A TALE OF TWO DAISIES

One of my favorite native plants is the daisy fleabane, Erigeron modestus. I first saw it growing on our septic field when we moved in the house and transplanted one into my rock garden. It survived.

It is a short lived perennial and during the winter months will form a rosette of leaves before starting to flower all the way through the summer. I think that is what I particularly love about it. That, and the memories of field daisies from my childhood.
It is a well behaved little plant and does not make too much of a nuisance of itself, which is an added bonus.

When I first started visiting gardens in England I would see a similar plant growing through cracks in walls and festooning down steps. I didn't know what it was at the time but now the name Erigeron karvinskianus seems to be on the lips of many garden designers in England and it is everywhere...between pavers, cascading over walls and down steps as well as in pots. It's common name over there is Mexican fleabane so why, I wonder have I not seen it at our nurseries. 

At Great Dixter this summer it was softening, as I am sure it has been for years, the Edwin Lutyens
steps.

And from a slightly different angle.

Compare this with the photograph, taken slightly to the left, of the Lloyd family taken before any planting was done. Was it Gertrude Jekyll who suggested planting it between the steps to soften their appearance?



 I saw it growing out of ruined castle walls in the Shetland Isles.

And in planters. This one in Victoria Summerley's garden at Awkward Hill, in Bibury.

One of the things I began to wonder was, is this more invasive than our daisy fleabane? Maybe putting it in planters is the best way to contain it.

I am about to find out because I was at my local nursery the other day and what did I see but 4" pots of Erigeron karvinskianus. Of course I bought some and I dare say I will be sorry. Maybe in pots for the time being or maybe tucked between the dry stack wall that leads from the Hidden garden to the English garden. Or maybe I can see it spilling over the wall in the vegetable garden. I really should have bought more! Or will I be sorry. And the other question I have was this labeled correctly or did I just buy our regular common Texas daisy fleabane. Only time will tell.

TEXAS NATIVE PLANT WEEK OCT. 16th. -22nd. WHAT TO GROW.

What better time to celebrate Native Plant Week in Texas. Now is the time gardeners are thinking about replacing and adding plants to their fall garden. After such a devastating hot, dry summer natives rule the roost.

Each day 5 natives plants and trees have been chosen and today my namesake rock rose, Pavonia lasiopetala, is one of the chosen. I think the original plant in my garden came from a seed. Since then it has appeared each year in various parts of the garden. It blooms all summer and like many, comes into full glory in the fall. Pretty pink flowers open every day. The foliage is always green, seemingly no bugs or diseases. Carefree as you come.

My garden lends itself towards plants seeding themselves, so most of the time they just appear. I don't do anything nor can take credit for much of this. I do pull seeds and scatter them in other places because nature doesn't always put them in the right place.

Where deer are constant visitors the Lindheimer senna, blackfoot daisy, Melampodium leucanthum, damianita, Damianita chrysactinia, dahlberg daisy, Thymophylla tenuiloba, lantana, copper canyon daisy, Tagetes limonii, fragrant mistflower, Eupatorium havanense, bluebonnets, Lupinus texensis, daisy fleabane, Erigeron annus, Texas sage, Leucophyllum frutescens, rain lilies, Zephyranthes drummondii,   and Salvia leucantha provide color among cactus, agaves, yaupons, vitex, persimmon and oaks.

I am fortunate to be able to garden deer free in many parts of my garden but even here I use a lot of natives in among other adapted plants.

The smaller plants, like daisy fleabane and skull caps make a perfect addition to the sunken rock garden because they remain small and manageable. Even so I they too may need a cut back mid-way through the summer. They will respond by producing a new flush of leaves and flowers.

The purple skull cap, Scutellaria wrightii, is one of my favorites and cross breeding has resulted in several shades of purple and mixtures of purple and white.

Four nerve daisy, Tetraneuris scaposa, is a prolific re-seeder. This one is growing out of a hole in a rock. Quite happily.

Pass along plants, like this flame acanthus, Anisacanthus wrightii, from my friend Bob at Draco gardens, is a winner with the hummingbirds and creates a mass of delicate foliage and flowers by fall. I cut it back hard in the spring to encourage bushiness.

Although the major blooming time for damianita, Chrysactinia mexicana, is spring, a few flowers appear in the fall. Very tolerant of drought conditions and also deer resistant due to its highly aromatic foliage.




Zexmenia, Zexmenia hispida, also deer resistant can be trimmed back to maintain a neat appearance. Even cutting back to the ground doesn't faze this plant.

The little chocolate daisy, Berlandiera lyrata. Why doesn't it reseed? I really wish it would because it is not easy to find.

This year the Salvia leucantha suffered from the lack of rain and relentless heat. It maybe too late for the hummers but is not too late for gardeners to enjoy.
Think native when you go to the nursery this fall. All of our local independent nurseries carry a good selection of plants and seeds to make your garden a native garden.