asked me where the flowers were
And told me which he did prefer.
I pointed where zinnias grew
He thanked me, and off he flew!
As I continued on my walk
I wondered, who taught him to talk!”
~Joseph May
Benary’s Giant Mix is recommended by the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers. We have been planting these for several years and they are vigorous all-season producers that hold up well in summer rain and heat.
Densely petaled blooms are up to six inches across. I love these because they are long lasting in bouquets and are a cut-and-come-again flower, yielding multiple cuts over the season.
Colors include deep red, orange, carmine rose, lime, purple, wine, bright pink, white, salmon rose, scarlet, and golden yellow!
We planted the ‘Agave’ zinnias in two different locations, behind our garden in a raised bed (photo above), and next to the Sunshine Cottage. You can easily see the gorgeous blend of sunset colors and large, heavily quilled double blooms.
The ‘Agave’ are early bloomers with 4-6” densely petaled blooms in muted tones of coral, buff, gold, peach, pink, and orange hues.
Johnny’s began breeding ‘Agave’ in 2019. Their plant height is 30-40 inches.
I will definitely order more of these next year. They even dry nicely!
The Benary Giant Mix were planted in a raised bed next to our driveway and they are still producing!
I had to include this photo that shows our Sioux Crape Myrtles. They were planted in 2015 and they have grown beyond what we expected!
We have been planting sunflowers for years, RM and I both love their large happy faces! I especially enjoy when their blooms open enough to see their giant seed heads. They are a magnet for bees, American goldfinches, and butterflies. We noticed this season that hummingbirds have not visited the sunflowers. The probable explanation is found later in this post.
A favorite of mine is the Pro-Cut Bicolor with its mahogany red flowers with orange tips, (I call the tips gold) and a dark disk. They grow tall with strong stems and flowers of 4-6 inches. I think these are more than 6 inches, perhaps 7 or 8!
For the first time, we ordered a Summer Breeze Mix of sunflower seeds. I was excited to see this bloom, a Solano Double!
This is a Pro-Cut Red which was included in the Summer Breeze Mix!
RM used this photo in a recent Simple + Southern Sunday post. It was another variety from the Summer Breeze Mix. Johnny’s called this one Pro Cut Red/Lemon Bicolor.
Although some of our sunflowers did not perform as well as in past years, RM stated this fiery red head was not going to be denied!
This is the more traditional sunflower which is a beauty…Sunbright Supreme!
Just from looking at these individual blooms, you might never guess that our sunflowers were quite a disappointment this year. Their growth was very slow and stunted with some blooms never maturing. We’ve always dealt with problems concerning yellowing and fungi on the foliage, but had tall plants and an abundance of blooms that lasted until early autumn. RM is considering raised beds with new soil for the sunflowers next year.
For more Sunflower and Zinnia therapy click here and here.
Thank you for your visit and gracious comments. May the remainder of your week be joy-filled!
Linking with: Pieced Pastimes, Between Naps on the Porch, Katherines Corner, Follow The Yellow Brick Home,
Life and Linda
Beautiful!! The Solano Double sunflower and Agave zinnia look like cousins! I love the traditional and red/lemon bicolor sunflowers, too (I love them all, really). If I had a larger landscape, I’d certainly plant both zinnias and sunflowers. I saved zinnia seeds from a dwarf variety I grew a couple years ago, and they produced nicely. They’re such happy, long-lived flowers! Thanks for sharing. And whoa, just 10 yrs old and that crepe myrtle is that big?! It’s gorgeous. I may he sorry I let my volunteer grow, but so far it really adds to my landscape, and I love their beauty.
Thank you, Rita! I have been outside all afternoon. The heat and humidity have returned and it zaps me!
Gorgeous blooms Pam and Butch! The zinnias are so cheery and abundant and I would never know that your sunflowers were disappointing. Your red/lemon bicolor sunflower in particular is a stunner, I remember gasping when I saw it in your SSS post. Gardening is not without its challenges…it was so hot and dry here in July and now we’re soggy and wet from all the rain and black spot is rampant. Thank you for the flower therapy this morning! Happy Thursday 🌸💗
Thank you, Mary. The heat and humidity returned today and looks like it will be here for a while!
Once again Pam, your post has me glued to my computer screen as I am taking in the beauty of your zinnias and sunflowers. The stunning mix of color is beauty to behold and I think I am favoring the ‘Agave’ zinnias today. I’m sure the butterflies thank you too. I love the area in your garden with the crape myrtles, they provide shade and color over your dining area. Spectacular garden Pam and Butch………
Emily, your comments are so sweet and thanks so much! By this time of year, we are two tired gardeners!
The zinnias and sunflowers are so gorgeous! I harvest my zinnia seeds each year and sow them in the spring. Maybe I need to branch out and order different varieties of sunflower seeds! 😊
Thank you. Rachel! It is so smart to harvest your seeds. We always have some zinnias that come up randomly. I guess birds plant them😊
Love how pretty and colorful. I love sunflowers. They are so cheerful and the birds then have the wonderful seeds. Have a great week. Hugs. Kris
Thanks so much, Kris! Yes the birds love the seeds. Happy Weekend!
So many stunning photos Pam! I always love seeing your Zinnia garden and sunflowers. Your Crepe Myrtles are so full and beautiful! You and RM are obviously doing something right, what a happy garden!!
