Denver Daisy, Redux

In full bloom.

Here’s how you insure that your Denver Daisy is in blooming good health: You get it from professionals, already fully grown (or close enough).

Earlier this summer, I reported on how my attempts to grow a Denver Daisy — the special species designed to honor Denver’s 150th birthday, with a seed giveaway in April scheduled to have the city ablaze in color by the Democratic National Convention — had twice been foiled. Once, my single seedling may have been the victim of a daisy-napping. But the second time, the tiny plant just crumbled into dust and disappeared.

Not so the lovely pot of Denver Daisies I was presented with last Thursday night at the Denver Botanic Gardens, where big patches of the daisies in full blown glory further mocked my gardening efforts.

So yes, it is possible to grow a Denver Daisy, as this photo proves. The real challenge will be whether I can keep a Denver Daisy alive. — Patricia Calhoun