Friday, May 29, 2015

Favorite plants shared with the bees

One of the new plants I picked up recently was Gaillardia x grandiflora 'Arizona Apricot.'  I passed by it a few times on my last visit to Roger's Gardens.  There was really no good reason for me to buy it as it looks remarkably like G. aristata 'Gallo Peach,' which I already have, but when I saw that the bees just couldn't leave it alone, the plant landed on my cart and, soon after, in my garden.

Gaillardia x grandiflora 'Arizona Apricot'


 I previously featured G. 'Gallo Peach' as one of my favorite plants, although I did so as part of a post-script to my February Bloom Day post so the plant received little special attention.  'Gallo Peach' is also a bee favorite.  The two plants are remarkably similar in color, although 'Arizona Apricot' appears to have slightly taller stems and an added trace of orange in the petals that 'Gallo Peach' lacks.

Gaillardia aristata 'Gallo Peach'


They're both eye-catching plants but somewhat less vivid that G. 'Goblin' and G. 'Arizona Sun,' which also have a place in my garden.

Gaillardia x grandiflora 'Goblin'


The bees don't discriminate.

Bees photographed yesterday enjoying (from left to right) G. 'Arizona Apricot,' 'Gallo Peach' and 'Goblin'


Gaillardias are heat and drought tolerant.  They re-seed freely and the bees love them.  All those factors make them welcome in my garden.  Despite their strong colors, they also mix well with other plants.

The newly planted G. 'Arizona Apricot' hasn't yet had a chance to really connect with Coleonema 'Sunset Gold' or Euphorbia 'Ascot Rainbow' in the backyard border

Gaillardia 'Gallo Peach' was made to order to combine with Solanum xanti

Gaillardia 'Goblin' and 'Arizona Sun' are happy mixing with Grevillea 'Superb,' Abelia 'Kaleidoscope' and a host of other plants


Visit Loree at danger garden to see her favorite plants wrap-up for the merry month of May.  You can see the Gazania I featured as my favorite plant earlier this month here.


All material © 2012-2015 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
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15 comments:

  1. outlawgardenerMay 29, 2015 at 11:14 AM

    Gaillardia are wonderful. I always admire them at nurseries but none have jumped into my cart yet. Perhaps I need to remedy that. Your bee shots are especially wonderful - looks like they belong on those flowers!

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    1. Kris PetersonMay 30, 2015 at 3:52 PM

      The bees are quite possessive of those flowers, Peter. Even when you pick up the pots in the garden center, they stick with "their" plant. I think there's a good chance I may have carried one or more home with me.

      Delete
  2. Mark and GazMay 29, 2015 at 1:07 PM

    Very cheerful blooms, and a bonus that the bees love them too!

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  3. AnonymousMay 29, 2015 at 4:39 PM

    The Gaillardia are spectacular - I think G. x grandiflora 'Goblin' is super charming - it reminds me of the heleniums that flower so much later in the season with their wonderful russet tones!

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    1. Kris PetersonMay 30, 2015 at 3:55 PM

      'Goblin' (and 'Arizona Sun,' which looks exactly the same to me) do seem to fit an autumn color scheme better than a spring/summer one but, luckily, they flower right on through fall here.

      Delete
  4. danger gardenMay 30, 2015 at 9:09 AM

    "The bees don't discriminate"....so true! I'm so glad you've found a reliable, drought tolerant, bloomer for your garden. The fact they're such sunny colors is a bonus!

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    1. Kris PetersonMay 30, 2015 at 4:07 PM

      Perhaps I should have said that the honey and mason bees don't discriminate - it looks as though the bumble bees prefer Solanum to Gaillardia.

      Delete
  5. DeniseMay 30, 2015 at 10:57 AM

    I have yet to take a shine to 'Goblin,' but seeing it fronting a grevillea it looks perfect. And of all those gaillardias, no Oranges & Lemons? I like the peachy gaillardias because they remind me of heleniums for dry soil/full sun.

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    1. Kris PetersonMay 30, 2015 at 4:09 PM

      I haven't come across 'Oranges & Lemons' except in mail order sources thus far, Denise, but I'll probably scoop it up if I do. I'd like to try out 'Fanfare' too.

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  6. Hoover BooMay 30, 2015 at 2:52 PM

    The 'Arizona' and the 'Gallo' have a better color combo than 'Goblin', I think. The 'Goblin' has reseeded around for years, so I leave it--the seed-eating birds like the dried flowers as much as the bees like the fresh ones, so I leave them undeadheaded.

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    1. Kris PetersonMay 30, 2015 at 4:11 PM

      I'm hoping that "Gallo Peach' and 'Arizona Apricot' seed as freely as 'Goblin' has - the latter pops up all over the place.

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  7. TexasDebMay 31, 2015 at 9:57 AM

    Winners all around - abundantly reseeding, drawing in pollinators, dealing with heat and drought and looking good while doing so. I can see these being a garden mainstay for years to come.

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  8. M/S DesignMay 31, 2015 at 2:45 PM

    It may not be easy to have a garden when there are water restrictions.
    Despite the fact that there are so many fine drought-resistant plants.
    Mariana

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  9. sweetbayJune 3, 2015 at 6:36 PM

    I love 'Arizona Apricot' and 'Gallo Peach'. They have a beautiful glow about them.

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