This beautiful little dye flower is the perfect addition to just about every garden.
Here's a few reasons why I just can't get enough of this little beauty.
My favorite variety of this flower is known as Tango Cosmos and I purchase my seeds from Grand Prismatic Seed. (Linked here) . Tango cosmos are absolutely gorgeous. The blooms range from from deep orange to shades of scarlet and often can be found with a mix of the two. You can also purchase sulphur cosmos more commonly, and they will produce blooms ranging from yellow through deep shades of orange.
Either way, this flower is a must grow for anyone looking to have a dye garden or just a beautiful flower garden.
Here are a few reasons to consider growing this little beauty.
It's super easy to grow. I mean what is better than that. Who doesn't love easy? Once these flowers are established in your garden they are pretty much self sufficient. They are drought resistant, and can grow even in poor soil conditions. However, if you give them regular watering and good soil they will thrive. They grow tall- We had them last year well over 5ft (I know because I'm 5'1 and many of them towered over me). The more you pick them the more they will bloom. So pick them until your heart is content. They are annuals- but they produce tons of easy to grab seeds and will self seed in many gardens.
It's a beautiful natural dye flower that will give you ranges of color from golds to oranges, and golds. Throw a handful in a bowl and pour hot water over them to extract pigment for a quick and easy natural watercolor. They are great for the Tataki Zome method or Flower Hammering. You can press them flat and use them to make flower prints in your bundle dyes or eco prints in the off season as well. Great as beginner flower if you want to experiment with natural dye flowers and aren't sure where to start.
The pollinators love them. Simple as that, if you grow them, they will come. The pollinators that is. The bees and the butterflies just can't get enough of them. The garden will come alive with life if you add these little beauties to your garden. The bumble bees will also use them to rest inside and as little shelter, so just make sure before you pick them there aren't any sleeping bees inside.
Magical flower forts. They grow tall and bushy if you allow them too, making for a dreamy flower getaway in the middle of Summer. What's better than a magical little place to set up an impromptu outdoor picnic, read a book amongst the wildflowers, or to escape inside a Summer daydream.
Fresh Cut Flowers. They grow really long stems and are a perfect to add to any Summer flower bouquet.
And there you have it! These are just a lot of fun and will keep blooming the entire season until the first frost. Give them a try and let me know if you enjoy them as much as I do.
Happy Gardening!
Xo,
Michelle
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