Color It Bright

Don't forget your sunglasses if you're heading over to the Häagen-Dazs Honey Bee Haven, a half-acre bee-friendly demonstration garden at the Harry H. Laidlaw Jr. Honey Bee Research Facility on Bee Biology Road, UC Davis.

That's because the Gaillardia is stunningly bright and beautiful.

And honey bees are all over it.

The Gaillardia, also called blanketflower--reportedly because it typifies the wondrous patterns of Native American Indian blankets--is a native perennial from the sunflower family (Asteraceae).

With all the rain we've been having lately, it's good to know that it's drought-tolerant.

The Gaillardia draws its name from M. Gaillard de Charentonneau, an 18th-century French magistrate who delved in botany.

Ready to see the haven? It's open from dawn to dusk every day. There's no admission fee.