Old maids are poised to be the starlets of the garden

Years ago they were often called old maids. A gardening friend calls them poor man’s dahlias. I’m calling them the next hottest flower.

I’m referring to zinnias, and if you haven’t seen some of the newer varieties you might be wondering what all the fuss is about. But these aren’t your grandmother’s old maids.

Unlike the advances some plants have had that are driven by breeders at large horticulture companies, many of the most exciting new varieties of zinnias have been developed by small flower-growers.

Erin Benzakein, the Washington state flower farmer behind Floret Flower Farm, was one of the first small growers to bring zinnia breeding to the forefront, but other growers quickly jumped in, creating flowers that are favored by florists and farmers market growers as well as home gardeners.

Unlike the brightly colored zinnias of old, many new varieties are in softer shades of apricot, blush, cotton candy pink, buff and honey. Some have deep-colored centers, others are fully double forms. Occasionally they sport a faded bicolor look. The aesthetic is a modern wedding palette.

Forms and sizes vary from larger-flowered semi-doubles to small, buttonlike flowers that can be described as cute but elegant.

Because zinnias are open pollinated and mix and mingle, breeders typically narrow down selections to mixes with similar characteristics but lots of variations on the theme. The practical effect of this is that you will usually end up with a lot of good flowers, some truly exceptional flowers and a few very ordinary blooms.

California’s Dawn Creek Farm has been breeding zinnias for a number of years and has created a number of irresistible mixes, including ‘Dawn Creek Tufted Mamas Mystery Mix,’ which has the potential to produce interesting tufted varieties with fluffy tops.

If you want to get your hands on the mix, you’re out of luck for this year. Dawn Creek sells its zinnia seeds in packs of 30 or so seeds as a fundraiser to support the farm for between $25 and $30, and they sell out, usually within hours.

One look at an armload of these beauties and you’ll understand the hype for these varieties that are easier to grow than a dahlia and a fraction of the price.

Most of these new varieties grow quite tall, to 4 feet or so, and often require some kind of support, making them best suited to row planting.

If brighter colors and a shorter plant is a better fit, the newer Queeny series is a good choice with fluffy double flowers. Developed by Swiss plant breeder Hugo Dittmar, the series includes several varieties in shades of chartreuse, orange and red, including two All-America Selections winners, and generally grow to 30 to 40 inches tall.

Regardless of variety, zinnias are generally easy to grow in a sunny location by direct sowing when temperatures are steadily warm or starting early indoors under lights four to six weeks before the last average frost.

Call them whatever you like, zinnias are bringing something new to the garden.