Divine Daylilies

There is no other flower that says “July” like the daylily. The botanical name Hemerocallis comes from the Greek words (hēmera) “day” and (kalos) “beautiful,” and daylilies are so named because each individual flower lasts for only one day, opening in the morning and closing at night. Daylily plants actually bloom over several weeks since each stem or flower scape holds several buds which open in succession. Although there are many varieties of daylilies with bloom times ranging from spring to fall, July is the month of daylily abundance!

The common “Tawny Daylily” has a quiet beauty (Photo by Nancy Marie Allen)

Almost every garden has at least one daylily, the most common being the “tawny daylily” which blooms here in early July, just in time for Independence Day. Also known as “ditch daylily,” “orange daylily,” “tiger daylily,” and “Eve’s thread,” hemerocallis fulva was supposedly brought to this country by sailors who procured them in the Orient during the 1800’s. Because of its long history and tough constitution, it’s the most widely grown of all daylilies in this country. Here in New England, the stately orange flowers can be found blooming everywhere this month!

“Lady Elizabeth” (Photo by Nancy Marie Allen)

Gardeners often call the daylily the “perfect perennial” and there are many reasons for its popularity. Daylilies boast an array of colors including many varied shades of yellow, orange, red, pink, white and even purple. Some varieties are bi-colored, prettily ruffled, or sport an iridescent shimmer. Depending on the type, they have a look that can range from demure to brazen! Taller varieties, some with flower stems that can grow to six feet, are perfect for the back of the border while shorter ones form a softly mounding garden edge. They are extremely versatile in garden design, complementing cottage style as well as formal borders. Absolutely stunning when planted en masse with one color, their vigorous growth also makes them an excellent groundcover to crowd out weeds.

“Hyperion” lights up partially shaded gardens (Photo courtesy White Flower Farm)

Daylilies are known for their ease of culture. In fact, the name “ditch daylily” comes from the habit of people actually throwing unfortunate daylilies along the side of the road or in ditches where they would take root and thrive in spite of the total lack of care. Wherever planted, they last for many years, slowly spreading into large clumps via tuberous fleshy roots and rhizomes which spread horizontally underground. Daylilies are also remarkably hardy, can tolerate full sun to partial shade, and thrive in U.S hardiness zones from 3 to 9. Although these plants will survive just fine on their own and are truly care-free, I like to add some compost around them in late fall or early spring to promote vigor and abundant flower buds come summer.

Hemerocallis “Indian Giver” (Photo courtesy White Flower Farm)

I have many different daylily varieties but three of my favorites happen to be yellow. The vintage lemon daylily, also known as “Flava,” is a medium-sized May bloomer with fine strappy foliage and star-like bright blooms. It’s the very first daylily to bloom in my gardens every year! “Happy Returns” is another medium-sized daylily with golden yellow blooms from late June into July; after resting, it puts on another show in late summer to early fall. My tallest daylily, “Hyperion,” dates back to the 1920’s and is a robust grower with fragrant canary yellow flowers that light up my partly shaded garden in July.

“Pink Lavender Appeal” (Photo by Nancy Marie Allen)

Some of my other July into August bloomers include “Pink Lavender Appeal” and “Catherine Woodbury” whose pastel pinky-purple flowers look lovely next to the soft blues of Ladybells or Peachleaf bellflower. Hemerocallis “Pizza Crust” is iridescent golden-pink with a brownish crust-colored ruffle which blends well with Rudbeckia “Goldsturm” and hardy geranium “Rozanne.” “Lady Elizabeth” is a pure white shimmering beauty which also reblooms later in the season and is stunning next to echinacea “Magnus.” “Indian Giver” is a rare rich purple that shines when planted next to pink companions.

Daylily “Pizza Crust” (Photo courtesy Hallson Gardens)

If you’re new to gardening, I hope you’ll give care-free daylilies a try. If you’d like to add more of these gorgeous summer flowers to your garden, the varieties I’ve mentioned above will not disappoint, so go ahead and take a chance on growing divine daylilies!

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The Power of Fragrance

With the advent of spring, I’ve been treated to many beautiful flower photos on social media while, in my own garden, the earliest bulbs are just beginning to waken from their winter’s rest.  Over the next couple of weeks, the garden will come alive with tiny blooms while their sweet fragrance will once again fill the air.

flowers plant spring macro
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The first emerging spring flowers such as Snowdrops, Chionodoxa, Puschkinia, and Crocus may be small in appearance but they can be big on fragrance.  Since you would have to be at ground level to catch their delicate scents, many people miss them altogether.  To capture this fleeting essence of early spring, I like to cut some of these little gems and place them in vases inside where their soft colors and subtle fragrances can be enjoyed close-up.

selective focus photography of yellow flowers
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As I take it all in, I know it’s just the beginning of many weeks of delightful garden scents as Daffodils, Hyacinth, Tulips, Lily of the Valley and Alliums make their debut!  Soon, the fragrances of blooming shrubs and perennials will envelop us.  One only has to take a walk on a warm spring day to fall under this intoxicating aromatic spell; all around, fragrance permeates the air!

relax old rest book
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There are many scents that I enjoy this time of year, but if I could pick just one flower that speaks to me most powerfully, it would be the Lilac.  Here in New England, it’s hard to find a yard that doesn’t include at least one lilac shrub.  Many people have several different colors and some properties even boast lilac hedges.  It’s a perennial favorite and for good reason – there is simply nothing else like the fragrance of lilacs!

white lilac veri-ivanova-17534-unsplash
White Lilac (Photo courtesy Veri Ivanova – Unsplash)

More than any other flower, lilacs hold the magical power to transport me to another time and place.  The scent carries sweet associations of my childhood as I envision the white and purple blooms by the back porch, my mother filling a vase for the house or my little self carrying a small bouquet to school.  It’s the fragrance of many cherished memories!

close up photography of pink roses under sunny sky
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The romantic scent of Roses also has a powerful effect on me, carrying me back to a gentler time when ladies wore long flowing dresses and carried parasols to protect their fair skin from the sun.  My mind conjures up images of Downton Abbey, the grand entrance filled with huge oriental vases, all overflowing with fragrant English roses.  Thanks in part to the efforts of breeder David Austin, the romance of rose growing has resurged in recent years and it’s easy to find roses of many colors everywhere you buy plants.  Once you’ve added fragrant roses to your garden, you will never again want to be without them!

girl sitting on grass smelling white petaled flower
Photo by Tetyana Kovyrina on Pexels.com

The next time you pass a beautiful bloom, go ahead and give it a deep sniff.  Take the time to stop and smell the flowers!  It may surprise you to find out that many plants we don’t typically think of as fragrant carry their own sweet scents such as Pansies, Violas, Iris, Astilbes, Daylilies, and even some Hostas.  This year, try incorporating some fragrant flowers into your gardens or outdoor pots and experience what the power of fragrance can do for you!

 

 

 

 

 

 

DISCLOSURE: This post contains affiliate links to the companies listed below. When you click through on a link and make a purchase, I may make a small commission at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank You!