A few weeks ago I stopped at my local farm stand - a dangerous move for a gardener/cook/shopper. While peering though the endless rows of geraniums & local veg, I found something new. These dazzling pink pom-poms were popping out from the end of the row. Instantly, I fell in love with these flowers. English Daisies are low-profile, flower non-stop, and are with standing the recent lack of rain & cold nights. In my book, that's a keeper.
They come in red too!
None of the pollinating insects - butterflies, lady bugs, honey bees, etc...- have taken an interest, yet. But the recent chilly nights have probably kept them away. Come to think of it, I haven't seen any buzzing around in the front yard either. To get a better sense of what to expect out of the daisies, I did a little research. According to the Washington State University Master Gardener program, these beauties are a weed! Arg! Sounds like they are similar to dandelions. Which I don't despise, but I don't cultivate them either. The WSU article offers many different ways to remove the flowers, should they take over your lawn, including numerous applications of herbicide. I don't recommend using any herbicides. Put on a pair of gloves and remove whatever is taking over your space. Herbicides have a nasty habit of getting into ground water and the soil we grow our food in.
We'll see if they survive the scorching mid-Atlantic summer. If not, marigolds will easily take their spot. Weed or not - these flowers were a welcome burst of color during our odd spring. I hope that I can save the seeds and grow them again next year!