Friday, February 04, 2011

Everblooming Daylillies

I have daylillies everywhere in my garden, peeking out, popping up, trimming the border and structuring the back of the border.  There is no such thing as an everblooming daylily but you can make it look like this if you plant varieties that bloom from spring through fall.


Eileen Clymer (Extra Early)


Happy Returns (Extra Early)

When I first began planting daylillies I had no idea of all of the various bloom times, reblooming, petal types, etc.  I learned the hard way with all of my daylillies blooming within a few weeks of each other, and then it was over.

Miss Amelia (Early)

I am beginning to organize my daylillies in regard to bloom time, trying to have some blooming at all times during the zone 5 growing time.  There are very extra early varieties like Eileen Clymer (which I planted in the fall) and Happy Returns which blooms in my raised bed each year, not as great reblooming for me.


Mary Todd (Early)

Chicago Weathermaster (Early to Mid-Season)
Rain does not spot the petals

Red Rum With Broadway Lights Shasta (Early)

Joan Senior (Early to Mid-Season)

Miss Amelia, Mary Todd and Chicago Weathermaster and Red Rum are all earlier bloomers in my garden.

I have Midseason blooming varieties like Chicago Apache, Chicago Rosy, Arnies Choice, Ice Carnival, Dark Ruby and Hyperion.


Chicago Apache (Mid-Season)


Chicago Rosy (Mid-Season)


Arnie's Choice (Mid-Season)


Ice Carnival (Mid-Season)


Dark Ruby (Mid-Season)


Hyperion (Mid-Season)

Tetrina's Daughter (Mid-Season)

I have some later season blooms and some new ones that I planted last fall in my front garden bright oranges and yellow. 


Cherry Cheeks - Mid-Late Season


Nutcracker Suite (Mid-Late Season)


Sandra Elizabeth (Late Season)

For a small property, I have a lot of daylillies but they work well because they bloom and then can be cut back to grow new foliage.  I have some stands of daylillies that are up front but I think they are most effective when planted with perennials or annuals in front of them.  They are not pretty when they are done blooming and need to be cut back the the ground so that fresh foliage can grow.

These are the new plantings from last fall, and I can see that I have an abundance of mid-season bloomers.  So if I add anymore they should be in the extra early and late categories.


Entrapment (Mid-Season)

Lady Lucille (Mid-Late Season)

Maua Loa (Mid-Season)

Space Age (Mid-Season)


Each flower blooms for one day, hence the name daylily, and it is not necessary to pick off the "mushies."  However, many mornings I walk the garden to clean up the mushies in a bucket, not necessary except for looks.

37 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dear Eileen, As you say, Hemerocallis are such versatile plants and now are available in such variety that there are surely plants for every situation and for most of the year. You show a wonderful selection here and I am particularly fond of the creamy white varieties.

Larry said...

Lovely daylilies Eileen! This will be the year of the daylily for me as many of my 500 seedlings should bloom for the first time... hopefully they won't all be some non-descript ugly color! Could be lots of fun or very disappointing! Larry

Lona said...

Good morning. You have such a wonderful collection of lilies Eileen. I love the Dark Ruby and Arnie's Choice. I really like your having lilies that bloom at different times in the season. I need more later blooming lilies.I can hardly wait to see the orienpet lilies that I planted in the Fall.You have some too don't you?
Have a wonderful weekend.

gardeningnaturallywithclaudia.blogspot.com said...

The 'Happy Returns' is indeed extra early - I've had it bloom in April, and again in September. Really nice yellow. thanks for sharing your collection.

Karen said...

Such beauties you have in your garden, Eileen. I need to plant daylilies with different bloomtimes too, it's so sad to see them all done at once. I have a bed along the lane with over a hundred different lilies from a hybridizer friend (his rejects) and there are some real gems in there. I'm just letting them 'naturalize' (but I'd better keep the weeds down...)

Unknown said...

Eileen your daylilies are beautiful. I have really started loving Daylilies in the last few years. I didn't know there were so many gorgeous ones available. Your Chicago Weathermaster looks like one I have but don't know the name of. Looks like I'll need more to bloom all summer.

allanbecker-gardenguru said...

Excellent advice on how to create the effect of ever blooming day lilies.

The assortment is very impressive, given the size of your garden. I presume that by cutting down the leaves after blooming, you avoid making the garden look crowded.

Not that you need another variety, but Stella Supreme, low growing, floriferous lemon yellow, blooms for most of the season in my garden.

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Hi Edith,

I know you like white flowers, and I have yet to see a true white daylily. I forgot Joan Senior in my display and this is more white than the other two. I should add it on because it is lovely!

Eileen

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Wow, Larry 500 seedlings. This is very exciting not to know what you are getting. I can't wait to see them.

Eileen

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Lona, I planted a ton of Orienpet Lillies, some out in my front garden. I hope this wasn't a mistake as I know they can be quite tall.

