This week I caught up with Maggie Zwilling, with her beautiful zinnias, artistic aesthetic, and laissez faire attitude. She’s a badass. “I’m not a tidy gardener,” Maggie told me, “nor do I care if colors don’t match.” See what I mean?
Maggie is a big chronicler of butterfly and moth activity, and plans her garden with them in mind. Check out some of this summer’s swallowtail visitors from her garden:


Zinnias are easy annuals to plant and care for. They add vibrant pops of color throughout your garden, whether they’re the centerpiece or sprinkled in. Plan ahead to make sure you have enough for a cutting garden, so that even when you’ve got a bouquet of zinnias indoors, there’s still some gracing the garden.
For more information on zinnias, check out:
- Farmers Almanac: Zinnias
- NC Cooperative Extension: The Most Deer Resistant Plants for Southeastern NC
- NC Cooperative Extension, Chatham County: Sustainable Vegetable Gardening
- Swallowtail Butterfly
- Chatham News & Record: Zinnias, a favorite of summer weather