Leucanthemum superbum Brightside - Shasta Daisy

Leucanthemum x superbum 'Brightside' is a large daisy in the same vein as 'Becky', but bushier and with even stronger stems. Very branched, bearing large white flowers with bright yellow centres, the plant resembles a very large bouquet in summer. It is an excellent garden perennial, a versatile and trouble-free plant that will not disappoint, even for novice gardeners. Well suited to slightly moist, clay and heavy soil, it is one of those summer queens, with a charming and childlike appeal, essential in a flower garden as well as in wildflower bouquets. 

The genus Leucanthemum belongs to the Asteraceae family. 'Brightside' is one of the many hybrids of Leucanthemum x superbum, the well-known Shasta Daisy. It is a variety that is particularly hardy, to-20°C (-4°F), strong, floriferous, vigorous, robust, and disease-resistant. It grows rapidly, forming a dense, more tall than wide, ball-shaped clump in a few years. It measures about 80 cm (32in) in height and its stump occupies 40 cm (16in). Lush in summer, it completely disappears in winter. Flowering occurs from June to September, in the form of large solitary heads measuring 7 to 8 cm (3in) in diameter, composed of white ligules surrounding a large centre of tubular florets in chrome yellow. The floral stems are numerous and particularly strong: they do not require staking and are perfect for cutting. The leaves are matt dark green, simple and alternate with a regularly dentate edge. The plant reaches full maturity in five years. The above-ground vegetation is deciduous and dries up in autumn and regrows in spring.

This lovely summer daisy Brightside, ideal for making bouquets, will be perfect in a border or wildflower meadow, beneath fruit trees or at the edges of the garden. Pair its somewhat simple flowers with that of poppies, blue thistles, phlox, and delphiniums.  Combine it with grasses, asters, peonies, blue lupins, or bellflowers. The rustic appearance and intrepid nature of this robust variety remind us of our grandmothers' unpretentious, yet abundantly blooming garden, adding the pleasure of a prolonged summer flowering. Daisies beautifully complement old roses and lilies in bouquets.