92. SIMPLE “DAY’S EYE”—SHASTA DAISY

The Shasta daisy (Leucanthemum × superbum) is summer personified. This garden staple has large white flowers that appear in early summer and continue to bloom all season. And its round yellow center looks like the sun, giving it the name “day’s eye” or daisy. Shasta daisy flowers have such a clean simplicity that it is a natural scene stealer. In addition, this plant is easy to grow, attracts butterflies, and is deer and rabbit resistant. It blends in brightly with other summer sun lovers such as daylilies, salvia, liatris, grasses, and foxgloves. It is suitable for USDA hardiness zones 4–9.

The first Shasta daisy hybrid was introduced by famed American horticulturist Luther Burbank more than a century ago. He followed that up with the well-known Alaska hybrid and many more. Today, there are more than 100 named cultivars of this hardy perennial. Some grow to 3 feet tall. Others are much shorter, such as ‘Snowcap,’ a compact plant of 18 to 24 inches; ‘Little Miss Muffet,’ which is only 8 to 12 inches tall but with full-sized creamy white flowers; and ‘Daisy May,’ which grows 1 to 2 feet tall.

The compact cultivar ‘Banana Cream’ (Leucanthemum superbum ‘Banana Cream’) is a compact wonder growing 18 inches tall and 24 inches wide. It has long-blooming, bright lemon-yellow flowers that mature into pastel yellow. It blooms profusely from late spring through the summer. The ‘Banana Cream’ Shasta daisy is ideal for small gardens, and it is suitable for USDA hardiness zones 5–9.

In 2003, the ‘Becky’ Shasta daisy was named the PPA Perennial Plant of the Year. Its showy white flowers have wider petals than the original Alaska hybrid, and the strong stems need no staking. Heat and humidity do not bother it. A favorite in garden borders and beds, it blooms from July to September if deadheaded. It makes an excellent cut flower, lasting a week or more. A vase full of Shasta daisies in summer makes everyone smile.

‘Snowcap’ Shasta daisy (Leucanthemum × superbum ‘Snowcap’) is a favorite in the garden due to its compact habit and big, beautiful single white daisies with yellow centers. ‘Snowcap’ grows up to 15 to 18 inches tall, which fits in with smaller gardens. It has resilient stems that stay upright. Grow Shasta ‘Snowcap’ in full sun to part shade in well-drained soil. You can plant it along with low-growing sedum, as shown here. It is an easy-care plant that attracts butterflies and is rabbit resistant. Zones 5–8.

‘Becky’ Shasta daisies (Leucanthemum × superbum ‘Becky’) claim the spotlight in midsummer when they start to bloom. They continue to flower until early fall if deadheaded. ‘Becky’ grows 3 feet tall and wide, thrives in full sun in moist, well-drained soil. It is drought tolerant and looks great with pink ‘Profusion’ zinnias, as shown here.

In this garden bed, I planted Shasta daisies along with annual blue salvia and pink New Guinea impatiens. Although these sturdy perennials can be planted by themselves, they make a great companion to other sun-loving flowers with their strong visual presence. Snowy white Shasta daisies enhance all the other colors in a garden.

Allium ‘Millenium’ blooms in summer, along with dark pink coneflowers and blue salvia. Its rosy-pink orbs are held on strong stems and add a fun lollipop effect. It has short grassy foliage that blends well in established flower beds, so feel free to add a few, here and there. Allium ‘Millenium’ grows no taller than 20 inches in bloom, perfect for the front of a border, as shown here. A wonderful cut flower, fresh or dried. Deer resistant. Zones 5–8.

‘Globemaster’ allium grabs the spotlight when it blooms in late spring through early summer. A hardy allium, it is prized for its elegant, 8- to 10-inch-diameter globe-shaped flower heads of pinkish-purple atop 30- to 36-inch-high stems. Each flower head is made up of numerous star-shaped violet flowers. The seed heads persist after the flower has passed. They are bulbs and must be planted in the fall. They bloom year after year with minimal care. Zones 5–7.

Nodding onions are planted in a group on a sunny grassy slope at the Center for Sustainable Landscapes at Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. These native flowers bloom in summer and mix well with coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea) and milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) for a native summer garden.

‘Purple Sensation’ allium (Allium aflatunense ‘Purple Sensation’) has 4- to 5-inch-diameter globes of deep violet-purple florets from May–June. They flower at the same time as late tulips, so try planting them together in the fall as I did here. They will continue blooming after the tulips have passed. ‘Purple Sensation’ grows 24 to 30 inches tall and is the first of the big purple allium globes to flower in the garden. It is a great cut flower. Zones 4–7.