Comsos Unique

Why I grow it
Cosmos are one of those flowers I find difficult to imagine a summer garden without. They flower generously, move beautifully through other plants and are constantly being investigated by bees and other insects.

‘Unique’ gives you that wonderfully loose, informal cosmos effect — exactly the sort of plant I like weaving through vegetables and perennials rather than assigning it a respectable flower-bed address.

At a glance
Type: Flowering annual
Variety: Unique
Growth: Upright, branching and airy
Flowers: Cosmos flowers on long stems
Flowering: Summer into autumn
Good for: Pollinators, informal planting and cutting
Inventory: 4 pots — approximately 3 plants per pot

In the garden
Give cosmos sun and room to branch out. They're brilliant threaded through a potager, cottage garden or mixed border, where their fine foliage doesn't overwhelm neighbouring plants.

Regular picking or deadheading encourages more flowers, although I also like leaving some later seed heads for the garden to get on with things itself.

For cutting
The long stems make cosmos lovely cut flowers. Pick regularly and they'll keep producing — one of those rare occasions where taking flowers indoors actually encourages the plant to make more.

Care
Full sun and reasonably well-drained soil. Water while establishing, then during prolonged dry periods. Avoid overfeeding; excessively rich conditions can produce lots of leafy growth at the expense of flowers.

What you’ll receive
One pot containing approximately three established Cosmos ‘Unique’ seedlings. They can be planted together for an immediate group or gently separated when planting if you'd prefer to spread them through the garden.

Plants naturally vary in size and shape and may be supplied in reused nursery pots or growing bags — perfectly useful plastic doesn't need replacing simply because it doesn't match.