Blanket Flower

Blanket Flower
Gaillardia aristata 'Sunburst Tangerine'
(gay-LAR-dee-uh) (a-ris-TAH-tuh)
Synonyms: Indian Blanket, Brown Eyed Susan, ‘Granoran'

We are really having a storm in San Diego today. I don’t think this day will make the travel brochure. The wind is really strong and up to an inch of rain is expected. It’s okay since we have been doing things every day, a break maybe be good. On Friday we took a drive out to El Cajon and visited Summer’s Past Farms in Flinn Springs. The garden was quite nice especially for this time of year. They have a nice store and nursery.


This Blanket Flower was spotted in the nursery and its clear yellow color looked good. In the past Gaillardia hasn’t really been a perennial for me and has only lasted a couple of years at most. I will be interested to see if the ‘Oranges and Lemons’ we planted last year comes back. Even if it doesn't I still continue to use it as an annual. I have planted Blanket Flower in several types of soils and conditions. It seems to like the leaner, drier types of soil. It definitely benefits from deadheading.

This is a new cultivar and it stays compact. I was surprised at all the cultivars and species available to gardeners now. Our local nurseries haven’t been carrying as many choices.

They had a nice collection of Lavender at the farm.