Cosmos bipinnatus 'Double Click Rose Bon Bon' Seeds

Cosmos bipinnatus 'Double Click Rose Bon Bon' is a Half-Hardy Annual (H2), meaning it completes its life cycle in one growing season and absolutely cannot survive frost.

Cosmos originates from the warm, sunny highlands and meadows of Mexico and Central America, which explains why it absolutely craves sunshine, warmth, and free-draining soil. The botanical name Cosmos comes from the Greek word for "harmony" or "ordered universe," inspired by the perfectly symmetrical arrangement of the petals. The common name in Spanish-speaking regions is simply "cosmos" or sometimes "Mirasol" (looking at the sun).

The 'Double Click' Breakthrough: The 'Double Click' series represents a genuine revolution in cosmos breeding! Traditional cosmos have always been single-flowered (5-8 petals in a daisy-like arrangement), which are undeniably charming but somewhat simple. Modern breeding programmes worked for decades to create truly double forms that maintain cosmos's legendary vigour, reliability, and ease of growing. The result is these spectacular varieties with 25-40+ petals arranged in glorious, ruffled, pom-pom-like heads that genuinely rival roses and peonies for visual impact! 'Rose Bon Bon' is one of the finest selections, specifically bred for its rich vintage rose-pink colour and exceptional uniformity.

CRITICAL "Starvation Rule" for Maximum Flowers: This is the single most important thing to understand about cosmos: DO NOT FEED COSMOS! DO NOT PLANT IN RICH SOIL! This sounds counterintuitive, but cosmos has evolved in poor, lean, volcanic soils in Mexico. If you plant cosmos in rich, manured garden soil or feed it fertiliser, it will produce a massive bush of lush green foliage but very few flowers. The plant thinks "I'm in paradise! I don't need to make seeds (flowers) urgently—I can just grow bigger first!" Conversely, if you starve it in poor, dry, lean soil, it thinks "I'm struggling! I need to flower and set seed immediately before I die!" and produces masses of blooms. Treat cosmos mean to keep it keen! This is not neglect—it's smart horticulture!

The Feathery Foliage Bonus: Even when not in flower, cosmos provides beautiful ornamental value with its delicate, thread-like, finely divided ferny foliage that looks like green lace. This fine-textured foliage creates a lovely airy "see-through" effect in borders, allowing you to see other plants behind whilst still providing structure and bulk.

Cosmos is genuinely one of the most reliable, fast-growing, and forgiving flowers you can possibly grow—absolutely perfect for beginners and guaranteed success!

How to Sow:
You have two excellent options:

Indoor Sowing (March-May, recommended): For earliest flowering and guaranteed plants, sow indoors in modules or small pots from March to May. Sow seeds 5mm deep, cover with compost, and water gently. Keep at 18-20°C (warm room temperature—no special heat needed). Germination is remarkably fast and reliable: 7-14 days. Seedlings grow quickly! Plant out only after all frost risk has completely passed (typically late May/early June in most UK regions).

Direct Outdoor Sowing (May-June): Cosmos can also be sown directly where it's to flower once soil has warmed up properly (May onwards). Sow seeds in shallow drills or scatter thinly, cover with 5mm soil, and water. Thin seedlings to final spacing once they emerge. This method works brilliantly but flowers slightly later than indoor-sown plants.

CRITICAL Growing Requirement - Full Sun Essential:
Cosmos absolutely demands full sun (minimum 6-8 hours direct sunlight daily). This is non-negotiable! They're Mexican sun-worshippers and will sulk, flop, and barely flower in shade or part-shade. Give them the sunniest spot in your entire garden for the most spectacular results!

Soil Requirements - Poor is Perfect!
This is where cosmos differs radically from most plants: they actively prefer poor, lean, hungry soil! Ideal conditions are:
• Sandy, gravelly, or stony soil
• Free-draining (cosmos hate waterlogged roots)
• Low fertility (unfed, unimproved)
• Avoid rich, manured, composted soil at all costs!
If your soil is naturally rich and fertile, either grow cosmos in containers with lean compost, or choose a neglected "waste" corner of the garden that hasn't been improved. The "worst" soil often produces the best cosmos!

Spacing:
Plant 45cm apart (closer spacing produces slightly shorter plants that support each other; wider spacing allows individual plants to bush out fully). For cutting gardens, plant in rows 45cm apart for easy harvesting access.

