The low-maintenance, drought-tough flower replacing dahlias

For years, dahlias have been the undisputed stars of late-summer borders. But as UK summers become hotter, drier and more unpredictable, a new contender is quietly taking over gardens: zinnias.

Cheerful, long-flowering and remarkably unfussy, these bright blooms are winning gardeners over with their ability to keep performing when other favourites start to struggle.

And unlike some traditional bedding plants, they are proving that high impact doesn’t have to mean high maintenance, making it a perfect time to learn how to grow zinnias.