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Flowers of daisy shape are the cheeriest flowers of all and Paris daisy is one the best. Nothing touches its brilliant white colour with centres of bright gold and massed heads of flowers.
Called ‘marguerite’ which is the French word for daisy, and the other common name of ‘Paris daisy’, it would be natural to expect that this is a French native but it is not.
Instead it comes from an even warmer climate, that of the sub-tropical Canary Islands where it grows on rocky, dry hillsides facing south. But it is widely seen growing in the south of France along the Riviera.
The Paris daisy or argyranthemum, which is its botanical name, likes lots of sunshine, it is a true plant of a sunny climate and like any plant associated with a sunny climate, it can be used to bring a sunshine touch.
The foliage is grey and divided, fern-like. It is blueish-green and waxy, which is an adaptation to cope with dry sunny conditions.
It likes well-drained ground. In its native land, argyranthemum does most of its growing in the damp season and stops flowering in the baking summer heat. But it thrives in the summer weather here.
The plant itself makes a small bush, low to the ground to resist the wind and is rounded. It is not a shrub although the stems are quite tough, and it is very fast-growing.
Near the tips of each shoot, the flower buds arise and are carried on long slender shoots. As the flowers wither, others replace them, although there is a first main flush in early to mid-summer.
The main kind seen for sale is the basic Argyranthemum frutescens, or good forms derived from it.
‘Snowstorm’ is a compact plant covered with white daisies with yellow. ‘Donnington Hero’ has the white daisies well carried over compact foliage, a low-growing spreading kind that looks very well in a small garden.
The variety ‘Chelsea Girl’ has very fine, almost hair-like foliage, greyish in colour and masses of white, yellow-centred daisies. ‘Blizzard’ is a double-white type with small, fully double flowers that look like the flowers of a chrysathemum.
The pink forms can be just as effective, such as ‘Petite Pink’, which is smaller than most, forming a low rounded mound. It is relatively hardy and can be seen in mild areas flowering very late and beginning to flower in late spring.
‘Vancouver’ is a deep pink form and ‘Mary Wootton’ is a pale-pink version. However, varieties vary and new kinds are being introduced.
There are yellow-flowered kinds too, the best-known of which is ‘Jamaica Primrose’ with fine yellow daisies over sea-weedy, relatively broad green leaves.
‘Peach Cheeks’ is a peachy colour between pink and yellow that produces a strong first flush then eases off but unusually produces semi-double flowers later in the summer.
Paris daisies will survive through winter in mild coastal areas and in a mild winter but it is necessary to take cuttings in summer to carry some new plants in case the old ones are killed.
In this way, it is much like geraniums which are also used outdoors in summer, but marguerite is hardier than the ordinary red bedding geraniums.
It is an easy plant to propagate and worthwhile raising a few plants from cuttings to risk outdoors, but the best effect of all is created by having several plants in pots or other containers, along with other plants, and having a few more marguerites in the beds and borders of the garden.
Woolly aphid is usually very noticeable on apple trees with tell-tale tufts of white waxy wool.
The tufts of white wool are produced by the aphids to disguise themselves and protect against predators and parasites. The wool is waxy and spray material tends to run off.
A colony of aphids, or greenflies, can make a continuous cover of white wool to protect itself.
Birds and other predators are usually fairly good at working out the tricks of their prey, but it would seem not so in this case.
Earwigs can be good predators of woolly aphid.
Try to catch an infestation before it becomes widespread on the tree as cropping can be reduced.
To assist the predator insects in taking control of the pest, it can be worthwhile to paint the woolly colonies with methylated spirits or rubbing alcohol.
Fruit, vegetables and herbs
Pick and use vegetables and herbs in good time as they become ready. Potato blight favours changeable wet weather and control must be maintained, or early varieties used, as this is a prime time for infection. Apple and pear scab too have been active and must be controlled on susceptible varieties. Remove vegetables that have gone over.
Flowers
Feeding is essential if no slow-release fertiliser or granular fertiliser was mixed in the compost. Liquid feed can be given in every third or fourth watering. Plants in containers of all kinds need regular watering, even every day if the weather is hot and dry, less often if it is cool and overcast, but remember that rain is almost no use to pots.
Trees, shrubs and roses
Many deciduous trees suffered from wind damage as the leaves expanded and wet windy weather has done damage to leaves. The soil deep down remains quite dry so water young trees if the ground has cracked and looks dry. It is time to clip hedges of all kinds before the wood gets tough. Spray susceptible rose varieties against blackspot.
Lawns
Most lawns are in good condition after the mixture of sunshine and showers recently. If a lawn is pale or yellowish, as some are, it probably could do with feeding. Edging is needed on most lawns to keep the boundaries with paths and flower beds looking neat and free of seed heads. Mowing should be eased off if grass growth is reduced.
Greenhouse and house plants
Make sure to water plants in pots or grow bags regularly, because these can easily dry out. Train and side-shoot tomatoes. Continue watering and feeding greenhouse plants, and house plants. Take cuttings of shrubs from now on, deciduous kinds especially. Keep a grapevine under control by pinching out excessive growth or shortening shoots.
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