In praise of cleome and cosmos

Sometimes on TV you will hear the phrase "wow factor". Well, I think the cleome and cosmos both have it. This year we started two-year-old seeds of both these plants. We figured we had nothing to lose, and maybe they would be fine. And they were. More than fine! This is the variety of cleome I bought from Renee's Garden. Some people say "cle-ome-ee" but I prefer cleome, sounding like gnome. 

Hummingbird's Choice

Color Fountains Cleome

(Cleome spinosa)
Thomas Jefferson loved the beautiful flower trusses of tall cleome in his renowned flower gardens at Monticello. Today, these vigorous summer flowers are treasured in heirloom and restoration gardens. The 4 to 5 foot plants are crowned with huge flower clusters of pale pink, crisp white and rose-violet florets. Cleome’s unique blossoms with their long petals and spidery stamens are favorites of nectar-seeking hummingbirds. They make striking large arrangements when the long stems of bloom are brought indoors. 

I just love it that Windy Poplars Farm is growing a plant that Jefferson had in his garden! Have you ever read the wonderful book, Dear Mr. Jefferson: Letters From A Nantucket Gardener by Laura Simon?  

I grew one years ago, and it kind of took over the flower garden so this year we planted them out in the vegetable garden where they have plenty of room to spread out. I like having flowers among the vegetables, although I'm beginning to see it is vegetables among the flowers!

Blurry and washed out, but I wanted you to see how huge it is.

And aren't these stems otherworldly looking. 

They all don't look like that.

It has been noted by visitors that the leaves look like a pot plant, and even the smell is a bit "skunkish". I don't think they are related though.

That same year I also ordered this from Renee's. 

Double Butterfly Cosmos

Rose Bon Bon

(Cosmos bipinnatus)
New from the very best French breeders, florist-quality Rose Bon Bon offers you extra fancy, uniformly double blossoms densely packed with frilled petals in a rich romantic rose. This exceptionally beautiful and carefree new cosmos produces 3-inch flowers that bloom non-stop on long stems, making them perfect for cutting abundant bouquets all summer long. Butterflies love to visit these lovely blossoms as they sway above finely cut foliage.

This is an interesting cosmos because it has both these tight flowers and the more usually seen open ones.

Here is how they look together.

I think we planted three plants of each. Again, sorry for the less than perfect pictures. The afternoon sun is so bright. I should have waited for a cloudy day!