The showiest zinnia to come along in many a year, the Swizzle series gives you not two but three layers of brilliant color on large flowers. What's more, the plant habit is neat and dwarf, so even if you've just got a little space, you can grow a lot of color with these super-easy sun-loving annuals.
Swizzle Cherry and Ivory sports giant 3- to 4-inch blooms, packed with petals and completely covering the petite 10- to 12-inch plants. The inner circle of each bloom is fire-engine red, succeeded by a narrow white circle and tipped with a pencil-thin edging of red. It's as if the blooms are bull's-eyes.
Fantastic for cutting, these flowers also make a huge impression in the garden because they are so low to the ground and profuse on neat little plants. Mix them with Swizzle Scarlet and Yellow or create a large planting of just these stunning bull's-eyes. They have a formal look that few zinnias can equal, and they'd be just perfect edging the walkway, marching up the driveway, or beaming from large pots and window boxes.
Zinnia is one of the easiest of all annuals to start from seed. Pop the seeds directly into the warm spring soil in any sun-soaked, well-drained garden spot. (Or begin them indoors about a month before the last frost date.) The seeds germinate within the week and bloom before you know it. Space the plants about 6 to 8 inches apart in the garden and keep them well fed for more and bigger blooms. That's all there is to it. Great for children and beginning gardeners; Zinnia never lets you down.
