Gardens can be full of surprises. A plant that sulked along for months suddenly feels at home and covers itself with glory. Bulbs poke through the soil far from where the gardener is sure he planted them. Such are the joys of the unexpected. Proliferations In The Garden Not the least of garden surprises are … Read more
Early-day lilies stub their toes on the heels of lagging daffodils, and late ones stay around to rub elbows with fall asters and early mums. In between, they hobnob with peonies, iris, Oriental poppies, and summer phlox. What other perennial varieties bloom over such a long period? In addition, they’re quite free from insect pests … Read more
Gardens are loveliest when they are planned to have a succession of blooms. Then they are continually interesting, with the flowers of one plant immediately following or overlapping the bloom of another. But, on the other hand, they are not gardens devoted to one plant with a bloom for only a fraction of the year. … Read more
The dean of daylily hybridizers discusses their development, beauty, and usefulness as garden plants. There are today about 3,500 named daylilies or hemerocallis. Forty years ago, only about a dozen— including both species and hybrids—were widely known in American gardens. Twenty years later, in 1930, there were about 15 species and approximately 175 hybrids. During … Read more
They wonder what plant combines beauty and color with long life, hardiness, and ease of care. The answer is daylilies, known botanically as hemerocallis. They are truly the delight of the home gardener, for they give maximum pleasure with a minimum of effort. Indeed, daylilies are more widely adapted to various soils and climates than … Read more
Daylilies have become general favorites. The plants give pleasure from when the first green spears emerge through the ground in the spring until fall. They make a restful, green background for other plants when not in bloom. Few gardeners can resist their good nature and polite behavior. They give so much and ask so little. … Read more
Daylilies (hemerocallis) are perennials with real stamina and are of the easiest possible culture. They bring bright clouds of beauty to northern gardens when midsummer’s heat is at its fiercest. Southern gardeners prize them for both floral and foliage effects. In their gardens, the evergreen varieties show splendid fountains of green year-round. Daylilies For Every … Read more
Some years ago, I began growing daylilies (hemerocallis) simply to complement shrubs and perennials in borders. Then their dependability, care-free habits, and the ease with which I could develop new varieties fascinated me, and I concentrated on them. Where I live, in Mississippi, I am not alone in my fondness for daylilies. Here, shady and … Read more
The daylily parade in my midwestern garden began late last year. Spring had been very cold and wet, and Jack Frost had nipped a few precocious buds before the season began. But like many other parades that are slow to start, this one was worth waiting for. Early Blossoms In the May vanguard were the … Read more
When a man climbs to the top of a hill, he needs to look back down over the road he has traveled to what height he has reached. Likewise, to realize better the advancements that have been made with daylilies, we should compare the modern varieties with the ones we used to think were so … Read more