Hi Aloha,

The "standard" dwarf variety--been around forever--is 'Goblin'! About a foot tall, forms a nicely shaped, compact plant, blooms well, and blooms for a long time, especially if it's deadheaded regularly.

There's also 'Golden Goblin' which is all yellow, but I don't think it's quite as vigorous as regular 'Goblin', and I think it's somewhat taller--a few inches.

My favorite, which I don't have yet, but will definitely be getting some day, is 'Fanfare'! It's short (not quite as short as 'Goblin' I think) and each individual petal is shaped like a little trumpet! I'm sure 'Fanfare' was originally either a sport of 'Goblin' or was hybridized from it because I've seen/sold 'Goblin' plants that had flowers exactly like 'Fanfare'! If you were to buy a bunch of 'Goblin' plants, you could possibly get one with flowers like 'Fanfare', but you wouldn't know till they bloomed. Most of the 'Fanfare' plants have more yellow in the flowers than shown in the pic I've linked below, but that pic has a good closeup of the petals, so I picked it! Google for images for a more accurate color representation--tho you'll find a moderate degree of color difference from plant to plant with any of the Gaillardias.

If there are other, newer short varieties, I've been out of the industry too long to know about them!

Skybird

Here is a link that might be useful: Gaillardia 'Fanfare'

Arizona Sun is a good, compact, long blooming Gaillardia. Fanfare, with its tubular petals, is quite fun and good where you will view it close up - as along a walk. I have grown both and would say that the flatter petals of Arizona Sun are perhaps showier so far as color. I deadhead for a bit and then let the attractive pom pom like seed heads form. They are not a long lived perennial. I generally find I need to replace individual plants after three seasons - in larger plantings (groups of five or more)I may need to replace several plants each season. Arizona Sun is usually available in smaller pots whereas Fanfare is usually a 1 gallon size. Older forms such as Goblin self sow. I love them paired with Pineleaf Penstemon.

Welcome to RMG, BigSky!

Skybird

Ooooh, thanks for the idea, Big Sky! My Pineleaf Penstemon has reseeded, and now I know exactly where to put all of those little sprouts. I don't have Arizona Sun, but I do have Goblin. I originally planted a compact version of Penstemon pinifolius next to the Gaillardia, but they don't seem to be as hardy as the regular sized pineleaf, and died off after a season or two.

Skybird, my DH and I were blown away by the intricate petals on the fanfare. Sounds like it may be a hit and miss finding them though. Is that why you haven't gotten them yet too?

BigSky, glad to hear you have grown both the Fanfare and Arizona Sun. I like to get the smaller plants (cheaper and easy to take hold it seems for me).

Since I'm lining quite a bit of area, I'm wondering though if I'm going to have to use the Goblin that more readily appears, either by another year or self seeding. At least now I understand it wasn't just about something I was doing (or not doing) that most of my Gaillardia died before.

I'm going to look into the complimentary plants. I'm not good at combining various plants, but I learn I suppose (with a lot of hand holding on GW).

Has anyone had much luck by purposeful seedings?

Hi Aloha,

"...my DH and I were blown away by the intricate petals on the fanfare"
Me too! That's why I love it so much! Very few things that have such a unique petal! But, because it's unique, it's patented, and that's why you're almost always going to have to pay more for it--unfortunately! I don't think you'd have any problem finding them, just have to pay more than for something like 'Goblin'! Both Paulino's and Timberline carry 'Fanfare', and probably almost any other "real" garden center.

I haven't gotten one yet partly because I've been hoping one would show up at one of the swaps, and mostly because of my limited sun---thank you very much neighbor's big, nasty cottonwood trees!!! In about a month, when it starts going to seed this year, I'm gonna lose the Acanthus--which is finally getting way too big for my very limited space--and since that's in one of my sunniest spots, I think a 'Fanfare' is probably one of the things I'll try there. May wind up not being sunny enough, but I'll find out! And one of these years I'm still planning to get rid of the rock on the one corner in my front (south) yard, and I could move it out there (along with some other things that must have full sun that are struggling right now) when that finally gets done.

You shouldn't have any trouble finding seed for 'Goblin' if that's the way you want to go--probably locally, but definitely mail order. I think they'd probably winter sow well, and you could get a bunch of them CHEAP that way! ALSO, I got some 'Goblin' seed from Bonnie a few years ago (I'm assuming it's still good) and I'd be glad to give you some at the Fall Swap if you want some--OR--I'm still planning to have the little Perennial Information Session here at my house, probably sometime next week, July 12 - 17. TreeBarb and Polygonum are the only people who have expressed interest in coming so far, and if you'd like to come too, I could give you some of the seed now, and there's plenty of time left for you to start them this summer and put them in when they get big enough, so they should bloom some next year already. ALSO, I got some 'Fanfare' seed from somebody, but I don't know who anymore, and I'd be glad to give you some of that too, but I don't know for sure if 'Fanfare' seed is even viable (or sterile - but I doubt it), OR if it comes true from seed. I like to experiment! That's what I'm gonna use to try to get one for myself for next year! And, assuming it's not sterile, if it doesn't come true from the seed, it'll just wind up looking like the original 'Goblin', and if it doesn't look like 'Fanfare' I can always give it away at a swap and try again!!!

Let me know if you'd like some of either/both at the swap, or if you'd like me to email you about possibly joining us for a couple hours one of those afternoons. And--not to worry about what to plant with what! It's YOUR garden! Plant what you like, where you want it! If you decide you don't like it there, dig it up and move it! There is no right or wrong! If somebody else doesn't like it, so what! It's not their garden!!! (Things to think about when deciding what to plant near what is one of the things I was going to go into at the swap demo, and is still one of the things I plan to talk about at the get together!)

I didn't think to mention it in my first post, but BigSky is right about Gaillardia being short-lived. But did you happen to notice the info under Plant Care on the site I linked above, about propagating Gaillardia by cutting thru the roots at the side of the plant? When I get one, I'm gonna experiment with that--had never heard that before! Assuming it works, it would be an easy way for you to start more each year so you could just keep replacing the older ones as they go downhill.

Pictures when you get your walk lined with them!

Skybird