Victorian
gardeners knew of at least nine or ten varieties of
zinnia, but the one preferred above all others was the
'coccinea', or scarlet-rayed zinnia. The species was
introduced into Britain from Mexico in 1796, the scarlet-rayed
variety being introduced in 1829 and rapidly being bred
into a 'perfect double' flower. The flower was named
after J.G. Zin, Professor of Botany and Natural History
at the University of Gottengen (who died at the tender
age of 32 in 1758).
The
zinnia was sometimes referred to as the Mexican Marigold.
Classed as a half-hardy annual, Hibberd warned that
it must not be cultivated in a half-hearted manner.
The seeds needed to be sown about mid-April, but not
earlier. They should be sown on a hotbed
where they would germinate very quickly. They could,
however, also be sown into a cold frame, or under a
hand light, in rich earth.
The
young plants should be hardened off and planted out
during mild quiet weather into rich soil in a warm and
sheltered position. If planted out during sunny weather
then Hibberd advised shading them against the sun.
Hibberd
was firmly of the opinion that the scarlet varieties
of zinnia were the best, followed by the yellows and
purples in order o merit, with the white ranking lowest
of all.
