“Plant your tiny seeds and keep watering them every day. Soon, they’ll grow.”
― Israelmore Ayivor
Let’s talk about gardens on a budget!!
Generally speaking from experience, anybody can create a beautiful garden without breaking the bank. These affordable gardens are often started from seeds! However, word for the wise, seedlings require more attention and care which consist of regular watering.
With that said, here is a list of my favorite easy to grow seeds for a beautiful colorful summer garden.
Zinnias
Cosmos
Four O’Clocks
Zinnias can be sown directly on the garden soil from mid-spring to early summer, they are hot weather lovers and are guaranteed to sprout as long as they are watered regularly. Once established and grown, Zinnias require less watering and will produce daisy-like or dahlia like flowers that will bloom until Fall. Overall, Zinnias will produce so many colorful flowers that will attract butterflies, bees, birds, and many other pollinators.
Zinnias are native to Mexico and Central America. The Aztecs originally called them “plants that are hard on the eyes” because of their colorful flowers.
Cosmos, another easy to grow plant, is a sun loving plant that once established will require less watering. The daisy like flowers sit atop long slender stems and form a cloud of attractive color all summer that attract bees, butterflies, and birds to your garden.
Cosmos, also known as Mexican Asters, have been enjoyed by gardeners for thousands of years dating back to the Greek civilization. The Greeks named it “kosmos,” a word with many different translations, ranging from “adornment” to “universe.” In fact, pre-Columbian civilizations in Latin America used the orange or yellow flowers to produce dye.
Four O’Clocks just like Zinnias and Cosmos, are sun loving plants that are easy to grow from seed. The sweet-smelling flowers open in the late afternoon, typically around 4 p.m. or so, and then remain open until the next morning. This plant, once established, will grow to be bushy, therefore, you’ll need enough space in the garden for it to sprawl out. It is one of my favorites to have in the garden, and best to plant where you will enjoy the scented flowers.
Four O' Clocks, also known as Marvel of Peru, are native to the tropical Americas and the name refers to the way in which people marvel when the plant bursts into bloom at exactly 4 o'clock. Native Americans have used these flowers for dyes and medicinal properties, both in prehistoric times and modern day.
Again, the list above includes some of my favorite flowering plants that are easy to grow from seed, however, there are others such as Marigolds, King Cannas (bulbs not seeds), Black Eyed Susans, and Sun Flowers. I chose these plants because I love colorful gardens and they produce endless amounts of flowers through-out the summer and into the fall! Happy Gardening!!!
The garden in this picture includes Zinnias and Cosmos grown from seed. Also, tropical King Cannas grown from bulb. The purple Russian Sage is an existing plant that comes back every year (not grown from seed or root by me).
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