Greetings from the Temperate Desert Zone of the Kew Gardens hot house. Oh wait, no, it’s just my back garden. Well over a month without rain now. Still no sign of a hosepipe ban, fortunately, so while tediously time consuming, it is still possible to keep most things alive. “Most” is an important qualifier, there are some things which just don’t make it. Anything still in a pot, especially a small pot, is vulnerable to drying out. It only needs one day of neglect with the watering for this to happen. Guilty as charged yer honour. Multiple offences to be taken into account, time off for good behaviour. Still, I have managed to keep enough things alive and kicking to supply this week’s Six on Saturday. Six things, in the garden, on a Saturday. Could be anything! A flower, a good leaf, a pest, a completed project, a harvest, an abject failure, anything at all. Join in!
Here are my Six for this week.
1 – Cosmos ‘White Knight’. The last couple of years have been difficult cosmos-wise. For some reason I was unable to grow successfully from seed. Germination was poor, those that did were poorly plants, and/or I neglected them. This year I have a good few of these white cosmos dotted about. I grew them from seed provided by Suttons. I think I prefer the coloured ones, not sure I’d get these again.
2 – Clematis, purple’un. The name is lost to history, as was the plant, I thought. It has staged a recovery this year, even putting out half a dozen flowers. They are a good purple colour, standing out well against the wisteria foliage. I hope it sticks around next year and puts on a better show.
3 – Lobelia tupa. Grown from seed last year, it didn’t do a whole lot, getting to no more than a few inches tall and not showing any signs of flowering. This year is a different kettle of fish. It has grown into a decent size plant, a good 3 feet high and across, with stems each bearing a flower spike. The flowers aren’t quite fully out, but they’re on their way. I’m interested to see how long they last.
4 – Zinnia ‘Queen Red Lime’. Queenie here was grown from seed this year, also from Suttons. I have a blind spot with annuals, I set them off , prick them out, then often forget all about them, resulting in frequent death by the aforementioned too-small-a-pot. A few of these slipped through my determined neglect, growing into good little plants and flowering. A moment of weakness, won’t happen again.
5 – Poppy ‘Lauren’s Grape’. Another escapee from my neglect, these are annuals I think. They should get to 3′ tall, but are more like a 18″ high just now, and a bit spindly. Still, flowers are emerging, and they are purple, so whaddayaknow.
6 – Impatiens. I forget exactly what these are. New Guinea impatiens maybe? Bought for pennies a plant in Morrisons a month or so back. They come in red, white and this pinky red one. I have them in the front row of the shady border.
Those are my Six for this week, what are yours? If not already a regular, you probably feel strangely drawn to taking part, but don’t quite know how. Fear not, simply write your post, pop a link to it in the comments below. You can also participate using twitter, instagram, facebook or by pigeon post. Just remember to use the #SixOnSaturday hashtag. For more details, please see the participant guide.
Have a super weekend, remember to check back as more links get added during the day. It’s going to be yet another scorcher here. More watering. Sigh.
I’ll be back next week with another #SixOnSaturday.
Busy, busy, busy here. Company to be picked up at the airport this afternoon. But first, more watering in the garden.
Lobelia tupa is fun to see. Never saw it before! 🙂
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Hello, yes busy weekend here too. At a festival yesterday, baking in the hot sun. Thank goodness for factor 50…
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Too little time for my 6 this Saturday and to be honest I’ve little left in flower at the moment, it’s all dried up. Here is a quick 6-on-Sunday for 6-on-Saturday!
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Morning. I was looking at my sunny border yesterday and actually it doesn’t look too bad, quite a lot of flowers and lush. Has taken prodigious quantity of watering, mind. Have fingers crossed for rain while we are in hols…
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Fingers crossed too. We have overcast skies this morning but still boiling already. I find it exhausting and just don’t want to do anything in the garden. Fed up with it now!!
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I definitely agree with you about white cosmos. Haven’t grown them in years, but I often grow the pink/purple/maroon shades. I don’t really like the orange ones as well, either, although the butterflies do.
Here are my six this week: https://myownlittleallotment.wordpress.com/2018/07/14/six-on-saturday-july-14-2018/
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We are in a minority it seems,most folks are fans of this white double.
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A little different approach this week to my Six on Saturday … https://patch405.com/2018/07/14/six-on-saturday-7-14-18/
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Hello again.
