Gaillardia × grandiflora ‘Arizona Sun’

A real favourite on the nursery for its incredibly long flowering season. ‘Arizona Sun’ produces masses of large, daisy-like flowers from early summer right through to autumn. The blooms have deep orange-red petals tipped with a brilliant yellow, creating a bold splash of colour that attracts plenty of bees and butterflies. It’s a compact grower, forming a neat mound which makes it a reliable choice for long-lasting interest.

This Gaillardia forms a tidy clump of grey-green, lance-shaped leaves, reaching about 30cm in height. It’s a tough plant that thrives in full sun and isn’t fussy about soil, as long as it’s well-drained; it performs poorly in heavy clay. Once it’s established on our Thurning ground, we find it’s very drought tolerant and needs little attention.

For the best show, deadhead the spent flowers regularly to encourage more to follow. If the plant starts to look tired in late summer, you can cut it back to encourage a fresh flush of growth and flowers. It’s an excellent choice for sunny borders, gravel gardens, and is compact enough for large patio pots.