Daisy, Daisy give me your answer do

I like daisies. Like sunflowers, who are related-family members (Asteraceae), they're warm and happy with friendly faces. Although sunflowers are my Number One favourite, daisies - and especially Barberton Daisies (aka Gerber after their botanical genus) - rank right up there too.

Early this week on 702 (talk radio station) there was a suggestion that Jo'burg residents sow Namaqualand Daisy seeds now so that they'll be out during the World Cup. Jo'burg is brown and drab in winter, so a flush of oranges and yellows will be welcome. Unfortunately, with 10 weeks to go until the World Cup, it's a bit too late as it takes 100-120 days for flowering. Still, I thought it would be a super thing to do anyway. The gardening lady on the radio said yesterday that if you give them a bit of a fertilizer boost along the way and keep them moist, you can get flowering a bit earlier.

I hit my local nursery on Tuesday afternoon to buy seeds and selected two packets of a 'Namaqualand Flower Mix'. This morning, just before the rains started again, I sowed them. The pavement garden at my place has bothered me for ages as it has plants, but soil is still visible. I don't like seeing soil in flowerbeds. I'm hoping the spread of flowers, expected to be in full swing by mid-July, will look like the picture on the packet - colourful and abundant.

BEFORE: There are seeds all over the soil parts. Day One; 100 to go.

If you like this idea, give it a go. And if you don't have a garden, sow the seeds into a container to create a mini-garden.

I couldn't resist the Gerber seeds at the nursery. I've got them in egg trays to grow them to seedlings before moving into pots.