KY Garden Flowers - Gaillardia to Gypsophila

*Gaillardia*	*Gaura*	*Geranium*	*Geum*	*Gomphrena*
*Galium*	*Gazania*	*Gerbera*	*Gladiolus*	*Gypsophila*

Gaillardia x grandiflora - Blanketflower, Gallardia, Indian Blanket

Flower Color	Height	Season	Pests	Uses	Propagation
dark red with yellow tips	18"- 30"	summer	few	border, cut	seed

Performance - Gaillardia grows as an annual or perennial in Kentucky gardens, generally they are short-lived perennials. They prefer well-drained soils that are not overly fertile and full sun locations.

Comments - Cut the declining flowers to encourage more blooms.

Varieties - 'Baby Cole', 'Butterscotch Bronze', 'Goblin', 'Lollipops'

Galium odoratum - Sweet Woodruff, Woodruff

Flower Color	Height	Season	Pests	Uses	Propagation
white	6"- 8"	spring	few	rock garden, ground cover, edging, dried flowers	division

Performance - Sweet woodruff is grown as a perennial ground cover in shady Kentucky gardens. It grows best in partial to full shade with moist, well-drained soil. It will quickly spread and cover large areas if consistent moisture is provided. Gardeners must keep them well irrigated through dry spells or they will deteriorate and go dormant until next year.

Comments - The fragrant flowers are excellent for sachets and potpourris.

Gaura lindheimeri - White Gaura

Flower Color	Height	Season	Pests	Uses	Propagation
white, pink	30"- 50"	early summer to frost	few	southern garden border	seed

Performance - White Gaura is a reliable perennial in Kentucky gardens and grows best in full sun in a well-drained soil. Gaura has a long tap root, so little water is necessary. Gaura is very adaptable in hot summers and will bloom all season long.

Comments - The flower stalks are long to give the plant a loose, open appearance. As the plant ages through the season the flowers will change from a white to pink in color.

Varieties - 'Corries Gold', 'Siskiyou Pink', 'Whirling Butterflies'

Gazania rigens - Gazania, Treasure Flower

Flower Color	Height	Season	Pests	Uses	Propagation
white, yellow, gold, pink, lavender, bronze	8"- 12"	early summer to frost	few	edging, bedding, containers	seed

Performance - Gazania grows as an annual garden flower in Kentucky.

The daisy-like flowers have unique stripes and patterns and the flowers stand above the basal silvery green leaves.

Comments - Gazania seems to be quite tolerant of summer heat and but they will do best in the cooler weather of spring and fall. The plants may self-sow in the garden.

Varieties - 'Daybreak' series ('Bright Orange', ‘Yellow’), 'Chasonette' series, 'Talent' series, 'Sunshine' series, 'Mini-Star' series’, ‘Variegated Orange’


‘Daybreak Bright Orange’	Gazania colors at Pan American Seed Co.

Geranium - Hardy Geranium, Cranesbill

Flower Color	Height	Season	Pests	Uses	Propagation
lilac blue, red, pink, purple	6" - 24"	spring, summer	leaf spots	borders, rock gardens	division, seed

Performance - Hardy geraniums are generally considered perennials in Kentucky gardens.

Lilac Cranesbill

Unfortunately there are few observations on the many types that are available. In general, they prefer partial shade because of our summer heat and dry conditions, but they may perform well in full sun and shade, depending on the situation and cultivar.

Geranium x cantabrigiense - Cambridge geranium - 'Biovoko', 'Cambridge'

Geranium endressii - Endress's geranium - 'Claridge Druce'

Geranium himalayense (G. grandiflorum) - Lilac Crane's-bill- Lilac Crane's bill grown in full sun with moist, well drained soil will produce beautiful lilac blue flowers in a sprawling habit that is ideal for walkways and perennial borders. 'Johnson Blue' is the most popular of the hybrids, producing a clear blue flower.