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So many of my flowers have been fried by the excessive sun and heat so I decided to do a little leaf study instead: https://kashcahdreamsofcrofting.com/2018/07/14/six-on-saturday-3/
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Good idea, look forward to seeing that.
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That is a lovely Zinnia, I’m hoping for lots more than the two Zinnia flowers that I got last year but they are not out yet. The Lobelia looks interesting too, might try it.
Here are my six this week: https://www.parabola.me.uk/blog/2018/Jul/six-things-this-saturday/
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The lobelia seed is quite easy to come by. Interesting plant.
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I’ve had a burst of similar short lived poppies that I think have self seeded from neighbours. I did plant poppies, but not the variety that has come up. Lovely anyway. My six https://30daysofwildparenting.wordpress.com/2018/07/14/six-on-saturday-14-7-18/
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Invader poppies! Come over here looking lovely. Who do they think they are?
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Evening everyone! Here’s mine….https://thesmallgardenofrebecca.wordpress.com/2018/07/14/six-on-saturday-14-july-2018/
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Evening!
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Here’s mine.
I’ll pop back tomorrow to read more. X
https://oldhouseintheshires.com/2018/07/14/six-on-saturday-lazy-summer-days/
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My cosmos did ok this year but the best were the ones I scattered. They germinated really well and are growing quite happily in weird places!
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I should just do that next year.
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I’m going to join the ranks of white cosmos admirers – very pretty, I think. The lobelia is unusual, and I would enjoy seeing another photo when its a little further along. Here are my Six for today, including a Melianthus propagation mystery – perhaps you could solve it? https://thepaintinggardener.wordpress.com/2018/07/14/six-on-saturday-july-14/
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A mystery. How exciting.
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Jim Stephens has commented on my post with some pretty expert sounding advice. See what you think.
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Great pictures. Mine are here: https://wordpress.com/post/debbiesgardenuk.wordpress.com/107
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Hello again. I shall have a look at some point.
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Actually, here : https://debbiesgardenuk.wordpress.com/2018/07/14/six-on-saturday-14-07-18/
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It’s so nice to see flowers. My yard is blooming with bugs, not flowers, hence my Six on Saturday: https://stoneyknob.wordpress.com/2018/07/14/six-on-saturday-baleful-bugs/
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I have more than the usual amount of aphids, but am otherwise unbothered by bugs.
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Participating for the first time and here is my link: https://customcomforts.blog/2018/07/14/finally-in/
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Hello! Welcome to the gang! Hope to see you again soon.
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Oh I love the White Knight Cosmos. I’ve tried to grow them on the allotment this year and those that survived are very weedy looking. The lobelia look a good sturdy plant, one for my list.
Here are my Six this sautieday which I have subtitled ‘The Good, the Sad and the Ugly’ 😄 https://wp.me/p1jkAI-3Al
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I managed to get 6 or 7 plants to a decent size this year. Better than last year…
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I’m not sure we should believe a man who doesn’t like white cosmos, when he says his poppy is purple. Lovely seed head, tho, isn’t it? I’ve been gnashing my teeth over not doing dahlias this year, but of late, have also thought about trying zinnias, which I’ve never done because they’re mostly annuals. However, the colours, as yours show, are really worth it. Perhaps I’ll remember them next year. Fantastic news about the clematis. Will we see the lobelia open, at least on Twitter? Hope so! So here’s my water deprived six. https://lorahughes.blogspot.com/2018/07/veg-blooms.html
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Oh ye of little faith. Fortunately i was able to quickly pop out and spray one purple. No-one will ever know.
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Lobelia tupa…mmmmmmm.Very nice indeed. after gorging on football, it is time to get back to plants. Have a great weekend everyone:
https://wordpress.com/view/timhewittgardener.com
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Yes! a football detox.
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This link doesn’t work for me Tim, I am being daft? ps I agree with you on the tupa!
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Link whoopsie. It should be https://timhewittgardener.com/2018/07/14/14-7-18-high-summer-in-st-marys-border/
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JK to the rescue!
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I love that double white cosmos,
I’ll have to try it next year. Quite a turnout this week! Here is the link to my Six. https://pruneplantsow.wordpress.com
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Hello. Yes lots of people seem to like the white cosmos.
