Monday, December 20, 2010

Gaillardia.....Spring is Coming

Spring is coming and what better thing to do, than to talk about what we want in our Spring and Summer gardens......The Gaillardias are some of my favorites, of course I love the color combinations of yellow and red, they just seem to light up the area.


What a great and colorful flower. One familiar to all who have ever gone on a meadow jaunt in the beautiful Texas prairies...the one you most likely saw was Gaillardia pulchella......the annual or tender perennial. You can see meadows ablaze with this red and yellow delight sometimes called Indian Blanket. It blooms just after the bluebonnets are finished and often is the most dominate color in the field. This Texas wildflower grows throughout the state and is anywhere from 12 to 24 inches tall and will spread to 12 inches. Seed for this flower may be purchased from numerous sources.







This is Gaillardia aristata the true perennial
seen in the local flower beds around town. The common name you will hear for this one is Blanket Flower. Most likely the best known cultivar is Goblin, a sure winner for summer color....be careful not to over water in the heavy clay soils of this area. This cultivar is neat and compact grows 12 to 15 inches tall. These plants can be purchased from your local nursery or ask your landscaper to brighten up your full sun beds with an addition of Gaillardia "Goblin"



Gallardia mixed with Artemisia "Powis Castle".


















A word of caution for new perennial gardeners, give the garden a chance. It will take at least 2 seasons for the garden to fill in, this not the same as a heavy "seasonal color" bed, one that is changed for each season, heavily water, and fertilized. The perennial bed will, with patience and proper planning will give you explosions of color throughout the year, after blooming some of the perennials can look weedy, shear back and get ready for the next round of blooms. Want a perennial bed but don't want the work....give me a call at CGreen Landscape Irrigation.

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