For the beginning gardener I recommend Zinnias

[bleedingheart]

I have been gardening for nearly 8 years and I still love to see those little zinnias popping out of the ground.

No need to buy expensive seed starting kits...those babies will just start up in about a week...and from there it just gets better.

Today I went out to the spot under my European beech where I planted a bunch of packs and lo and behold loads of little zinnia babies...

[Gormy Cuss]

1. I second that. They are easy to grow and the seed is cheap,

and there are many varieties.
As an added bonus I often find volunteers the next year too.

[sazemisery]

2. I agree about zinnias and most other annuals

I always buy seeds. Cheaper and more fun to watch grow from seed to seedling to beautiful blooms

[japple]

3. I feel the same way about morning glory. Last year I

planted a long row and positioned them so they would grow up
the garden fence, but the deer ate most of them, so I never got
that "wall of color" that I had envisioned. This year, I planted
the seeds inside the fence! Those deer think they're smarter than
me.

[NJCher]

4. burst out laughing

Oh, Japple, only an experienced gardener will appreciate that remark about the deer thinking they're smarter.




Cher

[Skidmore]

7. I planted a morning glory on by the trellis on our deck last

year and that thing took over. I've never seen one with such huge leaves before. The leaves were the size of a child's head and it was covered with pink, blue, purple, and lavender blossoms the entire season. I'm finding volunteer starts from it all over our yard this year. I keep pulling the ones by the deck because I've planted a wisteria there. I wanted something a little slower growing and easier to control.

[K8-EEE]

5. I LOVE LOVE LOVE When The Seeds Pop Out!

It always amazes me. I'm always planting the seeds and thinking they won't work, LOL, I guess from my "learning curve" days when I always killed everything!

I just planted my zinns last weekend, but my other seed babies zucchini, runner beans, marigolds, cilantro, corn out OUT OUT OUT! I get so excited to see that. Just new today, black eyed susan vine seedlings that I'm trying from an old wheelbarrow that I'm turning into a planter.

[DawgHouse]

6. I love zinnias!

They make wonderful, long lasting cut flowers too.

[OnionPatch]

8. Mine re-seeded themselves this year

and I swear there are more of them this year than I planted last year! I really like them. I was pleasantly surprised; I didn't know how easy they were to grow. The kind I have are the small red-flowered spider zinnias. They grow so well that I'm definitely going to try some other types next year. My grandma always had a big, long border of colorful zinnias every summer, so they bring back good memories, too.