John Bowers DAYLILIES
© 2006 John Bowers Daylilies site is best viewed at a screen resolution of 800x600 pixels	The Daylily AN INTRODUCTION The Daylily has been a fairly commonplace garden plant for centuries and will be known to most of you, but it would appear there are a small number of gardeners who are confusing them with 'proper,' or bulbous/florists lilies. The Daylily does belong to the Lily family and does bear lily-like flowers, but it is not a true lily. The many hybrids and varieties known today were all derived from a handful of Hemerocallis species which originate from China and Japan. They are clump forming perennials with slender arching leaves, and they grow from a rhizome, not a bulb. I think they are much more reliable in the garden than bulbous lilies and I would not like to think of them becoming confused with them. Because they quickly form a permanent clump from which to grow and flower, they do not 'disappear' like true lilies can sometimes, and each clump will produce many flowering stems. IN THE GARDEN The number of ways in which Daylilies can be incorporated into the garden is limited only by their basic cultural preferences. It should be noted here that Daylilies are very easily grown and unlikely to fail in any but the most severe of conditions. However, like any plant, to show their best qualities they have some preferences. They appreciate an open spot in full sun. They will do reasonably well in dappled shade, but not full shade. Any reasonable garden soil is suitable, be it acid or limey, and they will do well on freely drained sites as well as heavier clay soils. They only out rightly resent waterlogged conditions. HARMONISING IN THE GARDEN. Many gardeners will prefer to simply mingle them amongst other plants and shrubs in the mixed border and certainly they are ideal used in this way. Because daylilies are available in such an enormous range of colour, there is always a variety which will harmonise to perfection with the plants growing around it. You only need to remember that their neighbours do not crowd them, nor lean over them to a degree where the crown of the Daylily is deprived of light or air. The showy larger flower varieties can be used to highlight an important spot or focal point; the more vividly coloured varieties planted across a vista of grass or paving, so as to draw the eye across the distance between to another part of the garden. The small and miniature varieties are very charming used to fill those annoying small gaps and spaces, both colourfully and interestingly. DAYLILIES ON THEIR OWN. It seems there is an increasing propensity to plant Daylilies in a bed or border entirely their own in glorious profusion and there are certainly few finer sights in a garden. There is no more persuasive way of emphasising the sheer variety of these plants, as the colourful 'faces' both large and small dominate an area all their own. If you prefer formal gardening the bed can be edged neatly with a surround of Box, Lonicera nitida or Santolina and Lavender. With but a little varietal planning this area can be colourful from May to November. Mingle Autumn and Spring flowering bulbs between them for colour whilst the main characters are out of bloom. Even a relatively small area set aside exclusively for Daylilies can be a very dramatic focal point to your garden. I feel it is a trend set to increase in use in the coming years. DAYLILIES IN POTS AND PLANTERS. There is an ever increasing interest in the search for plants which will both look and do well in planters to decorate the patio area near to the house. Daylilies, with their cascading fountain like foliage and showy blooms are really quite perfect for this type of use; certainly in America it is quite common to see them grown in this way. There is the advantage that individual plants can be brought close to windows and French doors when at their absolute peak of blooming. If you would rather your plants took their place on the patio permanently, choose those varieties which have some repeat blooming tendency. It cannot be stressed too strongly how very charming the small and miniature varieties look when grown in small pots and containers on the patio where it is possible to admire even more closely the subtle and distinct beauty of their charming blooms. They are also of great value placed at the foot of larger, more dramatic specimens, complementing and contrasting with them. FOR USE AROUND PONDS AND WATER FEATURES. As with many plants with slender, arching fountain like growth, Daylilies seem to have an affinity with water and look very natural when grown there. Just imagine the beautiful blooms gazing up at you from a reflection in the water! They will not tolerate being grown actually in the water or very boggy margin but they will thrive around the edge or perhaps again in planters placed at strategic intervals around the paved surround.