Notable Newbies for 2009

I had a few new daylilies bloom in my gardens this season that arent the newest or most expensive, but they are notable. Of the 200+ that I now grow, there is something to say about each and every one of them - which is why I add them to my collection. All of my daylilies are considered "specimen plantings" because they each serve a purpose and should be studied for their individual merit.



These selections below were highly anticipated and lived up to the hype they came with. So, although these arent necessarily my favorite daylilies of 2009, or my favorite photos of daylilies taken in 2009, I felt it important to note some in hopes that you may want to add them to your collection, too.



First, there is H. 'Ron Valente.' If you can get your hands on a piece of this one, you should do so as quick as possible. I have never seen anything like it, as the person who sold it to me advised me as I wrote a check too big to tell my husband about. The color cannot be described. The eye pattern is like liquid, dripping out onto the petals and sepals. The coloring of the eye and its drippy-ness varied from bloom to bloom. It is a big, bright, crayola-purple with no hint of red or mud in it at all.



H. 'Morningcloud Marmalade' is an introduction from Michigan's own Greg Schindler - hybridizer of my most favorite H. 'Matchless Fire.' I often say that I enjoy daylilies with all five of my senses, and this is one that envokes my sense of hearing. Some daylilies scream for attention with the color or brazen form; this one does not. It softly called from the front of the border for a closer look at its blushed edges and whimiscal form. A prolific bloomer and moderate increaser, this one was clearly among the most photogenic daylilies in the yard.


H. 'Spacecoast Freaky Tiki' was a surprise gift from my daylily buddy Nicole. It is certainly freaky. Although each bloom was uniform and perfectly formed, the color variations were not- which made it most enjoyable. Sometimes the stippling was more intense, and sometimes the soothing sherbert base color dominated. It is short, small and will certainly be one I will use in an exhibition next year.

Oh my...H. 'Cameroons' was a knock out. Saturated color and tall sturdy scapes helped this one gain my attention this year. I also grow a clump of it at my mom's garden in southern Illinois and her specimen was even more stunning than mine. I suppose the heat in her area helped the colors more than my cool, wet summer mornings.

And finally, H. 'Belly Button Slipknots.' Anyone who knows me and my taste in daylilies knows that this is not my traditionally favored form. I like formal, round, thick substance and form in my daylilies. Despite all their favorable characteristics, spiders and unusual forms arent knows for their thick anything. I am now publicly admitting that unusual forms and spiders caught my fancy this year. I blame a visit to Dan Bachman's Valley of the Daylilies for this new facet of my taste. The below daylily is one of his introductions, bought in an auction in early 2008. Seeing thousands of these in his yard this summer filled my eyes with movement, grace and volume. I also grow his H. 'Jazz at the Wool Club' and I love it. Dan has a collection of daylilies that are named after Far Side cartoons, which cracks me up. Again, sometimes the name of the daylily solidifies its place in my small collection. This one was a humungous flower, on a fairly demure scape, but surprisingly, the scape held up and did not lean at all. Something about the russian sage in the background accented her just right. Dont tell anyone I like spiders and unusual forms. It will ruin my reputation. ;)

I already have 5 in mind for a post just like this one for 2010. I have turned over about 40% of my collection this year, so I have many new ones to look forward to for next summer.

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In case you are curious, here are places I find daylilies:

www.daylily.com - a daylily-specific auction site

www.brownsferrygardens.com - two nicer people could there be

www.gardeneureka.com - use this site if you know the specific daylily you are looking for

www.valleyofthedaylilies.com - Dan Bachman's place in southern Ohio. He has thousands...