Santa Rosa Gardens

Another great option for Gaillardia called Oranges and Lemons!  This plant was first bred in England and receives its name from an old English nursery rhyme: “Oranges and lemons/Say the bells of St. Clements’s.”  This is a very prolific plant that graces your garden from the middle of summer all the way to the middle of fall.  The cone center begins yellow with a deep orange ring changing to a pale yellow as the bloom ages.  The petals emerge stained with a tangerine orange on a bright yellow-gold background then later the petals will fade to a monochromatic yellow.  It will also survive in the most diverse conditions whether it be hot/humid, hot/dry, or cool/moist (well drained soil).  Once established it is considered drought tolerant.  It also loved by butterflies for nectar and by birds in the autumn for its seeds.  Use in a cut flower garden, mixed perennial border, or containers.  The history of Gaillardia includes its name originating from M. Gaillard de Charentonneau who was an 18th Century French Magistrate and a patron of botany.  The common name Blanket Flower comes from the brightly colored blankets made by Native Americans, which embodies the native origin to the plains of the United States.