The Perfect Perennial – Daylilies

LAKE_EFFECT

With it being one of the easiest to care for perennials the day lily is one of the best picks for the home and ‘cottage’ landscape, where we like to enjoy our gardens not just work in them.  The day lily, or (Latin) Hemerocallis is an incredibly versatile flower.  They do not attract pests and in our climate they are pretty much disease resistant.  They will grow quite happily in most soil types and once settled in are drought resistant.

Other than the old fashioned orange ditch day lily ‘Fulva’, most others you see on the market ar

e classified as hybrid day lilies and form a neat clump.  They only need dividing every 8-10 years or if they have outgrown their spot.   Planting can be done anytime between spring and early fall.  August usually is not suggested as the weather is too hot and dry.   They love the sun but can tolerate east exposure. So feel free to add them to gardens along the east with your Hosta.  The foliage is also neat and attractive.  Daylilies come in every height from 10” to 4’, with bloom diameter from 1.5” across to 12”+.  The blooms also come in various other forms like doubles, spiders and even with fragrance.  Like most I started with Stella d’oro and Happy Returns.  The bloom period for daylilies is any combination from extra early to late.   The newest long blooming daylily available is ‘Endless Heart’ an

d it is claimed that it starts earlier and blooms longer that Stella.  Some other favorites are; Primal Scream, Mardi Gras Parade, Lake Effect, Mini Pearl and Blackthorne. That is why they are my favourite perennial and why my personal collection has now 800+ varieties including the one I named after ‘Donwood’  in 2007 when I was celebrating my 10 years in business.

The only colour missing from the pallet is true blue and pure white.  So, with that in mind you have choice of almost every colour and combination in the rainbow.  With the awesome solid colours to choose from, edges, eyes, watermarks and other attributes it almost goes unnoticed.  So the sky is the limit!  Just best if we plant them when overcast or later in the day.  They combine quite happy with other easy to grow perennials like;  Cone flowers, Sedum, Coreopsis  and Non-spreading grasses.

Have fun and happy gardening. Mardi_Gras_Parade Feel free to drop in and see the collection until July 31st the gardens are open (closed on Tuesdays) and admission is free.  For further information at or (705) 742-5918  Dawn Golloher (Tack) Gardens Plus

 

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