Gaillardia...what a happy name for a plant. I have an old metal chair in my front flower bed with a planter made of concrete...molded from an elephant ear. The planter holds hens and chicks. Behind the chair is a big rock and next to it a gaillardia plant...that comes up every year. This is commonly called the blanket flower. I've never had anything bother it.
The daisy like flower heads of the Gaillardia may reach up to 4 inches across and may be single or double flowers, depending on the variety. These perennials generally grow from two to three feet tall, but there are also many new hybrid strains which include dwarf varieties that only attain a height of a foot and colors ranging from yellow to red or orange.
Blanket flowers do best when grown in full sun and light, well drained soil. Plant them 15-18 inches apart. They thrive in the summer heat, with only moderate watering and feeding. They are easily grown from seed which may be sown directly into the garden from early spring up until early summer, where they will bloom for you the first year. Gaillardias are an excellent choice for your butterfly garden, or for cutting. If you keep the flower stalks cut off as they fade, you will enjoy these flowers from mid June, until the first frost. I have never staked mine. I like to let it just ramble where ever it wants. It peeks in and around the chair. It looks so pretty right now. Bouquets last in the house. This is one of my favorites. I don't know why I have never planted more. I guess this one is enough for me to enjoy.
The daisy like flower heads of the Gaillardia may reach up to 4 inches across and may be single or double flowers, depending on the variety. These perennials generally grow from two to three feet tall, but there are also many new hybrid strains which include dwarf varieties that only attain a height of a foot and colors ranging from yellow to red or orange.
Blanket flowers do best when grown in full sun and light, well drained soil. Plant them 15-18 inches apart. They thrive in the summer heat, with only moderate watering and feeding. They are easily grown from seed which may be sown directly into the garden from early spring up until early summer, where they will bloom for you the first year. Gaillardias are an excellent choice for your butterfly garden, or for cutting. If you keep the flower stalks cut off as they fade, you will enjoy these flowers from mid June, until the first frost. I have never staked mine. I like to let it just ramble where ever it wants. It peeks in and around the chair. It looks so pretty right now. Bouquets last in the house. This is one of my favorites. I don't know why I have never planted more. I guess this one is enough for me to enjoy.
Balisha
5 comments:
Gaillardia is so beautiful. I used to have some at one house we had. I need to get some more and plant it in the spring.
What a pretty garden. I agree, the gaillardia is one of the hardest working plants in the garden. No pests, drought tolerant and it just keeps going--like the Energizer Bunny;)
Marnie
Thankyou ladies... for your comments. Kind of a chilly and dark day today... and you made my day brighter.
It is a great perennial and the variety of colors it comes in now makes it great for any garden. Thanks for the great info on this pretty plant. I love your metal chair planter.
Hi Rscquel,
I used to have a wooden chair, but it rotted away. This metal one will last longer.It was a moss green and I just left it that color.
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