Earlier this year I was walking through the gardens at Westmont in Baranduda when I saw one of the most vivid displays of flowers – Gaillardia.
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It is commonly known as the blanket flower. It’s not an impressive common name until you discover that it means Native American blankets with their array of bright colours. This plant was named for Antoine René Gaillard de Charentonneau, an 18th century patron of botany, French magistrate and a member of the Académie des Sciences.
Gaillardia is the perfect showy plant for warm, sunny gardens. It’s easy to grow and there are many varieties to choose from. This is a reasonably drought tolerant plant and, as long as the drainage is good, they will thrive in our region.
At the beginning of spring you should give them a dose of a complete fertiliser and then let them grow to their heart’s content. The only extra maintenance is the removal of spent (finished) flowers to keep the plant flowering for longer. Gaillardia will become mound shaped, about 30-50cm high, and the flowers can be 2-10cm wide. The blanket flower excels as a colourful garden plant, it’s good for attracting butterflies, it’s easy to grow in containers and is fine as a cut flower. Four great reasons to have this plant in your garden.
This plant is native to southern USA, Colorado and into Mexico.
A member of the daisy family (Asteraceae), blanket flowers are big seed producers, so this plant will keep popping up in the garden, self- perpetuating, which for some is a good thing, while others find this a bit of a weed issue.
This plant is a short-lived perennial, meaning that you will get two years, or maybe three years of growth before it dies – never mind because the savvy gardener will have collected seed and have a new batch growing.
For gift giving this plant is unbeatable. In full flower, wrapped in decorative paper it’s an explosion of colour – the perfect choice for a birthday gift or even for a Christmas present.
Diary dates
Sunday, November 13: 9am-4pm, open garden at 173 Hawthorn Road, Jindera. This garden features dry stone walls and sculptures. Morning and afternoon teas and lunch available to purchase. There will be African drumming and artists in the garden, tours, books and plants for sale.
This event is to raise money to support the Murray Valley Sanctuary Refugee Group. Entry $10.
As there are water features in this garden so it is important that children be supervised at all times. If you would like your event listed in this diary section, please email the details to ddelahunty@wodongatafe.edu.au.