Cosmos are one of the easiest plants to grow and will bloom happily all season. Over the years I’ve grown many different kinds but I have to admit the Double Click Cosmos are a winner in the garden. There are so many variations in flower colours and petal form that each year I always find a new one that I love.

In late summer I watch how each plant grows and select seeds from my best plants. I love using Cosmos flowers in bouquets for the home.

This season I grew Cosmos Apricot Lemonade as shown above. It’s a light buttery yellow with a pink centre. It’s not as vigorous as regular Cosmos but grew well until I finally removed them in mid September. They grew about 24″ high in my garden.

This Cosmos is another of the Double Click series. I love the fullness of this flower. Look at all those petals. Bees love the pollen on Cosmos but once they visit the flower starts to finish. If using Cosmos for bouquets pick just as the flower is beginning to open.

Once the flower finishes the seeds will form in the centre of the flower. You need to leave the finished flowers on the stems until they are brown. Try to collect seed on a dry day. If you look closely at the flower above you can see the black seeds all lined up.

This is what the seeds of Cosmos look like. The seeds are about a half inch long and black. The rest of the debris in this photo is chaff and can be discarded. Store your seeds in paper envelopes in a cool dry place. Don’t forget to label them with name, colour and year collected. The seeds will last several years if stored properly.