Alyssum saxatile Golden Queen - Basket of Gold

Alyssum saxatile 'Golden Queen' is a hardy and compact perennial that is truly worthy of its name! It produces masses of small, bright golden-yellow blooms in spring over silvery green foliage that is evergreen in milder climates. Dazzling in rock gardens, hanging baskets and pots, it needs plenty of sun and well-drained soil. Ideal for dry sites with poor, stony or chalky ground.

Alyssum saxatile, commonly known as Basket of Gold, is a mat-forming, woody-based perennial plant that belongs to the Brassicaceae family alongside cabbage and mustard. It is native to the dry, rocky mountainous regions of Europe and North America. 'Golden Basket' has a compact habit (25 cm high, 30 cm wide), forming dense, spreading mounds of bright yellow flowers in spring. The 4-petalled flowers are gathered in clusters (corymbs). The semi-evergreen to evergreen grey-green leaves are petiolate, alternate, ovate to obovate in shape and covered in fine, silvery hairs.

Basket of Gold is one of those plants that really bends over backwards to make spring one of the most colourful times of the year! It comes to life shortly after forsythias and at the same time as tulips. This easy to grow, low-maintenance perennial does best in full sun in well-drained soil. It is ideal for stony, dry soil and will squeeze in just about anywhere: in rock gardens, over retaining stone walls, in troughs or hanging baskets. It is useful for softening the edges of borders and flowerbeds or as low-growing ground cover and pairs well with blue and purple rock cress.