Daily Dose Blogger Bios
The Daylily: Yes? No? Maybe?
Are daylilies overused? Maybe they are - but what good plant isn't overused? I object to plants that are badly used, and daylilies are prone to being planted out in groups of 100 or more... and you all know how I despise massed plantings.
I don't understand why, because daylilies are so easy to integrate into a mixed planting scheme. The grassy leaves and straightforward blossom add an ease and simplicity to anything you put them next to - put a daylily next to a tea rose (if you insist on planting those) and it is instantly less uptight. Add a daylily to an existing group of kangaroo paws and Salvia clevelandii and you have horticultural BFF's (Best Friends Forever, duh...) The rainbow of colors they come in makes them pretty irresistible, and even though the blooms last for only one day - what a show! Besides, there are always so many buds waiting to burst into flower that you can't hold that one day thing against them. Most daylilies bloom for around a month, take a little breather, then rev themselves up for another performance.
Don't just take my word for it - plant some! I know you'll end up liking them, maybe even loving them. And if you don't, you know where to find me.
The daylily is cool. But that orange wall is cooler. It makes me wanna dance.
That wall is my pride and joy, Chanchow! It is designed by artist Jorge Pardo ... I did his garden for him and got the wall as a trade. Of course, this means I can never move - but who would want to leave Eagle Rock?
By the way, the wall is visible if you are coming into Eagle Rock from Highland Park on Ave 51 (over the hill) You'll fully be able to figure out where I live now! Honk twice when you drive by!
Mixing kangaroo paws, salvia, and daylily? Have you figured out where I live, Germi??? Creepy. We have all those in what we call our "public garden" along the street.
I was a DL hater too, but I put my first one (Prairie Blue) in the ground late last year. It was a gift with purchase from an online nursery and I needed something that could handle the heat and light close to the street. So far, no complaints, but I don't look forward to dividing it one day.
'Prairie Blue' is beautiful, Susa - did you get it from Greenwood? I have a few of their sturdy babies in my garden - the one in the photo is 'Acapulco Night'. Tough as nails. We need these tough, go-to garden stand by's. Dividing is one of those chores that is such a pain in the butt, but so necessary. Once I get going, it's kind of satisfying.
Did I jump right into your public space plant palette? It's because you have good taste, and you know what they say about 'great minds'...