Posted by Stephanie | Posted in Perennials | Posted on 05-05-2008
Daylilies (or Hemerocallis, as most of us call them around here) are some of the best summer bloomers you could ask for. They're remarkably easy to grow and stand up brilliantly to a variety of difficult garden conditions, including poor soil, cold, heat, humidity, and even drought (which is more and more important to many gardeners each year). They also are available in a huge variety of colors (both single- and multi-colored varieties), which means that there's a Daylily that works in just about any garden color scheme (for those of you with the restraint to stick to one). The flowers also vary in petal shape and size, especially in recent years, when hybridizing Hemerocallis has become more widespread than ever.
My favorite trait of Hemerocallis is how they bloom. Each bloom lasts only one day (thus the name). The plant blooms more vigorously than all but a few others, though, and each bloom is replaced so quickly that most Daylilies will never be without beautiful blooms throughout their entire flowering season. And, since they blooms are constantly changing, it makes for one of the most interestingly dynamic plants I've ever experienced. Your Daylily really is a noticeably different plant each and every day during the bloom season, which can be one of the greatest joys in a summer garden.