I have had Marconi for about 12 years now. I don't know if it's the cultivar or the fact that it's in a raised bed. I also planted another variety last summer which came back this year. However one year is not a good test. (Can't remember the variety off the top of my head and there are to many mosquitoes to run out and look.) The down side to Marconi is that it is tall and tends to flop. I suspect good winter drainage is important to their survival. I'm about an hour NW of Mankato.

Hi Hosta, wish we lived closer, my love for hostas has grown
in the last few years.

I don't think Marconi is the cultivar, cuz her daisy doesn't flop.

Any one else have an idea?
TIA jan

Will try to remember to check the other variety tomorrow. I forgot today. I also planted Becky this spring, it's been returning for 4 years now for a couple of friends. That one is shorter and has sturdier stems.

I hear your pain :) I've never had much luck with Shasta's myself...Would your friend be willing to give you a few plants? Sounds like she has quite a few and plants are happier when divided after a few years :)

"Crazy Daisy" is the one I planted last year. It has a frilly type of bloom, but and came back beautifully this year, of course it had 3 ft. of snow cover last winter.

Mom, Yes she would give me some. But I have to say, they have an unpleasant odor. Is that only her variety or do all Shastas have an off odor?
Hosta, I love the description of "Crazy Daisy." Is it smelly or fragrant or without scent at all? I ask, because she gave me a bouquet and it was unpleasant on my table and I had to move it elsewhere. I really like my cut flowers on the table, where I can enjoy them up close, because I don't bring bouquets in for other spots except my rose bowl.
TIA, gramma jan

I have many varieties of shasta daisy. Some I have grown from seed and others were cuttings or plants. I have no secret on getting them to grow as most grow like a weed in my gardens. They have various amounts of fragrance with some very little. Some I culled because I hated the smell and others because they self seeded too much or were too floppy.

One of my favorites which does not flop and continuous to bloom all summer if deadheaded is Snow Lady. This one I grew from seed via winter sowing. It is the one that most visitors ask me to share.

Another favorite is Broadway Lights which opens yellow and fades to white. Though it has buds further down the stem I have not gotten much rebloom on this one. Maybe I need to fertilize it more after first bloom.

I guess I can't say, I'll have to give it the sniff test.

well there were only a couple of blooms left but I couldn't smell them.

Hosta, Thanks for doing the smell test.I thought I had tried Becky, but maybe not. I'll give her a go. I know where I can get her.
mngal, I love the sound of snow lady too. Lucky you to have so many shastas. They are such a nice flower for bouquets.
I notice you fertilize multiple times, maybe that is my problem. I steer clear of all the chemicals, cuz of allergies.
Thanks, gramma jan

I actually don't fertilize often. Try to put down compost in the spring. Annuals in pots get fertilizer when I remember, which isn't often enough.

I dug up my crazy daisies and added them to the compost, along with Becky. They get too floppy. Divided Broadway Lights to replace crazy daisies. Think the yellow blooms will look nice behind the chartreuse hostas.