SIX OF THE VERY BEST: DAY LILIES
They’re beautiful, tough and loved by Americans
DAYLILIES are America’s favourite perennial, and it’s not hard to see why. Tough but exotic-looking, they need little looking after, and the vast variety of their summer flowers is astonishing – some are scented, and you can even eat them! What more could you ask for?
Ranging in height from 1ft to more than 3ft (30-90cm), Hemerocallis produce flowers measuring anything from 1in to 1ft (2.5-30cm). The flowers can be singles or doubles, and they include bicolours that can be quietly harmonious or boldly dramatic.
So why aren’t they our favourite flower too? After all, those fans of fresh green foliage are elegant even before and after the summer flowering season, and the blooms are undeniably colourful.
Some people are put off by the fact that (as the name implies) each flower lasts only for a day, with most opening in the morning and closing in the evening. But the blooms of so many are large and flamboyant, with three broad inner petals overlapping three broad outer petals. In most, all six are the same shape and colour, but in some they may be very different. So even if a stem carries only a single flower, it can still be undeniably impressive.
However, the best solution to the only-open-for-one-day problem is to choose varieties that carry plenty of flowers. While many older varieties produce a single flowering stem from each fan of foliage, most modern options give you more. Also, some varieties tend to produce only a few buds at the top of
each stem but many are more generous, and their flowers will open one after another, prolonging the display.
One thing to bear in mind when choosing a variety is that development of new daylily varieties takes place (mostly) in the southern United States, especially Florida, or in northern areas with hot and humid summers. Many of these varieties can be disappointing in UK gardens as they don’t do well in our summers. That’s where the AGM is so useful, as the 46 award winners have all been selected for their suitability for British conditions.
It’s tempting, with daylilies, to look at the options available, pick out plants with the colours and combinations that catch your eye and then wander around the garden looking for a home for them. But such is the variety of daylilies that you can approach it from the opposite angle – first, decide on the colour combination, then scan a specialist website until you find it.
Either way, choosing those plants with an AGM will ensure you can confidently add this most colourful of perennials to your summer borders. And before long, they may well be on your list of favourites.