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Hot, humid and dry in southeast Ontario as well! Could be worse – while it’s hitting the high 20’s and low 30’s here, my brother in South Carolina is reporting 40 degrees, without the humidity factored in!! Here’s my Six – proof that some non natives can cope with it!
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40 degree is just unpleasant. I have family that live in Dubai. Hits 50 in the summer. Totally uncivilized.
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Still hot and dry in the mid-atlantic region of the United States. Here’s my six for this week. https://doesthisfontmakemelookfat.com/2018/07/14/six-on-saturday-getting-an-early-start-7-14-18/
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Hot and dry, hot and dry. All thats on the menu recently. There are rumours of rain.
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Yikes! Loads of comment already and I won’t be doing much visiting of blogs this weekend as there is tennis to watch. Oh, and yes that game where grown men spend 90 minutes trying to kick a big ball into a net. What’s that all about?
I have a white Cosmos similar to yours this week – I have tried growing them for the last couple of years, those that did germinate then got eaten when planted out. This year I bought plugs and potted them on so they were a bot bigger and that has seemed to work. Like you though I am going to try and fill my borders/planting beds with perennials and shrubs – a lot less hassle! I also have a purple clematis not unlike yours – Clematis, ‘Warszawska Nike’ – but not featuring this week. Wimbledon is the clue to mine 🙂
Have a good weekend Prop!
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I have a Warsaw nike too. More maroon than purple.
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Beautiful flowers…..there is not much color or beauty in my garden, but there are finally some signs of plant life. https://haphazardlyharpingon.wordpress.com/2018/07/14/six-on-saturday-july-14-2018/
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Hello again, welcome back!
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Snap – my Six has that zinnia. I love it! Dashing off to bake in the sunshine at Lord’s so promise to read more later. https://www.teabreakgardener.co.uk/my-gardening-week-six-on-saturday-14-08-18/
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Lovely day for the cricket. Enjoy!
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This is certainly the year for growing Zinnias – they seem to be loving the heat.
Here are my six for this week.
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Yes they seem to be having a moment.
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Hmmm. My Cosmos are about 3″ tall with no sign of a flower. At least they’re still alive! I ought to have a purple clematis just like yours (again, name lost). Must have a look and see if it’s still around. It’s not up where it should be. What you call your “blind spot with annuals” is really your sub-conscious telling you that there is just no room for bigger pots so leave them as they are! My return-to-the-fold six is over at https://rivendellgarden.blog/?p=3720. Have a great day.
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Ahoy there! I think I just prefer perennials. I should just direct sow the annuals, save buggering about.
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Salut Jonathan . Gorgeous white cosmos that you presented this morning! I also liked the lobelia and I’m looking forward to seeing their flowering, like about 30 other pots that you have to plant around your Eye of Sauron … Good luck with all your job of the day, the “small” final is at 3PM and you will probably watch it. Here are my six this Saturday: https://fredgardenerblog.wordpress.com/2018/07/14/six-on-saturday-14-07/
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Nah I don’t be watching. Utterly pointless game. I might listen to it on the radio while I’m in the garden.
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So nearly the right link!
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Here is my effort. https://allotment99b.wordpress.com/2018/07/14/six-on-saturday-back-to-the-plot-after-two-week-holiday/. It’s lovely to be down on the plot in the sunshine with a cup of coffee.
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I have a full day in the garden ahead of me. Lots to do, we’re out all day tomorrow.
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I’m very partial to a white Cosmos, I used to grow ‘Purity’ regularly. My Lobelia Tupa is growing well but not a sign of a flowering stem yet. I’ll show it the photo of your plant and give it a good talking to.
https;//thequiltinggardener.wordpress.com/2018/07/14/six-on-saturday-14-07-18/
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That’ll learn it!
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One man’s meat…I absolutely love that cosmos and if I remember!! I will definitely try it next year! Oh the watering. I did get a rain shower last night and there’s a reasonable amount in the water butt. Here’s my six for the week https://wp.me/p97pee-gy There’s a little more space in my week again so I’m hoping to catch up on all the gardening news soon. Wishing you all well.
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I am clearly in the minority with the cosmos. Maybe I need to go and stare at it for a while.
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Lobelia tupa here is really suffering in the drought/heat, yours looks very healthy! Love that cosmos, what a beauty. Rain is on the way, soonish I believe. Here is my contribution, hope you enjoy it. https://offtheedgegardening.com/2018/07/14/six-on-saturday-birthday-girl/
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Rain! fake news.
