Tip of the Week — 7/14/08

Posted in Gardening Tips on July 14 2008, by Sonia Uyterhoeven

A Fragrant Daylily

Sonia Uyterhoeven is Gardener for Public Education at The New York Botanical Garden.

Daylilies are marvelous additions to the summer border. They are easy to grow and have large, trumpet-shaped blooms that scream out “Look at me!” Hybridizing daylilies is a passion of many, and the market is always flooded with a multitude of options. Some are short, some are tall, some have flowers the size of your hand. The latest trends are for re-blooming daylilies that flower from July into September. Rosy Returns is a popular performer, Apricot Sparkles is a peachy compact choice, the dark-eyed Moonlight Masquerade will woe you with the striking contrast of wine and cream, and Indian Giver will quickly find a way into your heart with its iridescent rose-pink flowers.

While longevity of bloom is always appealing, don’t overlook the fact that a number of daylilies have fragrance. My favorite is a pale lemon-yellow daylily named Hyperion. It has a happy home in the corner of my vegetable garden and is the main attraction in July. Often plants are described as being fragrant when they have a light scent—this one is truly fragrant. Other fragrant daylilies include Kathy Rood, Fragrant Light, Scape Stopper, and Vanilla Fluff.