2021 Spring Home and Garden

2021 Spring Home & Garden LINCOLN DAILY NEWS April 22, 2021 Page 5 W hen it comes to gardening, some of people may ‘think’ they have a black thumb instead of green, and hesitate to try. However, annuals (one season plants) offer a smaller investment and some wonderful colors. To help you get your feet wet and your fingers a bit dirty, here are some favorite annuals that are easy to grow and offer lots of color and versatility in types of use and location. A couple of these varieties are also good for cutting, so you can bring some of that summer garden into the home. Cosmos are a wonderful throw and grow flower that can be a good family activity. They can grow tall, which makes them good to put at the back of a flower bed against a wall or fence. The plants are light and airy looking and give the illusion of a wildflower garden. Cosmos blooms are good for cutting and putting in vases, but you will want some cut greenery to support the weak flower stems. In a vase or metal pitcher they bring that ‘country’ look into the home. The original and most common color is a light purple, but other colors are available. In a cut arrangement break up a solid color by adding a single sunflower or a few zinnias in contrasting colors. How to Grow Your Own Cosmic Cosmos Zinnias are another great throw and grow seed. They are not cold tolerant, so don’t sow the seeds until you are sure the warmer temperatures are here to stay. You can purchase packets of mixed color seeds. Prepare your soil, give seeds a toss or plant them in rows, whichever you prefer. When the plants are grown and blooming you will enjoy a magnitude of color in your lawn. Bringing color to the garden or lawn with flowering plants CONTINUED u