Thank you, Jenna. We are beginning to think we are getting too old! Butch says we will keep on until we can’t!
Zinnias and sunflowers are such happy flowers! The watering has paid off! They’re gorgeous! Thanks for the dose of beautiful color. Clara❤️
Thank you, Clara. How is your garden doing?
Everything pretty much died that were in concrete pots because I didn’t water it enough. I’ve developed some health issues and couldn’t get outside and get hot.The medication makes me dizzy so I thought it best to stay inside as I didn’t want to fall or pass out. I pulled everything up this week when the weather cooled down. We’ll try again next year, Lord willing. Clara ❤️
Oh, Clara I will email you ❤️
Good morning, Pam! I am glad to see your blooms are alive and well and upright as some little critter has been snipping mine on the stems and leaving the blossoms wilting on the ground in the heat.
Sigh.
But otherwise? Life is oh so good!
Thank you, Linda. We know very well about critters! God is so good!
I need a chair to sit and gaze at all these beautiful zinnias and sunflowers. Then I will move my chair to another part of your garden. The colors are incredible. The joy that your butterflies and bees experience must be thrilling to them!
Thank you for these gorgeous photos! Johnny’s should hire you for their seed catalog.
Enjoy your weekend, sweet friend!
Thank you, Nancy! Your comments are so sweet. If you can visit, we will furnish a chair and sweet tea! Happy Weekend to you and Sweet Man!
Zinnias and sunflowers are the happiest of flowers. They always make me smile with their splashy colors!
Thank you, Jeanie. They make me smile!
Such a beautiful, colorful treat today! Thanks you guys! Your Zinnias and Sunflowers…be still my heart❣
Sue, thank you! I am so glad you enjoyed!
Stunning! Amazing! Beautiful! Charming! There are so many words available to describe your gardens. I know of all the hard work involved with developing the flowers….one can not plop in the ground and expect such exquisite blooms. It is the love of nature and gardens that produce these beauties. My purple crepe myrtle is really growing fast…but there is a sprinkler near it’s base…it was planted two years ago and it towers over everything and it is loaded with large blooms. Thanks for sharing…hugs always
Thank you, dear one! As a fellow gardener, you do know the hard work involved! I hope you will share a photo of your purple crepe myrtle! Blessings and hugs!
Wow, that is a lot of joyfulness!! Zinnias and sunflowers make me so happy. Does Butch fertilize the soil when he puts the seeds out? My blooms never get as big as yours (I grow mine in a raised bed). They sure have been loving all the rain of the last few weeks though. Hope you both have a lovely weekend, my sweet friend.
Thank you, Roxanne! Butch doesn’t fertilize the soil when he plants the seeds. Wishing you and John a lovely weekend, sweet friend!
What a glorious mix of colours Pam! And it appears from the photo that you have the same coloured Crepe Mrytle in your yard as we do in ours!
Blessings sweet friend, Jennifer
Thank you, Jennifer! So crepe myrtles are common there?
Blessings to you sweet friend!
Yes, they’re very common in our region Pam. 😊 And there’s quite a variety in colours too.
Oh my, those zinnias are just gorgeous and so many beautiful colors! I love the happy face of sunflowers too, and honestly, you would never know that you had a bad sunflower year from the pictures. The Crepe Myrtle is amazing! Your gardens are always so beautiful and I am so glad that you are enjoying the fruits of your many labors!! Happy Thursday!
Thank you, Kim! Your comments are so sweet and we appreciate all of your visits! I hope your day was a good one, dear one!
Loved the colors of the Johnny seed zinnias. Will be ordering those seeds come January. Our August are so hot and dry that most plants don’t do well. A mile higher than most can be a death knell. Pictures are beautiful.
Thank you, Alice. Your altitude makes a big difference, I am sure! Wishing you a joy-filled day, my friend!
Your zinnia and sunflower parade is absolutely splendid! Not a summer passes where I don’t wish I had planted more zinnias. They are such faithful performers in the late summer garden scape.
Thank you so much, Cindie! I do love zinnias and they are faithful to hang on in late summer and into fall!
That was a LOVELY dose of color, Pam and Butch–thank you very much! Our yard is too shady for zinnias or sunflowers. You’re so kind to share the beauty you create, given the hard work in the heat that’s required!
I am so glad you enjoyed all the color. Nancy! Wishing you a lovely week!
Blessings,
Pam
I love zinnias! I recently picked up some seeds to scatter and hopefully have some fall blooms. I should have planted them for summer, but didn’t. I love seeing your vast variety. The only sunflowers I’ve had growing were planted by birds. My crape myrtle was planted 3 years ago, and this is the first season that it really bloomed in mass. That said, it didn’t last long. I inquired with my tree service as to why the blooms quickly went to seed. I was told it was happening all over town, and could be related the the July rain and cooler temps. Who knows? Some around town are in full boom as is typical. They are certainly hearty trees for our intense summer heat. Thanks for sharing and inspiring.
Sarah, thank you so much for your visit. I certainly hope that you will have a bountiful display of zinnias this fall! I know you are excited that your crape myrtle bloomed this year. Happy new week!
My heart found a happy place as I took in all the images of zinnias! Every colorful petal must have a story. And those bees have found much love in those sunflowers!
Oh, how I love zinnias! The photos in this post are just stunning. As are all your photos! God bless you!
Thanks so much, Cheryl. I appreciate your visits. God bless you!