Cosmos bipinnatus Sonata Carmine - Garden Cosmos

Cosmos bipinnatus 'Sonata Carmine' (also known as Royal Dwarf Carmine) is a dwarf variety with brilliantly coloured flowers that will make a big impact in sunny flower beds with minimal care required. This stout cultivar stands out with its vibrant pink-red flowers with a small golden yellow centre. Sown in early spring, its seeds germinate quickly and the plants produce their flowers late into the season, above a slightly fragrant feathery foliage. This superb annual is just as delightful in sunny flower beds as it is in bouquets. 

Cosmos Sonata Carmine is one of the many cultivars derived from this popular Mexican annual. The Sonata series is considered by professionals to be the most high-performing Cosmos selection for gardens. Related to Dahlias, Cosmos belong to the Asteraceae family and have the characteristic head-like inflorescence. 'Sonata Carmine' has particularly fine foliage, described as pinnately compound, reminiscent of fennel, and is slightly and pleasantly fragrant. This variety forms a dense and bushy clump of approximately 55 cm (22in) in height and 40 cm (16in) in width within 12 weeks, ready to bloom. The flowering, which is long-lasting if faded flowers are removed, begins in July and lasts until October, ceasing only with the first frost. The heads measure 4-5 cm (2in) in diameter and consist of a crown of slightly plicate petals surrounding a small golden yellow centre. The flowers attract numerous insects and butterflies, including the Monarch. 

Capable of filling a flower bed from spring to frost, or colonising a slope, Cosmos 'Sonata Carmine' has colourful flowers that catch everyone's attention. Cosmos are beginner-friendly plants that are almost impossible to fail, as they can grow and bloom in most climates, including in chalky and fairly dry soil. This plant adds density to flower beds and lightness to the heavier blooms of perennials and the dense foliage of bushes. The carmine flowers stand out against the acidic green foliage of Alchemilla mollis, enhance the white roses of September, and the tall inflorescences of Verbena bonariensis. Cosmos Sonata Royal Dwarf is used in rustic displays, mixed with ash trees, love-in-a-mist, grasses like Stipa tenuifolia, or among perennials that love the sun as much as it does, such as bidens and rudbeckias. Its flowers have excellent vase life.

The ecological benefits: Sowing a pollinator-friendly plant like Cosmos in your garden will attract pollinating insects and butterflies throughout the summer. At the end of the season, let the last flowers produce their seeds, which are particularly appreciated by birds. This will encourage them to settle in your garden and play an important role in its ecosystem.