Petal power

Bedding out marigolds could soon be superseded by a new breeding breakthrough if a brand new hybrid continues to deliver on a promising debut. PowerDaisy is a novel and previously untried cross between annual Calendula

officinalis and two other perennial species.

The resulting well-branched, spreading plant produces an abundance of brightly coloured yellow, double daisies among ample dark-green foliage, achieving a height and spread of 40cm (1ft 3 in). Being frost resistant to about -10C (14F), plants can still be in flower in December, if the weather allows. The plants are also tolerant of heat, rain and drought and are very tolerant of diseases, such as mildew.

Being virtually sterile PowerDaisy won’t seed about or become a nuisance. Twelve years in the making, PowerDaisies are the brainchild of UK professional plant breeder Tim Kerley, who started the project while still a student at Reading University, who then nurtured the project through to launch in 2016, when yellow PowerDaisy ‘Sunny’ came third in the Chelsea Plant of the Year and also third in a public vote of new plants staged at RHS garden Wisley. This year orange-flowered ‘Tango’ is being staged at Chelsea. Several others are currently being trialled for potential launch in future years.

Both orange and yellow varieties are available from www. thompson-morgan.com; tel: 0844 573 1818. Prices from £14.99 for five plants at www.yougarden. com; tel: 0844 656 9569 and various garden centres.