Zinnias {the sweet flowers of summer}

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This is the last weekend in the month of August and it feels like the change in season is approaching just a little faster now.  The official start of fall is not for a few more weeks, but for now I want to enjoy these bright and colorful zinnias I have growing in my garden for a while longer.  They are a favorite flowering plant by gardeners for many reasons; they are easy to grow, yield multiple blooms, and they attract butterflies and bees to the garden.

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simple & pretty

This was a no-fuss kind of bouquet that I love to put together.  I gathered a nice large bundle of zinnias {a little more than I thought I needed}, stripped off most of the leaves leaving some near the flowers, and trimmed the stems.  For a nice tight bundle, use florist tape or rubber bands to secure them together.

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I decided to try my hand at starting them from seeds {one mix zinnia seed packet}, and I am so glad I did.  I made sure to prepare the soil with good fertilizer and compost and kept it moist throughout the summer.  They are growing, thriving and bursting with bright colors.  I’m excited to try other varieties next year now that I know how easy it was to grow them.

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There are more than enough flowers to enjoy and for cutting.

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Zinnias come in a wide range of colors, sizes and shapes.

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Just beautiful … all the pink petals were perfectly packed together to form this flower.

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{my daughter Grace was assisting me in this photo}

Fresh cut zinnias from earlier in the morning was wrapped up and ready to be taken to a dear friend I will be visiting with in the afternoon.

posted by Kay