Daylilies: Overused and Underwhelming

The many shapes and colors of daylilies

Let me say up front that I love daylilies.  I think they’re some of the most gorgeous flowers available for the home garden.  In fact, I’ve moved my collection of daylilies cross-country three times because I couldn’t bear to part with them. They’re tough as nails, bloom for four weeks or more, and provide a burst of color when many other perennials are petering out from the summer heat. My garden is currently ablaze with the vivid reds, warm yellows, clear pinks, and hot fushia of the daylilies that have been blooming since late June (some are shown in the photo above).

Nothing but Stella d'Oro...

But the daylilies I’m referring to are NOT the ones usually seen in landscapes here in the Northeast. Instead of brightening up the garden with a kaleidoscope of color, landscapers and homeowners use the small, boring (supposedly reblooming) Stella d’Oro and the common orange ‘ditch lily’.  Visit the local nursery and you’ll see pots and pots of Stella d’Oro – and very few other daylilies. Drive around any neighborhood here in Stamford, and you’ll see nothing but row after row of strappy leaves with a few washed-out yellow or orange flowers hovering above them.

Why??  Why limit yourself to one color and shape? Why create a landscape that blooms for a couple of weeks and then – nothing…?

Great daylilies are easy to find – although you may have to look beyond the local big box store or garden center.  There are many wonderful online sources of dayliles (my favorite is Oakes Daylilies). The American Hemerocallis Society website provides information on everything you could ever want to know about daylilies. And gardeners who grow daylilies are always happy to talk with you about the many options available locally.

So, when it comes to daylilies, don’t just blindly follow the crowd. Step outside the box, go for fun colors, try a different flower shape – but whatever you do, please don’t plant another Stella d’Oro!!