Have a garden Campfire with colorful biden series

Having a campfire may be the last thing on a gardener’s mind during the heat of August, but you may reconsider once you’ve seen the Campfire series of bidens.

Bidens are annual plants native to the southwestern United States that bloom for weeks. They tolerate heat, humidity and periods of drought once established, and selections with a spreading or trailing form are ideal anywhere a spiller plant is needed.

Bidens have become one of my favorite warm-season annuals because they ask for very little and give so much in return. The texture of their finely divided, fern-like foliage perfectly complements their cheerful blooms.

The Campfire series of bidens put on an incredible display of color, blooming continuously through the hottest days of summer.

Campfire Red Ember bidens are a stunning selection that produces masses of daisy-like flowers in rich shades of fiery red, orange and golden yellow.

Each bloom’s warm color combination looks as though it has been kissed by the glowing embers of a crackling campfire. The flowers blanket the plant from late spring until frost, providing months of nonstop color.

Campfire Red Ember has a naturally mounding and gently spreading habit, making it ideal for spilling over the edges of containers or softening the front of garden beds.

If your garden calls for a softer, more elegant look, Campfire Marshmallow bidens has a completely different color palette while delivering the same outstanding performance.

Creamy white petals are delicately brushed with soft blush-pink tones that become even more noticeable during cool mornings and evenings. The flowers appear fresh and airy against the rich green foliage.

Campfire Marshmallow blends beautifully with nearly any color scheme. Try it planted alone in decorative containers or mix it with other heat-loving annuals. I especially like contrasting its blooms with lavender, blue or deep purple flowers.

One of the best features of the Campfire bidens is how easy they are to grow. Plant them where they receive at least six hours of direct sunlight each day for the heaviest flowering.

While they appreciate consistently moist, well-drained soil during establishment, mature plants tolerate short periods of dry weather surprisingly well. A slow-release fertilizer at planting followed by applications of a water-soluble fertilizer every few weeks helps keep blooms coming.

Unlike some flowering annuals that require constant maintenance, bidens are largely self-cleaning. Spent blooms naturally drop away as new flowers develop, eliminating much of the need for deadheading that many gardeners dread.

Give them a light trimming at midsummer if they get leggy and to encourage fresh growth and another flush of blooms.

Consider having a Campfire in your garden next summer using either the bold, fiery colors of Campfire Red Ember or the soft, romantic blooms of Campfire Marshmallow.