Gaillardia Aristata Bicolour Goblin

Large daisies of five to seven centimetres, flame-red at the base of each petal running out through orange to a gold tip, around a dark central disc. They sit on dwarf plants at 25 to 30cm, so all that colour is at the front of a border rather than the back.

It comes from the North American prairies and it behaves accordingly. It wants full sun and poor, sharply drained ground, and it flowers from early summer to the frosts without much attention. On heavy or rich soil it makes soft growth, flops and is short-lived. It is one of the better plants for a hot dry spot where nothing else will settle.

Call it a short-lived perennial and plan for it. Two or three good years and then the clump declines, though it self-seeds gently and volunteers usually appear. What those volunteers look like is another matter; seedlings from a bicolour strain often come back plain red or plain yellow rather than banded. Sow a fresh pinch every couple of years if you want the bicolour to stay. It cuts well for a small warm-toned posy.