CRITICAL Technique - Pinching for Triple Flowers:
When seedlings reach 15-20cm tall (roughly when they have 3-4 pairs of leaves), pinch out the top growing tip between your thumb and forefinger, removing the top 2-3cm of the stem. This single action is transformational! Without pinching, cosmos grows as a single tall stem with one main flower and a few side shoots. With pinching, the plant bushes out magnificently, producing 3-5 main stems, each carrying multiple flowers. You literally triple your flower production with one simple pinch! This technique works for all cosmos varieties and is absolutely worth doing.

Ongoing Care:
Watering: Water regularly whilst seedlings are establishing, but once flowering begins, water sparingly. Established cosmos are remarkably drought-tolerant and actually flower better when slightly water-stressed. Overwatering encourages leafy growth at the expense of flowers.

Feeding: DO NOT FEED! This cannot be stressed enough! No fertiliser, no liquid feed, no plant food whatsoever. Just leave them hungry and they'll reward you with masses of blooms. If you accidentally plant in rich soil and get lots of leaves but few flowers, stop watering and they'll usually start blooming once they get stressed!

Deadheading: This is genuinely essential for continuous flowering until November! Snip off spent flowers weekly (or even more frequently if you can). Every flower you remove triggers the plant to produce 2-3 more buds. Regular deadheading extends the flowering season by months. It takes 10 minutes per week and transforms performance dramatically!

Support: At 90-120cm tall, 'Rose Bon Bon' may need support in exposed or windy gardens. Options include: bamboo canes with string (functional but visible), growing through horizontal netting (invisible once plants fill out), or planting closely so plants support each other naturally.

Harvesting for Cut Flowers:
Cut stems early morning when flowers are freshly opened. Strip lower foliage, recut stems at an angle, and plunge immediately into deep water. Double cosmos last 5-7 days in the vase—considerably longer than single varieties! The more you cut, the more flowers the plant produces. Some dedicated cut flower growers harvest every 2-3 days throughout summer and never run out of blooms!

The vintage rose-pink of 'Rose Bon Bon' looks absolutely stunning with lime greens (for zing!) and deep dramatic purples (for sophistication):

• 💚 Zinnia 'Green Envy': The Electric Shock Combination! This pairing is genuinely jaw-dropping and creates one of the most talked-about colour combinations in the entire garden. The acid-lime, almost neon chartreuse-green blooms of 'Green Envy' zinnia placed alongside the soft, vintage rose-pink ruffles of 'Rose Bon Bon' cosmos creates an electrifying, vibrant, utterly modern clash that stops people in their tracks. It's bold, confident, and surprisingly sophisticated despite being intensely bright! The lime green has this magical quality of making the pink appear even more vivid and saturated—the colours literally make each other glow. Both are half-hardy annuals that thrive in identical conditions (full sun, lean soil, no feeding), both flower prolifically from July until frost, and both are outstanding cut flowers with good vase life. In the garden, the combination creates incredible visual punch and energy. In the vase, it produces contemporary, florist-quality arrangements that look like they came from an expensive boutique! Plant them in alternating groups or intermingle them for maximum impact. This is the partnership that makes gardening visitors ask "What ARE those amazing flowers?" every single time!
• 🌌 Scabious 'Black Knight': The Moody, Sophisticated, Romantic Mix. For a completely different aesthetic—deep, mysterious, and utterly romantic—plant 'Rose Bon Bon' alongside Scabious 'Black Knight'. The deep maroon-purple pincushion flowers of the Scabious are so dark they appear almost black velvet, especially in certain lights. These dramatic, jewel-toned blooms create stunning, sophisticated contrast against the soft, vintage rose-pink ruffles of the cosmos. The effect is moody, romantic, and slightly mysterious—like a Victorian gothic romance! The textural contrast is equally effective: rounded, geometric Scabious buttons versus fluffy, ruffled cosmos pom-poms. The heights work beautifully together too—Scabious at 70-90cm tall grows through and weaves between the taller cosmos stems naturally, creating lovely intermingling. Both are prolific cut flowers that bloom throughout summer. Both are excellent for pollinators. Together they create bouquets that feel both timeless and contemporary—perfect for romantic weddings, sophisticated dinner parties, or simply bringing drama and elegance into your home. The colour palette is rich without being overwhelming: dusty rose-pink, deep burgundy-purple, near-black, all grounded by green foliage. This combination suits cottage gardens, romantic borders, and contemporary prairie-style plantings equally well!

Sow indoors March-May or outdoors May-June. Plant out June (after all frost). Flowers July-November.