Roddy Milne, Head Gardener at Picton Castle and Gardens near Haverforwest, shares his passion for plants….

Shasta Daisies are really old cottage garden favourites. They are at present unfashionable amongst gardeners, but this will doubtless change as more varieties are tried out. Many of the older varieties were rather over-tall and somewhat top heavy meaning they required staking. In a floppy cottage garden this is acceptable behaviour but unsuitable for most modern gardeners.

Shasta Daisies (or Leucanthemum in the botanical world) have white or cream coloured daisy-like flowers on top of straight stems. There are quite a few varieties available - from short, rather formless ones to ones which grow two metres tall. My favourite is Leucanthemun x superbum (‘Old Court’) which grows to about a metre tall and has masses of wonderful flowers measuring about ten centimetres across. It has lots of really narrow petals, making it look rather spidery and seems to grow happily in any reasonable soil, in sun or part shade, and does not need extra support.