My Favorite Plant.(the Cosmos bipinnatus)(Brief Article)

For vivid, delicate beauty, long bloom time and hardiness, my favorite plant is cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus). I prefer deep pink or lavender, with single, flat, silky petals circling a golden raised center. The plant also has fringe-like leaves. I first learned about this fall flower from a children's book on flowers that I read to my daughters. I was delighted when the seeds produced airy plants that thrived in my clay soil beset with our harsh weather. In fact, cosmos prefers poor soil and grows almost anywhere.

In my Zone 5, cosmos is considered an annual. It will come back, but not as plentifully. It is a tall, branching 3- to 4-foot flower, which may or may not be …