Recommend me a blue, annual 'daisy' type flower

I've got two 1m square sections of ground either side of a gate where I want to put some kind of 'daisy' type flower (aster, rudbekia ... ?) next year

Must be an annual and blue (or blue yellow) and about 2-4 foot tall

Any thoughts or favourites ? I've seen PLENTY in the long beds of Gardeners World etc ("ooh ! that looks nice !") but of course they never say what they are called ...

Ta !

 

cornflower

 

Thanks. Was hoping for something a tad more exotic

 

There would be the osteospermum, but it is more purple than blue.

 

Here's a link to Blue Flowering Annuals.
It's not a recommendation of a supplier. I've never used them.
They do provide a lot of info though (colour, height, conditions etc.)
Hope it helps.

Blue Flowering Annuals

 

I have a good Delphinium that is a brilliant blue.
Unfortunately for you it is Perennial, but good value.

 

Not a daisy-type flower, but one of my favourite blue plants is Salvia patens. The variety 'Cambridge Blue' has sky-blue flowers, whilst 'Oxford Blue' has deeper, electric blue blooms. Unlike many so-called blue flowers, they are a true, clear colour and are arranged in tall spikes which will keep going for quite a long time. Salvia patens is actually a perennial, but not reliably hardy, especially in colder areas. I think Peter mentioned that the plants are easy to grow from seed and that he treats them as annuals. My plants are in pots and I move them to a cold frame for the winter.

 

PS What about nigella? (The plant, not the curvaceous lady.) Lovely clear blue flowers, beautiful feathery leaves and very easy from seed. It doesn't grow very tall, however. Nigella damascena is the traditional cottage garden plant; there is another variety called Nigella hispanica which is supposed to be taller and to have larger flowers. I've never grown it, however.

 

I've grown a lovely blue flowered plant from seed this year, very easy to germinate, but again its a perennial Jasione Laevis 'Blue Lights'.

 

Michaelmas daisy is hard to beat and can make a super splash of colour in the late summer
Easy to grow and propogates by splitting

 

Check out senetti. That may be what you're looking for. There's a lovely bright blue variety available.

 

How about Felicia ... it's a perennial but are often treated as annuals.

http://www.plantzafrica.com/plantefg/felicamell.htm

 

If you want continual coverage, couldn't you kick off with a planting of osteospermum for a late spring show, replace them with pot-grown felicia, possibly interspersed with michaelmas daisies, to keep the show going in to Autumn.

I have found those senetti plants to have instant buy-me appeal but hard to keep going and looking good long-term. They seem a a bit sensitive to June cold snaps - what have others found?

 

Blimey, some great replies guys and gals, I'm having fun here googling all these :-)

Definitely going to choose some of these ... also liking the "mix and match" idea Madahhlia

Thanks

 

Here's a random question ... just looking where to locate some of these varieties (e.g. www.suttons.co.uk dont have all of the above) ... found out that you can buy seeds from ebay ... but some are from the USA. Is it legal to have seeds come through the post from another country ?

e.g. Felicia heterophylla - true-blue daisy - seeds | eBay