When it comes to daylilies, it’s all about the flowers. Big, small, single, double, plain or patterned, this perennial has scads of choices for gardens in full sun to part shade. And while some varieties bloom just once in summer, others rebloom into early fall. The cultivar names are an added attraction; ‘Hurricane Bob’, ‘Octopus Tangles’, ‘Atomic Inferno’, ‘Going Bananas’ and ‘El Desperado’ are just a few that provide a touch of whimsy (and maybe a few chuckles) for your garden. Whichever daylily you choose, it doesn’t take a lot of work to get years of enjoyment from these easy-going perennials. On the following pages, find out how you can use them in your own garden, meet a few show-stopping varieties, and get some tips for growing them.
Designing with Daylilies
The real draw with daylilies is the flowers! Single, trumpet-shaped blooms are most common and boast a rainbow of colors and patterns. You can also find a wide range of flower sizes: The 2-inch purple blooms of miniature ‘Little Grapette’ are the perfect size for small gardens and add color in early to midseason. Conversely, the impressive 13-inch flowers of ‘Webster’s Pink Wonder’ will have your garden friends asking, “Where did you find that?!”
True to their name, most daylilies open in the morning and last for one day, but each stem produces clusters of buds that open on consecutive days and
