Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd
Brachycome Mix (Swan River Daisies)
Brachycome Mix (Swan River Daisies)
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Brachycome 'Swan River Daisy' Mixed Seeds
If you want your containers to look like overflowing clouds of colour rather than stiff arrangements, the Swan River Daisy is essential. This Australian native produces mounds of feathery, fern-like foliage that are almost completely smothered by hundreds of dainty, star-like daisies.
This mix creates a cooling palette of soft lavender, violet-blue, and pure white, all with contrasting yellow or black centres. Unlike many bedding plants which can look garish, Brachycome adds a soft, fine texture. It trails beautifully over the edges of window boxes and releases a subtle, sweet honey fragrance on warm days.
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🌿 Understanding the Plant
Brachycome is a Half-Hardy Annual.
It originates from Western Australia, so it loves sunshine and warmth. It hates frost and cold, wet soil. It is a fast grower, designed to bloom profusely for one season before dying back in winter.
The "Fern" Leaf: Even before it flowers, the plant is attractive. The leaves are deeply cut and delicate (hence the name "Cut Leaf Daisy"), providing a soft backdrop that makes the flowers pop.
🌱 Growing Guide: How to Sow and Grow
These seeds are tiny and need light to germinate.
Germination:
Sow indoors from February to April. Surface sow onto moist compost and do not cover (or cover with a very fine dusting of vermiculite). Keep at 20°C. Germination takes 10-14 days.
Where to Sow:
They need full sun and well-drained compost. They are ideal for hanging baskets, troughs, and window boxes. They can be grown in borders, but they often get lost among larger plants, so keep them for pots.
Care While Growing:
Pinch: When seedlings are young, pinch out the growing tips to encourage a bushy, trailing habit.
Watering: Do not let them dry out completely. While they like sun, they have fine roots that scorch easily in dry baskets.
📋 Plant Specifications
| Latin Name | Brachycome iberidifolia |
| Common Name | Swan River Daisy |
| Hardiness | H2 (Half-Hardy - Needs Frost Protection) |
| Light Required | Full Sun ☀️ |
| Height | ↕️ 25cm - 30cm (Trailing) |
| Spread | ↔️ 30cm |
| Spacing | 🌱 15cm apart |
| Great for | 🧺 Hanging Baskets 🪴 Window Boxes 🦋 Butterflies 👃 Scented Gardens |
| Seed Count | Approx. 500 seeds per packet (Tiny seeds!) |
🤝 Perfect Garden Companions
Brachycome is the ultimate "under-planting" partner for larger pot plants:
- 🌸 Petunias: The Volume Balance. Petunias have large, trumpet flowers. Brachycome has tiny, detailed daisies. Mixing them creates a balanced basket with both "thriller" and "filler" elements.
- 🌿 Dichondra 'Silver Falls': The Silver Trail. The grey-green foliage of Dichondra looks sophisticated against the purple-blue flowers of the Swan River Daisy. A very modern container look.
📅 Sowing & Flowering Calendar
Sow indoors in spring. Plant out after frost. Flowers June to September.
| Month | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sow Indoors | 🟢 | 🟢 | 🟢 | |||||||||
| Plant Out | 🌱 | 🌱 | ||||||||||
| Flowers | 🌸 | 🌸 | 🌸 | 🌸 |
⚠️ Continuous Bloom Tip
Give the plants a "haircut" in mid-summer. If they start looking straggly, shear them back by a few inches and feed with liquid fertiliser. They will produce a fresh flush of flowers for autumn.
🏆 Ideally Suited for Small Spaces
Brachycome is the perfect plant for urban gardeners. It requires minimal root space and provides maximum floral impact, making it the champion of the window box.
