Hi Rob,

This is a good idea. We need a "Consumer Reports" for ornamentals. I don't have much to add, because zinnias are my hobby, pretty much to the exclusion of other ornamentals. But I do have a comment on the new Zinderella zinnias. They are a huge disappointment, mainly because what comes in the seed packet is, for the most part, not "true to type". This is a picture of some of my Zinderella zinnias.

Those are small, single zinnias. I purchased several packets, including some of each of the new separate colors, and out of dozens of plants, got only two that were even approximately "on type". This was one of them.Scabiosa flowered zinnias have had off-type problems in the past. I have grown them despite that, because the few that are on type can make some interesting hybrids. This is an example of what is possible.But the Zinderella zinnias are just a good idea that isn't being delivered in the seed packets. Seed companies used to have trial gardens, where they grew samples of the new varieties, but apparently they don't do that any more. I guess that is a cost-cutting thing. But the current Zinderella zinnias are a good example of what can happen if you don't have trial gardens.

So Rob, your idea of reporting on winners and losers in our gardens is a good one. Zinderella zinnias were a good idea, but are currently a "loser".

ZM

Petunias were awful this summer due to all the rain. They all pretty much died from the weather, after starting out beautifully.

Basil loved the wet weather.

I'm glad to get the info before buying any more zinnias. I'm really hooked on my big standards, but the smaller version was this year's try. I'd tried cactus flowered with less success and I want to hit that one again this upcoming year. The 'Lilliput' versions were just like the "standard" large flowered ones, rather than single, except much shorter petals. I can't believe it, but I only have two pictures, both from overhead only? Hope it helps.

I had the hugest problem ever with moles. I hate to kill any critters ever, but gave up at the end of the season and got rid of them, but not before they got rid of these two. I loved the "blue" (it's an Aladdin, and this is midbloom. Beginning of the blooms are much darker, and it fades as it grows) Petunia and Moonlight Nasturtium. Drat those grub diggers.

Moles wouldn't have chowed on your plants, Rob, they aren't herbivores. Voles on the other hand .....

They dug around for grubs and uprooted my plants (unintentionally) Paul :)

New-to-me this year:

Winners:

* Curry plant. Found in the herb section of the garden center. Terrific silvery needle-like foliage, a perfect foil for the rich color of "Black Pearl" ornamental pepper (always a winner!)

* "Crackerjack" marigolds. Wanted a tall marigold for the vegetable garden for the purported bug-repelling capabilities, and I was really impressed with these. Once they took off, they really took off and turned into bushy bloomin' machines. This came in a mix, but most of the flowers were golden yellow, which I liked.

I also grew some shorter marigolds - I think they were Inca but I'm not sure. They were also nice and bloomed like crazy. Vegetable garden plants here again.

* Salvia "Cathedral". My go-to spiked salvia is "Mystic Spires", which never fails to disappoint, but I did pick up a replacement six-pack of "Cathedral" in the spring for some reason - can't remember if I balked at the price of M.S. or the nursery was out of them. This was because the dog trampled my planting of MS.... Anyway, they bloomed their heads off and looked terrific all summer, bees were all over them, which is always a good thing. I still prefer MS - the foliage has the advantage, but this is a good substitute should I need one.

* Calendula "Costa Mix". Gorgeous calendula mix, grew and flowered beautifully. The only thing about calendula is they poop out when the hot weather sets in - treat them like pansies in that respect. I never got around to sowing more for fall plant-out, I'll have to try to do that next year. What's great is they come into their own when a lot of other annuals are just getting started. Will definitely grow for spring-early summer bloom next year.

Losers:

* Magellan zinnia "Scarlet". The flower color isn't a rich blue-based red, it's a bright orange-red. Not my color. Glad I planted a patch in the veggie garden as a test where I didn't pay them much mind or I would have ripped them out as soon as they bloomed. Kudos for sheer volume of bloom, though.

On the fence:

* "Empress of India" nasturtium. I couldn't even see the flowers for all the foliage. Which is fine because I loved the blue-green foliage. Not sure I'd grow again because the point of annuals up here in my zone is flower power - but if I need that particular foliage effect in the future, this would fit the bill nicely.

Also interested in the zinnia knowledge from zen-man. What is your favorite tall variety?

My favorites this year were coleus. Tried the King Kong series and they were outstanding! Also very impressed with Kingswood Torch and Party Time Ruby Punch. Anyone else have great coleus this year?

Our coleus here went nuts this year Diamond! HUGE like I've never seen before. We had a hot, humid summer but not overly wet. Not sure what it was but saw huge ones all over the place.

You can see how they dwarfed the begonias in front of them.

Those coleus are magnificent. I hope you kept cuttings to overwinter!

My Benary's Giant wine was at least five feet tall. But, and this is my question to you ZM, do you think there's a better mildew resistance, drought tolerance, sun tolerance among the many "giants"?

Hi Rob,

" My Benary's Giant wine was at least five feet tall. "

The world's record for tall zinnias is currently 12 feet 8 inches.

All zinnias will "stretch" if their growing conditions are favorable.

" ...do you think there's a better mildew resistance, drought tolerance, sun tolerance among the many "giants"? "

I have not noticed any significant difference in those factors among any of the giants I have grown, and that includes my own hybrids. However, all of the Zinnia elegans (Zinnia violacea in the academic community) are pretty good at drought tolerance and sun tolerance.

None of the "giants" have any Powdery Mildew resistance that I have seen, and that includes the tetraploid giants like State Fair. For PM resistance you need to go to the Profusions, Zaharas, and Pinwheels. They are a man-made 46-chromosome species (Zinnia marylandica in the academic community). There are several effective sprays for Powdery Mildew on zinnias, and PM usually doesn't become a problem until the cool, short days of Fall.

Unlike many people, I like tall zinnias, and I favor them when I am culling my zinnias for "improvement". I have had several specimens over 6 feet tall, but have yet to break 7 feet. However, I don't want to stand on a step ladder to pollinate any of my zinnias. (Although, I will do that if the need to do so arises.)

ZM

Oh, I was just using those conditions as an example. Any improvement in hardiness, higher flower production, etc. would be a good thing to know.

In all my years of gardening, this year had one zinnia that didn't have powdery mildew. It was a volunteer seedling in what I consider half sun/shade (it flopped onto the ground!), but incredibly moist. I'm about to put in rain/flood/moisture happy plants, e.g. Lychnis, Siberian iris, Lobelia, Cephalanthus... in that spot. Therefore, what mine have been missing is enough moisture. I'd have to sacrifice sun for moisture, so in the end, it's put up with powdery mildew as the season closes out or tolerate flopping zinnias ;)

I have to add one. Because the growing season isn't done, evidently! My Dahlberg daisy (Thymophylla tenuiloba) is STILL blooming. It's made it through lack of water and blistering heat, and is now blooming after it hit low 20s for more than two days in a row. Who knew? I've never seen a flower so tough. And the foliage smells good too. I've taken it for granted, usually just one or two plants here and there, but I think I'll go for many many more next year. If it does that well in a container, how well will it do in the ground? Awesome.