Zinnias, Dahlias and Roses. That’s what was blooming in my garden this morning. All are pretty easy to grow in Atlanta - with a little planning and some TLC (well, a lot for roses).

There are 3 main types of Zinnia flowers: single - which have a single row of petals and a visible center; double - which have numerous rows of petals and no visible center; and semidouble - which is somewhere in-between with numerous rows of petals and visible centers. Zinnias come in numerous shapes and heights, and can really be planted anywhere!

I grew my Zinnias from seed - Zinnia elegans - Peppermint Stick and Northern Lights Blend. Growing from seed is recommended as Zinnias don’t really like to be transplanted. And if you sow a round of seeds every week or so for several weeks, then you’ll be able to extend your flowers. Zinnias need full sun, a soil pH between 5.5 and 7.5, and love compost. If you deadhead the old flowers, more will form.

My Dahlias I also grew from seed - Dahlia pinnata - Decorative Double Blend. I had some success with these but not as much as with the Zinnias. In my heart, I was hoping for Dahlias that look like those grown at the High Hampton Inn in Cashiers, North Carolina, but that wasn’t what I got. Mine are much more fragile and petite - but they bring back memories that make my heart happy. Dahlias thrive in full sun and in neutral pH loose fertile soil. Dahlia stems are hollow and will require staking . . . which I didn’t do soon enough this year so my Dahlia stems are curvy and floppy. I think I’m going to try more of these next year - with a bit more planning (and staking).

Roses are a whole different story. I happen to love them, so the pain (literally from the thorns and the babysitting) is worth it. Currently, I have 8 bushes - 6 are Hybrid Teas and 2 are Floribundas. Hybrid Teas (my first love) are the most difficult to grow in the Atlanta area. And everything loves a rose - including black spot, powdery mildew, stem cankers, thrips, spider mites and aphids. Sigh. I think roses will be the subject of a future blog post.