Namaqualand daisy

South Africa’s famous Namaqualand Daisies are not only beautiful but also water-wise, economical, and easy to grow in any sunny garden bed, bringing warm cheer to gardens from mid-winter to spring. They also provide a vital food resource for butterflies and bees at a time of year when nectar is scarce.

Namaqualand daisies will adapt to most garden soils with good drainage but love light, well-drained soil. Prepare the beds by digging them over well, breaking down any clods of soil and removing stones, and in poor soils the addition of some compost will do wonders. Once the beds are prepared water the ground before you sow as a wet bed makes it easier for the light seed to stick to the surface of the soil.

Keep the soil moist but not soggy until the seeds germinate, and when the young plants are a few centimetres tall, thin them out to space them about 20 to 25cm apart. Namaqualand daisies will take anything from 4 to 14 days to germinate, and will flower about 3 months after sowing.