Planning the 2019 Garden – Annual Flowers for Cutting and Containers

Today I ordered seeds to start indoors, verbena, marigolds, zinnias and cutting ageratum, and last week picked out a couple phlox perennial plants.  The zinnias are for the back cutting garden.  There should be some Benary Giants seeds left from last year but I ordered a new packet just in case.

Benary Giants Zinnia Mix Linked from Harris Seed

We like verbena combined with dianthus, allysum and lobelia and often vinca and snapdragons, for the big pots by the front porch, but last year the only verbena available locally were insipid shades of pinkish white.  This year we’ll grow the Quartz XP mix from Harris seeds.  This mix has rich colors and the variety is listed as a strong grower and 10-12 inches tall.

Last year we used nasturtiums in most of the large pots which were beautiful with lots of blooms. I put in both mounding and trailing types, both of which did well but the trailing ones got a little weak during the hot, dry July.  I will start some seeds indoors again so they bloom quickly.

Nasturtium Jewel Mix Linked from Harris Seeds

Dave suggested putting marigold around the cutting garden edge in hopes of keeping the zinnias intact and uneaten.  It definitely helped and I put several plants in the front bedding section too.  Several places sell Inca varieties here, but in separate colors, not a mix, so I got seeds for those and another type that is brilliant orange.

Marigold Inca II Mix from Harris Seed

The last flower seed is ageratum Blue Horizon which has the usual soft fuzzy blue flower heads except is tall enough to cut.  I want to put a few in with the marigolds in front.

We’ll grow cosmos again along with the zinnias out back, then get dwarf snaps, vinca, lobelia, allysum, dianthus and possibly portulaca locally for the containers.  Let’s hope for good weather and lots of blooms!