English Daisy

English Daisy
Bellis perennis 'Tasso Strawberries and Cream'
(BEL-liss) (per-EN-is)
Synonyms: Lawn Daisy, Bruisewort

Yesterday I was out doing one of my favorite activities, shopping for plants. I had to buy several shrubs to replace ones that had been busted up by snow falling off the roof during the winter. We were also kind of looking to see what the suppliers had for annual color for the upcoming season. We are kind of in a bind since we have a lot of containers to plant (with annuals) in Manhattan where the weather is okay now for planting but none of our more northern suppliers have anything that is even close to being ready. Patience is one of the hardest virtues of being a good gardener to stick to. We will just have to wait for the proper time.

This English Daisy was blooming at the big annual nursery. It is a little different then most as it sells both wholesale and retail. I love the classiness of the English Daisies but treat them like a total annual. They never seem to come back for me. This probably due to incorrect placement/care by us and not the plant’s fault. These flowers are rated for extreme winter temperatures but the key is having good drainage.

Something that this picture doesn’t show about this cultivar is the unique pink center that the flower develops as it ages. It is really striking and unusual. They are just starting to develop their 'blush'.