Zinnias - Orange, Pink or Red

 I haven't posted one of Cicely Mary Barker's Flower Fairies for awhile. This is a good time to share the one for Zinnias because I've enjoyed them so much this year.

Z for Zinnias, pink or red; 

See them in the flower bed,

Copper, orange, all aglow, 

Making such a stately show.

I, their fairy, say Good-bye, 

For the last of all am I.

Now the Alphabet is said, 

All the way from A to Z.

Here they were about six weeks ago. The pink ones were the first to bloom and were/are probably my favorites.

But then the orange ones started blooming and grew taller than the pink ones.

They coordinated quite well with the Blanket Flowers (Gaillardia) nearby.

On the other side of the orange ones were a few of these - fire-engine red!

The bees liked them as much, or more than I.

I am saving seed for next year, keeping the different colors separated. I'll decide next spring whether to plant them separately or let the colors mix.

This has to be my favorite photo of this year's Zinnias, though, because I finally got a picture of a Monarch Butterfly on them. Kind of like the wings on the Zinnia Flower Fairy, don't you think?

There are frost warnings for SW Iowa for tonight. Whether it frosts here or not, it won't be long before we do get a killing frost/freeze and it will be goodbye flowers until next year.

You can be sure there will be Zinnias again - all aglow, making a stately show. 😊💖