About
a decade ago, I devised a strategy to interplant tough, drought-resistant daylilies
on an embankment, although my idea will work in any garden situation, in sun or
part shade. My objective was to prolong the
bloom season from January until June. I selected two other perennials of approximately
the same size with similarly-shaped leaves for this companion planting.
Narcissus
Several
types of daffodils were selected, and planted in groups of about seven bulbs (all the same for maximum impact) next to each daylily clump. I chose some of
the earliest yellow bloomers for January, as well as mid-sized white and pink
varieties to extend the flowering season into February and March. Narcissus are
long-lived, and since they are in the Amaryllidaceae, they are poisonous and
therefore unappetizing to chipmunks and pine voles.
Iris
Next,
I planted starts of Siberian Iris and non-bearded iris next to the daylily clumps to follow the
daffodils and continue the flowering season into March/April. Iris siberica are every bit as tenacious
as Hemerocallis in terms of toughness
and drought resistance. Although their sword leaves look a lot like the fans of
slender daylily leaves, the flower spectrum is in the blue-to-violet-to-white
range and the iris flower shape is completely different, providing variation.
Hemerocallis
Finally,
the old varieties of daylilies took center stage. Before the new
repeat-blooming hybrids, my daylilies would begin flowering about Father’s Day
– mid June—and give a burst of color for about a month.
Today,
by replacing the old varieties with continuously-blooming daylilies like those from the Enjoy 24/7™ Daylily Collection from Garden Debut®, my daylilies start blooming in early April and don’t
quit until Thanksgiving!
- A strong-growing bi-color Kokomo Sunset™ PP22181 provides brilliant color with blazing gold and a burgundy-red eye.
- Montego Melon™ PPAF is a compelling soft yellow on a short plant that increases rapidly and has triple the number of flower scapes.
- Ruffles and frills of Bermuda Peach™ PPAF are irresistible, with low-growing, rust-resistant foliage on a rapid increaser.
- The haunting Jamaica Sunrise™ PPAF, delivers an eye-catching lavender-rose hue.
These daylilies were developed by award-wining
daylily breeder Dr. Ted Petit for incredible bloom cycles stretching from April
through late fall and healthy, rust-resistant foliage with low, grassy-like
leaves and flowers held above compact plants. I find planting in groups of the
same variety gives the biggest impact, particularly those with bright- or
light-colored flowers, with each plant becoming a attention-magnet or “visual
bouquet” in the landscape.
So share a photo if you give my
daylily companion planting strategy a try and let us know your own
long-blooming efforts! You’ll have flowers from Januany through November by
including daffodils, Siberian iris and choices from the new iEnjoy 24/7™ Daylily collecton from Garden Debut®. Or perhaps you have a different set of plants to
include for a continuous bed of blooms?
Let’s hear it!
