Dyer's Chamomile Susanna Mitchell

Dyer's Chamomile 'Susanna Mitchell' (Anthemis 'Susanna Mitchell') is a low silver leaved perennial that carries creamy white daisies with a soft yellow eye right through spring and summer. It sits at about 40cm tall and spreads to 80cm, so a handful of plants covers a border or a dry bank quickly. The ferny grey foliage looks good even between flushes, which is more than most flowering groundcovers manage.

Why you'll love it

• Months of daisies. Flowering runs from spring through summer, with a second flush if you shear the spent heads off.
• Silver foliage that earns its place. Fine grey green leaves hold their colour in dry heat and set off darker green shrubs behind them.
• Covers ground fast. Quick growing and spreading to 80cm, so 40cm spacing knits into a continuous mat in a season.
• Genuinely tough. Frost hardy, drought tolerant, happy in poor soil and salt tolerant enough for a coastal front garden.

Where it works best

Groundcover and mass planting. Plant 40cm apart for quick cover. On a slope or a dry bank the shallow mat helps hold the soil together once the plants join up.

Borders and edging. At 40cm high it edges a path or a driveway without flopping over the hard surface, and it reads well repeated in a long line.

Rockeries and coastal gardens. Sharp drainage and salt wind suit it, so it works among rocks, in gravel gardens and in exposed seaside beds where softer perennials burn.

Growing Dyer's Chamomile in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, all day. It is at home in cool temperate, warm temperate and Mediterranean gardens and takes frost without trouble. In humid subtropical and tropical districts the grey foliage tends to rot through the wet season, so it is not the pick for those gardens.

Soil. Free draining above all else. Poor, sandy and gravelly soils are fine, and rich beds simply produce soft growth. On clay, plant into a raised bed or a gravel mound.

Water and feed. Water weekly for the first two months to settle the roots, then only through long dry spells. Feeding is rarely needed; a light dressing of complete fertiliser in early spring is the most it wants.

Pruning. Shear the whole plant back by about a third once the main flush finishes. This keeps it compact, prevents the woody bare centre that untrimmed plants develop, and usually triggers another round of flowers.

What to expect when it arrives

It is sold as tube stock and as 140mm plants in packs of ten. Tubes are small and young, which is the economical way to cover a large bed since they establish fast in warm soil. The 140mm packs are further along and give a filled out look within a few months, which suits a border where the effect matters this season.

Plants travel well and are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Expect a fortnight of settling, then quick spread through the first warm season, and plan on the plants meeting by the end of it. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Choosing the right groundcover plant
• Browse the full groundcover range
• Plants that attract bees and butterflies
• Rockery plants for dry sunny beds

Common questions

How many do I need per square metre?

At 40cm spacing, roughly six plants per square metre. Wider spacing still works, it simply takes another season for the mat to close and leaves room for weeds meanwhile.

How do I stop it going woody in the middle?

Shear it back after the main flowering flush, and again lightly in early spring. Plants left untrimmed open out in the centre after two or three years and are best replaced.

Will it cope with a hot dry summer?

Yes, once established. It is drought tolerant and happy in poor soil, though it flowers longer with an occasional deep soak. What it will not accept is wet feet.