Eileen

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Hi Claudia,

I have never had Happy Returns bloom in April, more like June for me. It is still very early for this area.

Eileen

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Hi Karen,

I love seeing big sweeps of daylillies, but I just don't have the room to do this. So, I stick them here and there throughout the garden.

Eileen

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Hi RG,

Chicago Weathermaster and Arnie's choice look almost identical when blooming. I don't know how the experts tell all of these apart.

Eileen

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Allan, when I began this project of categorizing the daylillies, I surprised myself in regard to the number of daylillies in my garden.

You are correct, I do trim them down when finished blooming and something else usually takes over.

I have not heard of that Stella yet. I will look it up and then think of where I can squeeze it in!

Eileen

Jennifer@threedogsinagarden said...

Hi Eileen,
Looks like you got the worst of the snowstorm. I think we only got 10-15" of snow. And I took a look at the lovely jadite carvings. They are so incredibly intricate! How many hours of work must have gone into each artwork!
As far as daylilies go, I aspire to follow in your footsteps. I would like to add more varieties that bloom from the from early summer to fall. Right now, most of the daylilies I have collected bloom within a sort period of time. I would definitely like to extend my show of blooms.
Have a wonderful weekend! Jennifer

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Thanks Jennifer,

I just never thought about blooms times for daylillies, but now it has become a mission for me. I am amazed at the variety of bloom times offered now.

Eileen

Fishtail Cottage said...

Love the yellow color of "Miss Amelia" Daylilly! So soft & pretty!

Darla said...

What a nice collection of daylilies you have.

Jim Groble said...

Your day lilies look great. good thing there is a garden show this weekend. jim

garden girl said...

You have so many Eileen! And all pretty.

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Hi Tracie,

Miss Amelia would look wonderful in your cottage garden. It is taller, delicate and a rebloomer. I think Oakes Daylillies has it.

Eileen

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Thanks Darla,

There are more than I thought in my collection.

Eileen

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Thanks Jim,

I wish we had earlier garden shows in this area but I guess they worry about the weather. There are none until March.

Eileen

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Thanks GG,

There will come a point when I have too many.

Eileen

joey said...

A colorful parade of lovely daylilies, Eileen, perfect viewing on this heavy snow day! I did not see any Stellas (are you over them too)! I too have many prized daylilies from a renowned local grower's collection but planted over 28 years ago, shame on me, clueless as to the names (I do know Happy Returns:)

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Hi Joey,

I had Stella D'Oro several years ago, needed constant division, gave hundreds to family and the neighboorhood. They never really rebloomed for me so when we moved I never replanted them.

Eileen

Fishtail Cottage said...

Thanks so much Eileen about where i can find the Amelia Daylilly - it's on my garden wish list!!! I'm glad i popped back over to see your comment. Hoping you'll share Cottage Flora Thursday's with your gardening friends so we all can meet more gardeners~ xoxo
Tracie

fer said...

beautiful! love the chicago apache one

Anonymous said...

One of the things I've never done in all my years of gardening is to grow a white daylily. I'm going to do that someday. I like the idea of growing three--an early, mid and late season. Great food for thought and eye candy!!

Anonymous said...

Hi Eileen:

Your daylilly presentation is making me think SPRING! I think we should exchange some services (and plants)A lot I didn't know about the daylilly and a great post to enlighten and educate. Loved it!

ox

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Hi fer,

The Chicago Apache is a very striking daylily, a rich deeper red.

Eileen

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Hi Grace,

It is difficult to get a true white. I think Joan Senior is close.

Eileen

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Thanks Mary Anne,

I do divide every so often, so I will be thinking of you!

Eileen

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Eileen we share a lot of the same lilies ! I just planted Red Rum late summer (it was a sale plant so how could I not get it ?) .. and Strutters Ball .. what a weird name eh ? they come up with some doozies!
I like the strap foliage more than the wider foliage .. it cuts back neatly and sprouts quickly again to look nice .. I have them mostly in the shared space between my neighbor's house .. they work very well there. I can safely say they are true work horses in the garden!
Joy : )

Sissy said...

This post is so awesome! I hope you don't mind, I will use it to reference bloom time before I do my spring purchasing!
I have wanted Hyperion for a long time, but never seem to find available locally...yours is lovely!

Betty819 said...

What beauty you have there with all those daylilies! I just took a tour of your gardens via your blogspot and I never realized there are so many different kinds, sizes of bloom and shapes of their flowers. Thank You for organizing them for us viewers according to bloom time. That certain would help anybody who is new to daylily or wants to add them to their flower gardens. Now I'm anxious to see the rest of your gardens.

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Betty,

Stella D'Oro is not one of my preferred daylilies for the reasons you state. It needs to be divided often and looks very messy after blooming, no reblooming for me.

Eileen