July 13, 2008

Daylilies

I do not remember the name of this daylily but it is a delight—the color reminds me a little of Halloween.

In last week’s blog we talked about the stunning oriental hybrid lilies. The summer garden is fortunately blessed with many lilies in mid-July. One garden stalwart has a lily-like flower but is not related to the oriental or the Asiatic lily; it is the daylily (hemerocallis) – an easy to grow and beautiful perennial. Nothing major seems to bother the daylily – either disease or pest. That is not to say that problems may not exist; but in my garden the daylily appears to be almost bullet proof. It can become prey to a few insect pests and one can succumb to disease now and again, but, on the whole, daylilies are pretty tough plants. I only wish they bloomed longer. I want the flowers there throughout the summer growing season, the beautiful vibrant blossoms providing wonderful bursts of color wherever they are planted (but then sadly leaving an empty spot in the garden at the end of their blooming season). Each daylily flower blooms only one day, hence its name; but not to worry as the daylilies’ claim to fame is a succession of flowers throughout its blooming season.  Daylilies come in lots of sizes from the miniature, growing a foot tall, to large plants that grow several feet tall. The blooms come in every description with blooms that may be one or two colors. They can have ruffled petals, narrow petals, wide petals; you name it, some grower is probably producing it as we speak.  Although Stella De Oro daylilies are supposed to be rebloomers (repeat bloomers) I have not had much luck getting them to put on a second show as special as the first one. Unlike most daylilies which have only one blooming season, “rebloomers” will bloom more than once. Daylilies make glorious cut flowers if you have the heart to pick them – I don’t; therefore, I rarely have flowers picked from the garden in the house. I want them all to remain in the garden where they make my own personal flower arrangement.  (A friend once suggested that I pick all my tulips to make an arrangement and I felt faint.)

Daylilies will bloom in full to part sun. They do not bloom as well in a shaded garden; but like all good southerners, they prefer a bit of shade from the afternoon sun. I have seen the old fashioned orange ones blooming in ditches on the side of the road. (But not many of us choose the common orange daylily.) Daylilies prefer, like just about everything that grows, well-drained soil to which lots of organic material have been added. They need to be watered during the growing season and appreciate a dose of fertilizer in the spring. My sister visited Roy Croft Nursery, a day lily grower in South Carolina, where she was told that the reblooming day lilies needed regular applications of a water soluble fertilizer to keep them blooming. When clumps get crowded, it is time to divide – an opportunity to share your bounty with friends or start another bed in your garden. Daylilies make wonderful borders, or focal points, or just friendly members of a cottage garden. I have read that daylilies look best when they are massed but I just plant one wherever I have the space. Try both ways and see what appeals to you.(If you don’t have the space in the ground, daylilies, especially the smaller ones, will make great container plants.)  Pinch off the spent blooms to keep the plant from producing seeds; I also groom mine, removing the old stalks and any leaves that have browned. The leaves will remain green until the frost comes.

And in a nod to the growers daylilies have delightful names. From a grower in Jasper, Alabama (JTM Gardens) come ‘Fire King’, ‘Follow Your Dreams’, ‘Dynasty Pink’, ‘Destined To See’ and on and on. Two of my favorites are ‘Joan Senior’, which has almost pure white six inch blooms, and ‘Hyperion’, which has fragrant soft yellow blooms.

There is not a simpler beauty to grow in the garden. Just plant, and wait, and accept the applause. Daylilies make it so easy; thank them every day for that favor.