Unlike many other blossoms, the COSMO flower does not have a particularly long history. The word itself is derived from a Greek word meaning 'harmony' or 'balanced universe' and was said to have been given to this flower by Spanish priests in Mexico who grew them in their mission gardens. The priests reportedly felt that because of their symmetrically aligned petals these flowers were analogous to an 'ordered universe.'

Pictured here is variety Cosmos I've grown in my gardens the past several seasons. Called 'Daydream'- it's blossoms are pretty enough during the day but when I photograph them after dark the pale pink petals have a misty, almost ethereal look that I find much more attractive than their day-time look.

Out in my gardens after dark... it was that lovely softness of the blossom I was trying to capture in this image.