Friday, August 21, 2009

Daylily Divas


It's nearing the end of daylily season here, which means that each day I go to the garden, I do two things: I deadhead the wilting daylily blooms and I admire each new one that has opened up. As their name suggests, daylilies bloom for just one day, but on a mature daylily plant there's never a shortage of open flowers because each "fan" has a flower stalk with several individual blooms on it. Seldom are all of them open at once. This means the flowering of the daylilies lasts quite a long time. Yay!

There are other things to like about daylilies, too. First of all, there are thousands and thousands of different ones to choose from. Secondly, it's doubtful that there are many other plants that require so little care. As one of my hybridizing friends says, "Just dig a hole and plop it in." That's not far from the truth.


I don't have a daylily bed or even a daylily section in the gardens. They are peppered throughout the gardens, with a few of them grouped together. I have my favorites, of course, but I really like them all. If I had to choose an absolute favorite, it would probably be:


'South Seas'


'Prairie Champ'


'Sunday Gloves'


'Alabama Jubilee'


'El Desperado'


'Razzmatazz'


'Ruffles n Lace'


'Cherry Chapeau'


'Cherry Lace'


'Big Smile'


'Czar's Treasure'


'Leprechaun Eyes'


Lovely Lana
(Unnamed unregistered hybrid by Lana Wolfe)


'Etched Eyes'


'Showgirl'


'Swirling Water'


'Black-eyed Stella'


Wolff 734
(An unnamed unregistered hybrid by Barbara Wolff)


'Siloam Double Classic'


'Lady Fingers'


'Red Volunteer'


'Sarah Christine'


Lana Wolfe Hybrid - Apricot w/ Purple Eye


H. fulva 'Flore Pleno'


'Hush Little Baby'


'Strawberry Candy'


'Frans Hals'


Barbara Wolff Hybrid 726


Unknown

Yeah, that one.


15 comments:

Unknown said...

It's neat to see that we have some of the same varieties across the miles, Kylee; Red Volunteer, Frans Hals, El Desperado, South Seas, and of course that favourite, Unknown! I have quite a few of those...

Kylee Baumle said...

Jodi ~ We seem to have some overlap in just about every category of flower, don't we? ;-)

My 'Red Volunteer' got absolutely HUGE this year! Tall scapes and giant blooms. And this is one that didn't even bloom last year for some odd reason. 'Frans Hals,' 'Sunday Gloves,' 'El Desperado,' 'Prairie Champ,' and one of the Wolff hybrids are still blooming. The rest are done. I also have 'Pardon Me' and another NOID that I neglected to photograph this year.

I've never really been a huge daylily fan, but I'm becoming more of one because they're so carefree, except for snapping off the spent blooms and cutting down the finished scapes. A few require some cleaning up of yellowing foliage as the season wears on, but most don't even need that.

Ewa said...

What a lovely collection you have! This is really dificult to choose the only one - all of them are beautiful!

Janet, The Queen of Seaford said...

My goodness what a collection of daylilies!! I especially like the 'Cherry Chapeau'.

Anonymous said...

I just happened onto your blog a few days ago and enjoyed it so much. Today when I say your daylilies I just had to let you know how beautiful they are. We have a couple in common - South Seas, a new purchase for me a few weeks ago and Sunday Gloves, one of my first ones to plant. Last year I discovered, quite by accident, a daylily farm just about 12 miles from my home and I can't seem to stay away from there. The last time I came home with 6 new ones. They are addictive to me and I have them scattered throughout my yard and garden. Thanks for sharing your lovely gardens with all of us. I surely will continue to follow your blog.

Headin' for the chicken coop
TheEggGather
Sharon

Unknown said...

Lots of beauties!

MyMaracas said...

I can see why you're having trouble naming a favorite. I especially love that Wolff734 one.

I had and loved a day lily garden at the old house. My son owns it now, and he doesn't want them! I have been hesitant to transplant them here, though, because the deer ate almost all of the ones that were here already.

Gorgeous shots. It was a pleasure to see them all.

Anonymous said...

That's okay, I'd never be able to pick a favorite from that bunch either. Gorgeous! But if I absolutely had to pick one of those, I think it would be El Desperado. Wow.

Katie said...

Daylilies were the first plants I bought mail order and have such an affinity for them to this day. I wouldn't have a yard without them.

Shady Gardener said...

I love daylilies. I've had them for many years. I once had a friend that jumped in alarm when I volunteered to give her pieces of a few of the different ones I had at the time. She'd had the ditch lilies once, I guess. They spread and she didn't like it one bit! I understand, but she just didn't know the difference (and didn't want to hear about it!). Too bad!

Corner Gardener Sue said...

Hi Kylee,
I love every one of your daylilies, but of course, I haven't seen any I didn't like. You have a great collection! I was excited to see your South Seas. It's one of a bunch I bought on sale to plant in my newly expanded bed by our curb. I'm like you, in not having a bed just for daylilies. I did put more of them than anything else in the new area, though. I have only one daylily left with some blooms, but I'm thinking I have a few that will rebloom. I am so excited for next summer to get here to see them bloom.

Anonymous said...

Kylee,

You have an awesome collection here. Wish I had more room to add some to my NOID collection. For now I'll just admire yours and pretend I have them in mine.

garden girl said...

You are so funny Kylee! It's easy to see why it's impossible to choose one favorite with all the gorgeous daylilies you have.

Sylvana said...

WOW! So many wonderful daylilies. I will be making my wishlist here.

Vérone said...

Magnifique photos d'hémérocalles !!!
;-)
Avez vous un traducteur sur votre blog ?
Merci
Vérone

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