A Tale of Two Shasta Daisies

I like Shasta daisies.

(Chrysanthemum x superbum)

But, I don't like them on huge plants, the ones growing in my Butterfly Garden and

 Pollinator Garden.

They take more than their share of bed space and will have to go.

I started with one, which grew from a seed in the Butterfly Garden in 2017, 

blooming its second year, as they do.

 Here it is in April 2018, looking all little and innocent.

Then it grew and grew, and although only two years old needed division.

A smaller clump stayed in the Butterfly Garden.

One division went to the Pollinator Garden.

A few went into the ground behind the pool bed, only because I couldn't bring myself to throw them out.  If they grew, which they did, they grew.  If not, no loss.

Now those in the garden areas have grown into huge plants, not fit for beds!  

I am 5'9" and some are past my shoulders!

They shade and crowd the other plants, including my favorite lance-leaf coreopsis.

They must go.  After they bloom of course, I'll give them that much.  Maybe. 
That depends on how the other plants do.  I was forced to hold much of that mess back with a

wire trellis, on the other side, to let annuals (black-eyed Susan, blanket flower and Mexican red sunflower) get some sunlight.

But, I like Shasta daisies, so what do I do?

Fortunately, I also have a variety called 'Angel,' which stays small. 
It still needs frequent division, but it only grows to 12" - 18" high, including the flowers.

 

I begin with one potted plant, which early last fall was divided into dozens.

I planted three at the end of the Pollinator Garden bed, one in a container on the deck, sent a few out of town, and gave the rest away on Craigslist.

'Angel' is a perfect little Shasta daisy!  

Here one is politely sharing a container with a viola and a cosmo.

And the tree in the Pollinator Garden really look nice.  Between their flowers and the annuals blooming around them, that end of the bed looks prettier every day!

See how tidy and compact, but with the same lovely daisy blooms?

That's my tale of two Shasta daisies.
I did learn something new today.  Shasta daisies are not a naturally

occurring flower.  They were developed by Luther Burbank as a long stemmed, long-lasting cut flower for the floral industry.  They are a hybrid of several varieties (I read three or four).  Which is 

why they might not dependably bear true to type from seed.