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It is a struggle to keep it all alive, and such a tie when things won’t go a full day between waterings; I’m pinned down, can’t go anywhere. I can’t make my mind up on Zinnias, there’s something just a bit stiff and artificial about them. Lobelia tupa is more my kind of plant. I should grow more annuals though, they’d be great for popping into gaps as the season progresses.
Here’s my six: https://wp.me/p6bCCa-1Aq
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I’m away for two weeks beginning of August. Hoping for rain, otherwise the garden going to have to fend for itself.
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Hello Mr P, I’m far from home…about 2 000 km ( but still in Aus) so no six from me this week. I like your white cosmos very much, would be happy to grow it myself. The zinnia is a pretty colour, and I hope you post a photo of the lobelia, cause I’m really interested to see what it’s like. Have a good week.
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The distances in Aus are mental. If I drove 2000km here I’d fall off the end of the country well short of that. Btw there are two photos of the lobelia in this post. Can you not see them?
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Sorry, I meant when the flower is fully out. Bad phraseology by me.
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Ah ok. I asked because I almost forgot to include the photos at all. Had to sneak them in just before the publish deadline.
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Hi Mr P and all. Loving that cosmos. Yep New Guinea impatiens by the look of them. Doing smashingly too. Have you considered an experiment of water saving techniques? My favourite has to be cardboard with pea straw on top then a layer of soil. We’re well versed in hot dry summers here.
My six is on hold for a bit. Depression is being a pest. Shame there’s no pesticide for the black dog. Be back asap.
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Sorry to hear, Nat. Wondered what happened to you last week.
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Thanks Jane.
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Sorry you’re under the cloud, hope feeling better soon.
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That black dog of yours needs muzzling and chaining to its kennel. Look forward to your speedy recovery and the resumption of your always interesting sixes.
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Thanks Jim 🌸
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https://tonytomeo.wordpress.com/2018/07/14/six-on-saturday-redwoods/
Well, mine are not as interesting. Five are of the same sort of thing. I did happen to throw in the epiphyllum because I promised a flower of some sort.
Your impatien does not look like what I know as a New Guinea hybrid.
Your clematis looks like the classic Clematis jackmanii. I know there are too many to take a guess, and that particular one that used to be the standard is now quite uncommon. Yet, that is what it looks like to me.
That lobelia is not at all familiar!
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It could well be the uber jackmanii.
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Thank you for another beautiful six- Your photos and garden are a real inspiration.
My six this week
https://itsabeautifulwordblog.wordpress.com/2018/07/14/the-borrowed-landscape-shakkei/
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Morning. Thanks!
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I like that cosmos too. I keep watering my pot plants so they are surviving but I tend to neglect established ones in the soil so this year they are not doing as well. (Pleased to see Mr Kingdon is back,, although I haven’t read his post yet so may change that comment!) Here is my link.
https://grannysgarden229242407.wordpress.com/2018/07/14/six-on-saturday
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Morning! Yes it seems to be popular that cosmos.
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https://sedumsdahliasandhayfever.com/2018/07/14/six-on-saturday-14th-july-2018/ Morning that Zinnia is gorgeous Mwah! Have a good weekend.
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Morning. It’s not coming home. 🤨
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Yes but was it ever coming home is she question? Young lads done us proud though!
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Yes they did very well. Good attitude and young, they will improve. Southgate is a revelation. Encouraging.
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Should have bought Dier on earlier give it a bit more bite in Midfield
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Shouldve scored 3 in the first half when we had the chance!
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I always feel a bit cheated if something grown from seed fails to flower during the first year or two. The two year old lupins haven’t had a single bud between them and are going to have to fend for themselves from now on, I’m washing my hands of them. I’m liking the white cosmos! https://onemanandhisgardentrowel.wordpress.com/2018/07/14/six-on-saturday-14-july-2018/
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Yes it has taken me a few years to get over MIA flowers in the first year. Second too sometimes. It’s a long game this gardening business.
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Hello! Still Friday night here, but popped in to view that delicious Cosmos, Here’s my contribution: https://gardensatcoppertop.com/2018/07/13/six-on-saturday-july-14/
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Yes lots of people seem to like the white cosmos. I am ambivalent.
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