Crazy for Daisies: Dazzling Daisies for Louisiana Gardens
Brighten your garden this spring with beds of beautiful daisies. Their brilliantly painted petals and dashingly cheery eyes can win the hearts of even your toughest visitors – the sun soaked grins of gerbera daisies, together with the serene smiles of osteospermum and the gazanias’ gallant smirks remain unsurpassable in the landscape. The solid pink, lavender, gold, and white, along with the intense swirls of tangerine, burnt sienna, and coppery red have long been admired by artists, and rightfully so, since each distinct petal seems to have been gingerly brushed by a painter’s hand.
The utter simplicity and chic sophistication of daisies make it no wonder they are among the most popular of flowers across the globe. Members of the Asteraceae family, daisies are tender to hardy perennials that take little effort to raise, and even less to grow enamored by. Let’s not forget, daisies also have an unrelenting tolerance for heat and affection for the sun, a huge plus for any gardener in Louisiana. Grow them for fresh cuttings, for dried floral arrangements, or for the mere pleasure of watching their grinning faces and sinuous stems dance wildly about your garden. A few must haves for our area include osteospermum, gerbera daisies, gazanias, shasta daisies, and Euyrops.
Osteospermum, or African daisies, are native to South Africa and thrive in full sun and well drained soil. These delightful blue-eye daisies begin opening in March, and though they bloom a bit sporadically in the summer, they do not rest until their final flowering in late autumn. Compact in habit, osteospermum average six to 10 inches tall, forming tight mounds of deep purple, lilac, white, pinkish lavender, and lemony yellow daisies. No matter which cultivar you choose, each petal harmoniously beams from a bluish purple core – an attractive feature not shared among most common daisies. Plant osteospermum in masses for a captivating effect, or integrate them as accent plants or container favorites on your porch or patio. Include ‘Great White’ bacopa, ‘Mediterranean’ vinca, or Calibrachoa (a.k.a. ‘Million Bells’) for blankets of color before your African daisies. Mexican heather, euryops (‘California Daisy’), gerbera daisies, coreopsis, and purple fountain grass are also spectacular companions.
Similar to osteospermum, gerbera daisies (Gerbera jamesonii) are also compact plants originating from South Africa. Discovered in 1884 by Scotsman Robert Jameson, gerbera daisies were later introduced into breeding programs in England by German naturalist Traugott Gerber, from whom the daisy draws its common name. Now grown in a spectrum of exuberant hues, gerbera daisies can be found in shades of bubblegum pink, crimson, tangerine, lemon, white, and butter cream. Their large daisy faces shine like refined sunflowers, as they boisterously shout their hellos from mid spring through fall. Like many daisies, these glimmering beauties attract butterflies, bees, and birds, making them great supplements for wildlife enthusiasts. Excellent companions include ‘Mystic Spires’ salvia, ‘Profusion’ zinnias, and trailing lantana.
Other South African favorites include gazanias, tender perennials that thrive in rock gardens and other dry, sweltering beds seldom cultivated. From mid spring through fall, gazanias burst open with scorching hot hues like burnt orange, tangerine, sunburst yellow, and coppery red; complement any of these sultry cultivars with gazanias that bloom pinkish lavender, cream, and white. These much sought after ground-hugging daisies reach only six to 12 inches tall with their jagged blue green leaves, and make their best showing when planted in masses. Flowers open as the sun spreads its beams, promptly closing at nightfall and on dark, overcast days. For a spectrum of lively colors, integrate milkweed, stokesia, ‘Whirling Butterflies’ gaura, and ‘Alabama’ sun coleus. Consider also bronze leaf begonias and low growing daylilies like ‘Holy Spirit,’ ‘Stella d’ Oro,’ and ‘Clara’ for added color.
Cool down a bed of spicy African daisies with more composed European natives like ‘Shasta’ daisies. These hardy perennials stand almost three feet tall, shooting forth slender stems of white petalled flowers, richly centered with velvety golden eyes. Ideal for cut flowers, Shasta daisies last up to 10 days in floral arrangements, and hold their emerald green foliage year round. Create a spectacular show (and butterfly haven) by planting Shasta daisies amidst other sun loving perennials like purple coneflower, ‘Sunray’ coreopsis, pink gaura, ‘Homestead Purple’ verbena, and Mexican heather. Include also purple fountain grass, ‘Profusion’ zinnias, and ‘Golstrum’ rudbeckia.
If you are looking to build added height to your bed of daisies, make sure to plant ‘Sunshine’ Euryops, or yellow bush daisy (Euryops chrysanthemoides). This exceptional summer bloomer averages four feet in height, making a phenomenal display when its grassy green mound is brilliantly festooned with lemony yellow daisies. Like gazanias, Euryops perform best in hot dry areas, though a bit more water is required to retain its lush, verdant growth. Include them as accent plants in your flowerbed, or employ them as potted daisies on your patio; either way, their iridescent blossoms are sure to brighten any home and garden. Euryops daisies look sensational amid beds of ‘Nanho Blue’ buddleia, tropical hibiscus, blue plumbago, and tibouchina. Lower growing favorites that can also harmonize Euryops include ‘New Orleans Red’ coleus, Echinacea, gerbera daisies, and ‘Suncatcher’ petunias. ✦
