Cosmos

I bet that was fun joining in the Cosmos trials. :o)

Did it make a difference whether you deadheaded or not Balcony? I love that mauve flower in your middle photo.

I personally deadheaded practically every flower on the balcony but I also put many more plants in my sister's garden. Other than watering them a couple of times after I planted them she did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to look after them. Yet for all the care & attention mine got hers were much better plants!

Difficult to say whether it made any difference as I was disappointed with the show. They were the strongest & best seedlings that I had "molly cuddled" hoping for a fantastic display yet many of them didn't get off to a good start & many didn't flower at all well.

By contrast the plants I put in my sister's garden thrived - even when I didn't really expect many to survive as her cats & some neighbouring cats use her garden for their toilet! (Might that be the secret? :D )

I've only grown them once many years ago but have some this year. I hope mine and yours both do well.

I've grown Cosmos for quite a few years. They do seem to thrive on neglect. I've always grown them in the driest and weediest part of my garden and they grow and bloom like crazy. They certainly seem to like it with less water and my soil, being clay, gets like concrete when its dry. I don't deadhead them much either as they seem to keep on blooming. I haven't bought Cosmos seed for years as I collect the seed from the plants and they always reliably sprout up.

I shan't be growing any this year, I'm not sure exactly what I shall be doing this year. I have a good number of seeds germinating on the balcony, some I 'll plant in my sister's garden, others I'll plant on the balcony but I'm not decided on what as yet!