Gaillardia

There is no more picturesque way to announce summer than with a garden blanketed in sunny shades of yellow, red and orange. With their large flower heads and ability to quickly bloom and sprawl, it is no wonder that gardeners fondly refer to gaillardia as blanket flower. Whether you desire the radiating flowers and florets of this perennial flowering plant as a yellow bloom with a touch of red or a red burst with bright yellow fringes, we have a wide selection of gaillardia plants to choose from.

Gaillardia come in a variety of colours and sizes. You can find short 10-inch plants for lining borders or tall 26-inch gaillardia to use as backdrops or foundation plantings. Colours range from creamy apricot to flaming red, with shades of orange, brown, yellow, white, pink and purple available. Some types have a sunflower like blossom with flat petals, while others displays petals that curl into funnel shapes, giving the flower a pinwheel appearance.

Native to North America, perennial gaillardia starts are hardy in zones 3 through 9. Preferring full sun, they'll tolerate partial shade as well. Gaillardia requires a well-drained and loose soil. The soil does not have to be rich. In fact, this flowering plant thrives in poor to average soils. Plant your starts about 6 to 8 inches deep and 18 inches apart. This plant needs regular watering until it starts to actively grow. Thereafter, it rarely needs watering and will even resist drought. While gaillardia flowers do not require deadheading, regularly removing fading flowers encourages even more blooming.

Plant gaillardia in masses to create a colourful landscape and attract butterflies. Tall varieties make excellent foundation and fence line plantings, while shorter varieties make lovely walkway and border plants. Gaillardia is perfect for native and woodland gardens, too. Bring a splash of lively colours to your garden from summer through fall with a blanket of gaillardia plants.