Honest review: Cosmos is rewarding but dog walkers or trampling on unmown meadow areas is real

Cosmos is a genuinely satisfying plant to grow, but I want to be upfront about one thing: dog walkers or trampling on unmown meadow areas. I've dealt with it twice now and it takes consistent attention to manage.

Beyond that, self-seeding and naturalising without annual replanting makes it one of my favourites in the collection. I keep it in a naturalistic border at the edge of a garden which suits it well. Learning about allowing plants to set seed before cutting at the end of season has been essential. cutting back meadow areas in autumn to remove thatch is worth waiting for — the plant really justifies itself then. Four stars because of that persistent issue.