Here in the southern hemisphere Gazanias are perennials and one of my all-time favourites. Any sun-loving plant, that thrives in hot weather and survives on very little water is a welcome addition to my garden.
Right now, though, hot dry sunny spots are hard to find ... and the clumping Gazanias in my garden are not showing as many bright cheerful faces as usual.
Usually these bold colourful sunrays burst open at sunrise and then close up for the night. But when the sun is hiding behind a thick grey cloudcover that blankets the entire sky, they hide their bright shiny faces.
Our 'wet' season is such a hard time for these plants. Too much water causes them to rot and too little sunshine means they start to die back.
I have finally learned my lesson regarding growing Gazanias here in my particular spot of north-eastern Australia. Whilst they thrived all year round during the many drought years out in the garden beds, when the usual 'wet' Summer seasons returned just over two years ago, I had to re-think the way I used Gazanias in my garden. There were huge clumps of them filling quite a few corners of my outdoor garden beds and I lost them all after the torrential rainy seasons soaked the ground for weeks and weeks.
So, now I have them planted in my garden beds only from Autumn through to Spring, which is our 'dry' season, but when the Summer arrives, they go straight into pots. Doing this means I can now keep them going from one year to the next in this particular corner of the world!
I'm joining in the Today's Flowers meme today, so please pop over and visit this wonderful meme by clicking on this link: Flowers From Today
... and Mary's meme Mosaic Monday
Happy New Year!Hope you and the family had a great Christmas. Love the 8th photo. it's so lovely to see your Gazanias. I will be planting them again this spring and have a new Petunia to try "Phantom" from Thompson & Morgan seed catalogue Black and Yellow flower looks fabulous! Going to try a few new things this year blog about them in the week.
ReplyDeleteSue :0)
Your Gazanias are gorgeous. I've not really had luck with them.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful 2011.
FlowerLady
I can see why you accommodate for them. They are beautiful with such great colors!
ReplyDeleteI have two of these that I started from seed. Lost the others to overwatering, lesson learned!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE Gazanias! I hate their name. :( I can't believe someone would name such an absolutely stunning flower such an ugly name. :P Sorry, I don't know why I hate the name so bad. It's just ugly to me. :)
ReplyDeleteThose blooms are warming me already. Happy New Year to you!
ReplyDeleteGreetings Bernie!
ReplyDeleteIt feels like forever since I've been blogging and you were one of my first stops! Your flowers look amazing - especially since much of the US is up to our eyeballs in snow, even the warm climates in zones 7 & 8! Have a fabulous New Year!! All the best! :D --Shyrlene
Your gazanias are all so beautiful. Great variety here. Happy New Year.
ReplyDeleteHi Bernie, your collection of Gazanias is fantastic. They are such bright, cheerful flowers with the most exciting colour combinations. I have been fond of Gazanias since our life on the farm, where I experienced some very dry years. Gazanias were the best choice then. My husband, Peter, loved them and called them "batik" flowers. I have planted them here as well. The first year in spring and winter they do well but in summer they all get wet and disappear. I also think they look never as brilliant as yours.
ReplyDeleteI wish you too a very happy New Year. Trudi
All of them are so gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteWe're hot and humid all year long but these flowers are not grown in abundance. I've seen them in gardens and nurseries.
The colours of your Gazanias are amazing!
ReplyDeleteI wish you a Happy New Year!
Lovely gazanias! I too have lost them to the rains. Thanks for the idea for saving them.
ReplyDeleteGazanias are getting more popular here in New England. I have been enjoying all the new color combinations they have been producing.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year.
They are really gorgeous and this looks like a beauty pageant.
ReplyDeletealoha bernie,
ReplyDeletei am so fond of gazanias and your collection is really stunning...i am amazed at the variety. thanks for sharing these and happy new gardening year to you !
wow, these are gorgeous! cheerful flowers!
ReplyDeletehttp://savorthebite.blogspot.com/2011/01/todays-flowers-22.html
Que linda coleção de flores! Cores maravilhosas!
ReplyDeleteA colorful collection. I hope you are not among the flood victims in Queensland. Happy New Year.
ReplyDeleteIndeed! Rays of sunshine! Your pictures are warm and hope-filled. Wising you a wonderful week! Cathy
ReplyDeleteI love gazanias and always include them in the garden in summer. They are an annual here but their colouration and the fact that they love the heat and the sandy soil make them a winner.
ReplyDeleteBernie, gazania reacts the same in my garden also. Once I planted one at a spot to have great amount of morning sun but when the rain pours and pours, the whole plant dissappeared. So, since it rains so much here I planted another one at a spot whereby it receives great amount of afternoon sun. And the plant seems to be doing well and kept producing flowers :-D
ReplyDeleteThe colors are so delightfully fascinating. I wonder why there seem to be no Gazanias here, if they are drought tolerant, then i must have that. Hmmm.
ReplyDeleteLovely blog, love Gazania in summer they stand up to the heat so well. I used these instead of a lawn in my previous home, so easy care and water saving.
ReplyDeleteWow, your flowers are beautiful. They have me longing for summer time here. Thanks for sharing. Happy New Years.
ReplyDelete*sigh*
ReplyDeleteThe colours in your photos are just what we're longing for in the middle of our wet, grey Pacific Northwest winter.
Love your blog, good music.
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