Cicely Mary Barker's Gaillardia Fairy

There once was a child in a garden,
Who loved all my colours of flame,
The crimson and scarlet and yellow-
But what was my name

For Gaillardia's hard to remember!
She looked at my yellow and red,
And thought of the gold and the glory
When the sun goes to bed;

And she troubled no more to remember,
But gave me a splendid new name;
She spoke of my flowers as Sunsets-
Then you do the same!

There are thirty different varieties of annual, perennial and biennial gaillardia native to the United States. All plants bloom for a very long season beginning in early summer through the first frosts. Their common name began because they resembled the bright yellows, oranges and reds of the blankets traditionally word by Native Americans.

Very hardy flower, tolerating extreme heat, cold, dryness, strong winds and poor soil.  Propagate from seed in spring or early summer.  Perennial varieties may be divided in spring.