Your Home, Garden and Travel

There's a new zinnia in the cottage garden this year. Magellan Ivory may be short, but the creamy blooms are 4-5 inches across. Standing below 14 inches, this is a great zinnia for containers or front edges of gardens. I'm using this zinnia around my sundial, combined with Magellan Yellow and blue salvia 'Victoria'.

I couldn't wait to show you this bloom! There are three plants in bloom right now and every bloom is perfect, just like the one in the photo. When the companions in this garden catch up, I'll show you the group together.

June 2010 holds the all-time record for the hottest month in North Carolina. The heat was rough on seed germination and seedlings. I am so pleased that this zinnia came through. Zinnias are easily grown from seeds with the right conditions, so I misted the ground after planting the seeds and watered the seedlings regularly. Fortunately, these are growing in my cottage garden with easy access to water.

I ordered many colors of Benary's Giant, my favorite cut flower, along with a packet of Magellan Yellow zinnia seeds to try. When my order from Swallowtail Garden Seeds arrived, the Magellan Ivory was a free bonus packet. I'm so glad that they sent the Ivory for me to try.

Bright white can sometimes be too much for a color scheme, but the softness of the ivory makes it easy on the eyes. Not having tried short zinnias before, I was skeptical of the impact. These blooms are definitely big enough to make a statement!

Words and photos by Freda Cameron, Defining Your Home, Garden and Travel.  All company or product or patented names mentioned are registered trademarks, copyrights, or patents owned by those respective companies or persons.