It’s the height of the season for those of us in zone 7 and our daylily fields are blooming like crazy! At this time of year, every year, we tend to get a little starry-eyed. The daylilies are in bloom and we want the season to last forever. We want to sit back in the shade with a cold sweet tea and stare at our gorgeous daylilies for days and days and days… unless they look gross. And then we have work to do.
Ruffled Apricot daylilies are planted alongside hosta and hydrangea. Truly lovely!
Daylilies are easy to care for, but let’s face it: all good things have a little sweat behind them. So roll up your sleeves, put on your sunscreen and get out in the garden.
Five Tips to Elevate a Garden From “Pretty” to “Pretty Unforgettable”
- It goes without saying that if one daylily looks good, more will look better. It doesn’t matter if you plant them by color or in a jumbled mass; large plantings of daylilies are always more breathtaking than a single plant. Always.
- That being said, if you only have a single plant, don’t despair! You don’t have to run to the computer and order more– just highlight what you have. As my Grandmother used to say, “Less is more but not always.” (She was an amazing woman but had some confusing sayings) One single daylily looks lonely. It makes a garden look bare and uninviting. Plant some perennials or annuals nearby in colors that complement the color of your daylily. Plant a shrub or ornamental grass that has some of the same colors, or contrasting colors, in the foliage. I promise the result will be incredible.
- Clean it up! No matter how many daylilies you have, or how nicely you have them planted, if they look bedraggled you have work to do. Pull off spent blooms and trim back ragged or damaged foliage and your garden will instantly look more inviting.
- Weed it out! I don’t care how beautiful your daylilies are, if you can’t see them for the weeds, they don’t look good!! Get the weeds out. Do the work. Your garden will thank you (and so will your neighbors!)
- Mulch is your bff. Seriously. Adding some mulch or pine straw to your garden beds will suppress weeds, retain moisture and make your garden look “finished” and fab-u-lous!
‘Ruby Spider’ and ‘Mary’s Gold’ make it impossible to walk past this garden without doing a double take!
NOW is the time for sweet tea in the shade! Enjoy it (and your daylilies!)
