For daisies that delight, choose Osteospermums

With uplifting flowers in a range of shades, African daisies are just what you (and your garden) need right now. Graham Clarke shares his best bets for borders and containers

- Graham Clarke

IF ever there was a year when we need our spirits lifted, this is it. And one plant that always makes me feel better is the osteospermum, or African daisy. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that, like those of most daisy plants, the flowers open at their widest when the sun is shining!

These irrepressibly cheerful blooms come in a range of colours that brighten borders, beds and patio pots. They’re pretty good at the providing weed-suppressing ground cover, too.

Closer investigation reveals that, despite those simple flowers, the osteospermum genus is actually a little complicated. It was once known as dimorphotheca, a name that’s now used only in reference to some of the annual bedding forms. Today, ‘osteospermum’ refers to the perennial and sub-shrub (woody perennials, similar to lavender) types.

To confuse things even further, most people believe osteospermums to be half-hardy annuals, when mostly they tender perennials. Many of the species are native to South Africa – a fact that’s reflected in the common names, which vary from African or Cape daisy to Star of the Veldt. Here in the UK they can die at the first frost, hence we treat them as annuals. But some of the slightly hardier types will survive outside through the winter – with help. How much help depends on where you live. In milder parts of the country it may simply be a case of growing them in a sunny, sheltered spot; but if your garden is a little more exposed, you might need to cover them with fleece or plastic cloches.

Long flowering season