Growing Gaillardia ‘Oranges & Lemons’
After 3 solid months of blooming and hardly any care, our Gaillardia ‘Oranges & Lemons’ still looks great
Confession: I’m a lazy gardener. Well, maybe not so much lazy as I can’t be bothered with perennials that don’t pull their own weight because I’m busy enough as it is fussing over the roses. I ask a lot of my perennials. They need to look good at least 3 seasons out of the year (bonus points if they are attractive in winter), and require minimal, if any, care during the growing season.
Gaillardia attracts pollinators such as bees and butterflies but is resistant to nibbling deer and rabbits
Our little patch of earth has become a bit of a trial garden as I compulsively purchase different plants and make mental notes of which ones I would want to grow again when we someday move into our own home. Honestly, a lot won’t make the cut; they either have a short bloom time, need staking, have “messy” leaves, can’t withstand a heavy rain, are too invasive, or simply look blah by the end of the season and I know what’s left of them won’t stand up to a blanket of snow. Not so the case with my recent addition to the garden, Gaillardia ‘Orange & Lemons.’ I know that was a long buildup to finally get to the subject, but I really needed it to emphasize how truly awesome this perennial is.
Gaillardia ‘Oranges & Lemons’ glows in the late afternoon sun
Put it this way, I planted our Gaillardia ‘Oranges & Lemons’ last June and other than watering it (because I have it in a container which dries out quickly), I haven’t done anything else and it still looks amazing. I haven’t even dead-headed the flowers because I like the way the seed-heads look, and I imagine the thistle-eating birds like goldfinches and chickadees will appreciate me leaving some seeds behind for them. And don’t even get me started on the pollinators. There is a consistent cloud of bees and butterflies on the blossoms from dawn ’til dusk. The flowers are vibrant orangish-yellow rising on sturdy stems above a neat rosette of lance-leaved foliage and make a great companion to roses and annuals such as petunias (as we have in our container garden.)
We have our Gaillardia growing in full sun as part of our patio container garden.
Gaillardia does best in full sun, grows to about 1-1 1/2′ wide x 2′ tall, blooms from summer-fall and is deer and rabbit resistant. It thrives even in poor soil and is hardy in zones 5-9. Something to note: this plant does not like wet feet, which is especially important in areas with freezing winters. I had a different variety of Gaillardia planted in a not-so-ideal location and last winter practically did it in; it limped into spring and never fully recovered. Best to plant Gaillardia where it will have excellent drainage. We purchased ours at a local nursery, but they can also be found HERE to be reserved for next spring.
