#YouShouldGrowThis: Daylilies make a mid-summer garden shine
CBC gardener Lyndon Penner says you should grow daylilies in your garden
Daylilies (Hemerocallis) are not true species of lilies, though they are in the lily family. They are originally from cold places in Asia (the Chinese once cultivated them as vegetables),and they are ideally suited to regions thathave short, hot summers and long, coldwinters.
If you're looking for a fabulous, low maintenance perennialthat provides a lot of beauty for not very much work, you should growdaylilies. - Lyndon Penner
Daylilies range from wee dwarves to immense fourfootgiants, all of them forming sizeable clumps of strappy, grass-like leaves and immense clusters of flowers on tall, bare stems calledscapes.
They come in a veritable rainbow of colours (though oranges and golds predominate) and require little once they're established. They enjoy fertility and moisture, but they're highly adaptable, and once established, they're quite drought resistant.
They have no pest or disease issues andare also fairly inexpensive. Whether you've been gardening for years or you're just getting into it, these are the perfect perennials!
Short-lived blooms, long-term pay off
Daylilies are so named because each individual blossom only lasts from 12-24 hours. This may sound undesirable, but in fact daylilies flower for many weeks at a time, and can be expected to have a long season of bloom. They need a sunny spot andthey are very unhappy in shade.
Daylilies are fabulous nectar sources for pollinators both butterflies and hummingbirds are very fond of the blossoms.
So many choices
There are a wide variety of cultivars that exist,some simple and elegant, and others elaborate and unusual. There are some excellent bicolours and some with flowers that are enormous. Afew of them are also fragrant.
If you're looking for a fabulous, low maintenance perennialthat provides a lot of beauty for not very much work, you should grow daylilies.
#YouShouldDoThis
Are you already growing daylilies? Want to share your pictures?Show us on Twitter @CBCSaskor Facebookand use the hashtags #YouShouldGrowThis and #YouShouldDoThis.