With Spring like temperatures starting to finally arrive, we’re already skipping ahead to summer – and its sure to be a hot one. And, what better way to get ready for summer than sharing simple landscaping ideas.
Simple Landscaping Ideas: Fanfare Blaze Perennial
The grill isn’t going to be the only thing throwing flames this summer with Gaillardia Fanfare Blaze coming on the scene. This scorching perennial is the first selection from the new Fanfare breeding program. Gaillardia X grandiflora, more commonly known as blanket flower, is a short lived perennial with many desirable attributes perfect for South Jersey shore landscaping.
Fanfare Blaze has a compact growing habit and sports spectacular orange and yellow blooms. This perennial is not picky about soil ph but it does like its soil to be well drained. So, heavy soils with a majority of clay will most likely kill this plant. Fanfare Blaze is also not a heavy feeder, and in fact, poor soils may encourage heavier blooming. As an added bonus, Fanfare Blaze blooms all summer long for constant color. This perennial prefers full sun but is not picky about where it is placed. A few simple landscaping ideas include planting it in beds, as a border and in containers. Once this plant is established it is very drought tolerant so excessive watering is not needed – perfect for hot south jersey summers!
Fanfare Blaze is also salt tolerant, deer resistant and rabbit resistant. It is rated to survive up to USDA hardiness zone five so it is very cold hardy. Do you enjoy the beauty of a bouquet in the center of a family dinner? Fanfare blaze is perfect for cut flowers because of the long and hardy flower stems. In fact, cutting off dead blooms of will encourage heavier and more frequent blooming.
Additional simple landscaping ideas with Fanfare Blaze is that although it is a perennial, it can be treated like an annual and be re-planted every year if you want to keep the compact nature. However, if you like a gift that keeps on giving, this perennial will spread from year to year. Dividing of the plant is necessary every two years to ensure the health of the plant and surrounding landscaping. If you want to add a little heat to your landscaping, Don’t forget to request Fanfare Blaze this summer.