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Daylilies

For some, the vision of daylilies is limited to images of bright orange tiger lilies growing along county roadways. But, it is the daylily’s extreme versatility which has made it so popular and earned it the distinction of the "perfect perennial”. From hues of the darkest purple to the palest of ivory, from trumpets to double ruffled petals, from miniature to oversized, from evergreen to dormant leaves, daylilies offer a spectacular show of ever-changing scenery to meet every need.

Available in a full spectrum of colors, countless varieties, and season extending bloom times, daylilies are among the most carefree of all flowers. They tolerate poor soils, adapt to heat and cold, withstand poor watering conditions, are virtually pest and insect free and are hardy beyond belief. Daylilies are equally at home in both informal and formal garden settings, are valuable for preventing soil erosion along difficult sloped areas, and are perfect complements to roadsides or pathways. While in bloom, they add masses of colors, and their decorative foliage adds interest to landscapes all season long. Very prolific growers, daylilies are a wise investment as they multiply easily and can be divided regularly to produce a greater volume of flowers year after year.

For those who like to keep gardening simple, daylilies yield impressive results with very little effort. Avid gardening enthusiasts will discover that their palette of colors and enormous varieties inspire new levels of creative expression. And for those who turn to daylilies to recreate nature’s undemanding landscapes of cascading orange spider blossoms bordering forgotten paths a busy thoroughfares alike, daylilies can surely deliver that too!

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Designing with Daylilies

Making Your Selection

The most captivating gardens incorporate contrasting heights, foliages and textures, showcase complementary color schemes and feature constant blooms.

When making your selection of daylilies, envision the end result you aim to achieve and choose accordingly. Is your vision of a cottage garden which welcomes free flowing blooms, or a symmetrical bed in which a self contained delicate plant would fit best? Will your daylilies be coupled with old fashioned heirloom flowers or manicured shrubbery? Are they serving the role of an unassuming groundcover which calls for a prolific grower, or will they be the main attraction in which beauty of bloom would be more important? Is your goal to create border plantings of dense foliage to cut down on mowing, weeding and edging chores? Are you creating a new garden that has no set parameters, or adding to existing gardens which necessitate thought regarding the attributes of the surrounding plants. There are so many ways to combine daylilies with companion plants that your possibilities virtually are endless.

With just a little planning, you can easily design any type garden you imagine. Use our daylily chart to help you choose the best daylilies to create your desired effect.

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Planting & Caring

Daylilies are hardy travelers and our bare root plants ship well. We freshly dig our plants to order and promptly ship within 48 hours of digging. Unpack upon arrival and soak plant up to the crown (where roots meet leaves) for about two hours. Trim an inch off the leaves and you are ready to plant.

Spring and Fall are ideal times for planting but daylilies can also fare well if planted in the summer with proper watering, We recommend planting at least 6 weeks before you anticipate a killing frost to reduce heaving.

For best results, plant in an area which receives plenty of sun - six hours or more each day. They can tolerate shade, but will flower more profusely with increased sun.

Prior to planting, soil should be worked so that is loose. Daylilies are not overly picky about soils but most home gardens are lacking in nutrients.
Amend as needed with a balanced fertilizer or slow release organic matter, such as manure. Your local Cooperative Extension office can assist you in this area if you have any questions.

Dig a hole that will amply accommodate the size of roots. Within the hole, mound some soil in middle and rest root base on mound and spread out roots from middle. Cover with soil so that soil comes just slightly below the leaves. It is helpful to apply organic mulch, such as woodchips, to help control weeds and retain moisture. Water thoroughly, but do not allow water to puddle.

During bloom season, you may choose to remove spent blossoms at the end of
each day to keep plants neat looking and encourage continued blooming. Some daylilies multiply quickly - divide when a decrease in blooms is noticed.