Gaillardia 'Goblin' Seeds
If you want a plant that blooms longer and harder than almost any other perennial, say hello to 'Goblin'. This compact variety of Blanket Flower produces masses of large, daisy-like blooms in a striking bi-colour pattern: deep crimson-red petals tipped with a vibrant band of golden yellow.
True to its name, 'Blanket Flower' creates a dense mound of colour that smothers the ground. Unlike taller varieties that can flop over, 'Goblin' stays neat and bushy (under 40cm), making it the perfect choice for the front of a hot border or a patio pot that needs to look good from June right through to the first frosts.
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🌿 Understanding the Plant
Gaillardia is a Short-Lived Perennial (often grown as a Hardy Annual).
It will flower in its first year if sown early. It typically lives for 2-3 years but often self-seeds or can be divided to keep the stock going.
The Heat Lover: This plant originates from the hot, dry plains of North America. It is incredibly drought tolerant and actually prefers poor, sandy soil over rich, wet compost.
Top Tip: Don't be too kind to it! If you feed it or water it too much, it will become leggy and produce leaves instead of flowers. Neglect is the key to success.
🌱 Growing Guide: How to Sow and Grow
Gaillardia is easy to start from seed and grows rapidly.
Germination:
Sow indoors from February to April to get flowers this summer. Surface sow onto moist compost and cover with a fine sprinkling of vermiculite (light helps germination). Keep warm (18-21°C). Germination takes 14-21 days.
Where to Sow:
They demand full sun. They need excellent drainage—they will rot in heavy, waterlogged clay soil in winter. If you have clay soil, grow them in pots or raised beds with plenty of grit added.
Care While Growing:
Deadhead Relentlessly: This is the most important task. If you snip off the faded flower heads (the round spiky balls), the plant will continue to produce new buds well into autumn. If you leave them, it stops flowering.
📋 Plant Specifications
| Latin Name | Gaillardia aristata (or x grandiflora) |
| Common Name | Blanket Flower 'Goblin' |
| Hardiness | H4 (Hardy Perennial) |
| Light Required | Full Sun ☀️ |
| Height | ↕️ 30cm - 40cm (Dwarf) |
| Spread | ↔️ 40cm |
| Spacing | 🌱 35cm apart |
| Great for | 🔥 Hot Colour Borders 🐝 Bee Magnet 🏺 Pots & Containers 🏜️ Seaside Gardens |
| Seed Count | Approx. 100 seeds per packet |
🤝 Perfect Garden Companions
The fiery red and yellow of 'Goblin' needs to be paired with other hot-coloured plants or cooling grasses:
- 🌾 Hordeum jubatum (Foxtail Barley): The Texture Softener. The soft, pinkish-gold plumes of the barley grass soften the bold, graphic "target" shape of the Gaillardia flowers. Both love dry, sunny soil.
- 🍯 Rudbeckia 'Marmalade': The Golden Glow. Pair 'Goblin' with the solid gold of Rudbeckia for a high-impact, late-summer display that glows in the evening sun.
📅 Sowing & Flowering Calendar
Sow indoors in spring for first-year flowers. Flowers June to October.
| Month | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sow Indoors | 🟢 | 🟢 | 🟢 | |||||||||
| Flowers (Yr 1+) | 🌸 | 🌸 | 🌸 | 🌸 | 🌸 |
🏆 Officially Recognised Excellence
Gaillardia is a top-tier plant for pollinators. The wide, flat flowers provide an ideal landing pad for butterflies and are packed with nectar for bees.
- Regular price
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£2.00 - Regular price
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- Sale price
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£2.00
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