Question
QUESTION: Hi, I live in Vermont and would like to grow white daisies for my August 2009 wedding.  I have read that the Shasta daisies will not bloom until the following year. Couple of questions:
1. Is there a variety of daisies I could grow from seeds this year?  Obviously would be looking for them to flower by end of July.
2. If I cannot grow them, I can purchase plants. What variety of daisies would be flowering towards the end of summer?

Thank you so much for your help!

ANSWER: Hi Carolyn,
Thanx for your question.  You're going to be hard-pressed to find a daiy that will be blooming in August.  You may be able to find some asters but it's usually the perennial asters and by seed they will not bloom until next year too.  You can usually find them potted up and they should start blooming towards the end of August.  Gerbera is a type of daisy you can start from seed and it will bloom continuously.  The seed is expensive.  The plants are expensive too but you may be able to get a volume discount from a DIY or Walmart.  You should be able to get just about any kind of daisy from a florist or a floral supply broker.  Shastas and most other perennial daisies are done blooming by mid-July.  I'm sorry.  I hope this helps.
Tom

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Tom, THANK YOU!  I do plan to purchase shasta daisies from a florist for loose flower arrangements.  But I also had my heart set on potted daisies.  I think the white Gerbera daisies would be lovely.  Do you think if I plant them early May (or as soon as weather allows outdoors) that I would have flowers by the last week of July?  If not, maybe I could plant the seeds indoors in April for a headstart.  Thanks again.

Answer
Hi Carolyn,
Thanx for the follow up.  More bad news.  I didn't realize the fact that a gerbera daisy is a tender perennial and from seed it will not bloom until the second year.  These plants are natives of South Africa and are also known as Transvaal daisies.  In most of the U.S. gerberas are grown as annuals because they are only hardy to the Deep South and the Southwest.  I think you're probably going to have to buy the potted daisies.  Sometimes you can get good volume deals by going to a local nursery.  Tell them what you want and when and maybe make a sweet deal with them and then you don't have to worry about trying to grow them and get them to flower in time for your wedding.  You are going to be so busy planning and coordinating this huge event are you sure you want the added responsibility of trying to care for a bunch of persnickety daisies?  You can have potted daisies, just let the professional boys and girls do it for you!  A lot of times, time is money.  Good luck and Congratulations on your upcoming nuptials.
Tom