Geranium sanguineum - Bloody Cranesbill – This cranesbill requires a well-drained soil and does not require frequent division. These plants can spread over 2 feet. 'Album', 'Jubilee Pink', 'Striatum'

Gerbera jamesonii - Gerbera Daisy, Transvaal Daisy

Flower Color	Height	Season	Pests	Uses	Propagation
yellow, salmon, pink, red, white	12" - 18"	summer to fall	whiteflies, thrips	cut flowers, containers, beds	seed

Performance - Gerbera daisy is generally an annual garden flower in Kentucky. This daisy has large flowers with bright clear colors. It grows best in full sun to partial shade.

Comments - During mild winters gerbera may survive under heavy mulch. If plants do survive over the winter they can be propagated through division in the spring. Gerberas are common cut flowers; these types of plants are generally propagated by tissue culture.

Varieties - 'Festival' series, 'Samurai' series, 'Duplex' series, ‘Revolution’ series

Geum hybrids - Geum

Flower Color	Height	Season	Pests	Uses	Propagation
yellow, orange, red	15"- 36"	late spring	few	border, cut	seed, division

Performance - Geum is cool season perennial that may be reliable in Kentucky gardens. Plants generally deteriorate during hot, dry conditions. They prefer a well-drained soil high in organic matter and a full sun to partial shade location.

Varieties - 'Fire Opal', 'Mrs. Bradshaw', 'Princess Juliana'.

Gladiolus x hortulanus - Gladiolus, Gladiola, Glads

Flower color	Height	Season	Pests	Uses	Propagation
pink, yellow, white, red, orange	15"- 48"	summer	fusarium rot, rust, aphids, thrips	cut flower, border	division

Performance - Gladiolus are recommended to be grown as an annual in Kentucky gardens in the northern counties but are a reliable perennial in the southern and western counties of the state. If necessary, dig the corms in the fall; store them over winter, then replant in the spring. Glads are susceptible to diseases, which can be a problem, but they are easy to grow and propagate. They grow best in full sun with good air circulation between the plants. They grow well in any soil except heavy clay. Fertilizer should be applied just after shoot emergence to promote vigorous plants and flowers.

Comments - Division is done on the corms (swollen underground bulb-like stems). Corms should be dug in the fall before a hard freeze. The leaves should be cut by two-thirds and the plants allowed to dry in a shady location. Once dried, the mother corm and old roots should be removed from the new corm. The corms should then be stored at 35-40 F until spring. They should be dusted with an insecticide before storage.

Dwarf ‘Gnome’ in front, ‘All Around’ behind

Gomphrena globosa - Gomphrena, Globe Amaranth

Flower Color	Height	Season	Pests	Uses	Propagation
purple, white, pink	9" - 24"	summer	few	cut flowers, dried flowers, bedding, edging	seed

Performance - Globe amaranth is grown as an annual in Kentucky gardens. This is a warm season plant that will tolerate hot weather, drought, windy sites and excess rain. Gomphrena is grown in full sun and well drained soil.

Comments - This is an old fashioned plant that is excellent as a dried flower. It will hold its color indefinitely.

Varieties - 'Buddy' series, 'Gnome' series, 'Tall Strains', 'QIS' series (for cut flowers)

Gypsophila paniculata - Baby's Breath

Flower Color	Height	Season	Pests	Uses	Propagation
white, pink	2 - 3'	summer	few	border, cut	seed, terminal cuttings

Performance - Baby's-breath is a commonly sold perennial in Kentucky. Unfortunately, it is a cool season perennial and usually does not last too long in a Kentucky garden. They prefer a well-drained soil and they do not tolerate wet feet. The plants produce large fleshy roots and once established the plants resent disturbance.

Comments - Cutting the blooms tends to promote re-bloom.

Varieties - 'Bristol Fairy', 'Double Snowflake', 'Perfecta', 'Pink Fairy'.

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