Helenium Tie Dye

Helenium 'Tie Dye' is a recent and original variety of autumn sneezeweed, whose almost unreasonable flowering announces the end of summer in a fanfare. The petals appear striped with deep pink and yellow, they are tightly curled and arranged around a brown centre. This variety forms sturdy, wind-resistant, branched stems that generally do not require staking. A robust perennial that offers an abundance of unique flowers for bouquets in late summer and autumn. Easy to grow in the sun and in moist soil, this generous plant brings the garden to life from August to the first frost, in flower beds as well as in large pots.

Sneezeweed belongs to the aster family and is native to North America, where it often grows near marshes. The 'Tie Dye' cultivar, still relatively unknown in Europe, is a recent creation born in the nursery of Sandrine and Thierry Delabroye. It stands out with its unique and unrivalled colouring. The plant is bushy and fairly tall, with branched stems reaching a height of 80 to 90cm (32 to 35in). From August to October, numerous flowers bloom tirelessly in clusters. These inflorescences resemble large 6cm (2in) diameter daisies. In the centre, the domed cone, coloured brown, gradually gives way to yellow stamens arranged in concentric circles. At the periphery, partially curled florets unfold, simultaneously revealing a yellow upper side and a pinkish-purple underside.

A country garden without sneezeweed is not complete. The 'Tie Dye' Helenium is a plant that is easy to grow and never falls ill. Despite all these qualities, sneezeweed remains rare in gardens. Perhaps because their warm tones announce autumn a little too quickly, while the gardener is still trying to hold onto the last summer blooms. However, they are the perfect complement to asters. 'Tie Dye', when combined with Rudbeckias, pairs very well with autumnal plants such as Heucheras, but can also be associated with a Compact Winged Euonymus, a 'Young Lady' Smokebush whose foliage ignites at the first frost, or even a magnificent Virginia Creeper. In a different setting, the soft and neutral foliage of Stachys or salvias greatly enhances the two-tone colour of its flowering.