Daisies that delight

Marguerite (Argyranthemum frutescens, formerly Chrysanthemum frutescens)

• Traditional favorites for container plantings, marguerites come in sizes to fit any pot and in a variety of colors from white to pink to yellow. They fill out fast, and their abundant blooms last all season long.
• All marguerites are tender perennials that shiver fatally in any climate colder than USDA Har­diness Zone 9. But Northerners can grow marguerites as annuals. They flower best in full sun and don’t shrink from heat.
• Marguerites can be a bit wimpy when it comes to warding off leaf miners and other pests. To keep things in control, I simply nip off affected branches.

Painted daisy (Tanacetum coccineum, formerly Chrysanthemum coccineum)

• Old-fashioned painted daisies come in shades of pink and red, ranging from baby-pale to zingy cerise, plus white.
• Painted daisy seed is often sold as a mix of colors (‘Robinson’s Hybrids’); single cultivars are also available. ‘James Kelway’ has bright scarlet flowers, while ‘Roseum’ is a soft rose-pink.
• In hot-summer regions, they look ratty after the second year, so I start new plants every year or two. Gardens in Zones 3 through 7 suit them best. If your summers are merciless, plant in afternoon shade. In all zones, be liberal with the watering can.

Shasta daisy (Leucanthemum × superbum, formerly Chrysanthemum × superbum)

• This hybrid is the result of a marriage arranged by Luther Burbank, who joined a Portuguese mum and a Pyrenees species. Shastas generously seed themselves, although small fry don’t always look like their venerable parents.
• These three cultivars are worth a try: ‘Alaska’ has pure-white 3-inch flowers on 2- to 3-foot-tall stems; ‘Snow-cap’, a compact plant of 18 to 24 inches; ‘Little Miss Muffet’ is only 8 to 12 inches tall, but her creamy white flowers are full-sized at 3 inches.
• The Shasta thrives in gardens from Zone 4 through Zone 9. It flowers best in full sun but also blooms in part shade. When flowers begin to look tattered, cut it back.

Blue marguerite (Felicia amelloides)

• A tender perennial from warm-winter climates, it makes a good annual when started from nursery-grown plants.
• Felicia is a relaxed plant that reaches a little over a foot high when grown as an annual, with a sprawl of 3 to 4 feet. Buy blooming plants to be sure of the color you’re getting. ‘Astrid Thomas’ has bright Wedgwood-blue flowers. ‘Variegata’ has marbled green-and-white leaves.
• Blue marguerites do best in full sun. They’re perfect for window boxes, hanging baskets and containers because they flower all season. Don’t spare the pruning shears—clipping dead flowers and branch tips promotes new growth.

Golden marguerite (Anthemis tinctoria)

• Golden marguerite is a dainty daisy that never quits, flowering from iris time right through the first light frost.
• The cultivar ‘Kelwayi’ has flowers of bright gold, while those of ‘Moonlight’ are a pale sulphur-yellow. ‘Wargrave’, at 30 inches tall, carries its creamy yellow flowers higher than most, and ‘E. C. Buxton’ is a graceful plant splashed with ivory-white daisies.
• Golden marguerite doesn’t need pampering; give it full sun and lean soil. It thrives in Zones 3 through 8 (10°F), though it gets floppy in heat and humidity. You can keep the plant compact with merciless pinching, or let it weave among other plants.

‘Clara Curtis’ daisy (Dendranthema zawadskii ‘Clara Curtis’, formerly Chrysanthemum rubellum ‘Clara Curtis’)

• Pretty in pink, this single-flowered daisy is a late bloomer, waiting until the end of summer to enliven the garden with masses of lightly fragrant flowers.
• Start with a young plant rather than seed. ‘Clara Curtis’ grows well in Zones 5 through 9, and may survive colder areas with protection. It reaches 12 to 18 inches high and spreads 2 feet.
• Plant it in full sun, and pinch it early and again in mid-season to keep it compact. Give Clara plenty of breathing room, and she’ll reward you with a long-lasting bouquet.