We knew we had something special with ‘Banana Cream’ when we cut a fresh bouquet of the lemon yellow flowers for the office and two weeks later the flowers still looked as fresh and yellow as the day they were cut!

The 4-5 inch wide flowers are lemon yellow when they open, brightening to light butter yellow and finally to creamy white as they mature. An extra row of ray petals gives the flowers a fuller appearance than truly single varieties. Since it produces flower buds at each axillary shoot, ‘Banana Cream’ blooms prolifically all summer long atop strong, upright stems.

Compared to older cultivars, this plant has nicely compact, dark green foliage and exhibits increased disease resistance. It has proven to be a very strong grower and rapid multiplier. Try planting a few in the landscape or combination containers and you’ll be rewarded with loads of blooms for fresh bouquets.

Shasta Daisies are all-time favorites for the perennial border. The cheery flowers begin to appear in early summer and continue on for several months if faithfully deadheaded. Shastas mix so effortlessly with other perennials that no garden should be without them!

Dianthus Letitia Wyatt