Ryan Gainey at some point shared a most excellent Chrysanthemum with Goodness Grows, and it was named in his honor: Ryan’s Daisy.
Ryan’s daisy is a wonderful tribute to Ryan Gainey, who passed away recently. Mr. Gainey was also apparently the reason I could never get enough of Goodness Grows‘ potting soil. He made the trip from Atlanta to buy it regularly.
Ryan Gainey bought a house in Lexington, Georgia near Goodness Grows in his later years. He was a spectacularly talented designer and a true intellect. We all miss him greatly.
About Ryan’s Daisy
While I’m not normally a fan of Chrysanthemums, I do love that their flowering in the fall is a product of photoperiod response. Flowering is triggered by the shortening daylight hours. Unlike most mums, which are so compact and formal in the landscape, Ryan’s Daisy fits right into even the most informal garden.
Ryan’s Daisy is a strong grower. I appreciate the vibrant pure white flower rays against the dark green foliage. Ryan’s Daisy flowers for a good month supposedly in July-August, but in my experience, Ryan’s Daisy blooms much earlier…May-June. I’m not sure why, but I suspect that due to our recent warm winters in Athens that early growth is flushing the plant out in Feb-March. The days are still short enough in April to trigger flowering. This is just a working theory and no more.
You only need to buy one for each location in the garden as Ryan’s Daisy is a strong grower and forms an impressive clump in only a season or two.
We lost some of this mum in last year’s very rainy early summer rain, so ensure excellent drainage if possible. Each stem grows to 24″-36′ and this cultivar is heat tolerant. In partial shade, stems will get floppy, especially after a hard rain. Give it as much sun as possible.