Gardening

Delightful Day Lilies

There are some flowering plants that just get on with it and then surprise you with a spectacular display of flowers that outshines everything else in the garden. Hemerocallis, known as day lilies, are one such plant.

Each individual flower lasts but a day, but don’t be put off, as there is a continuous succession of flowers for six to eight weeks in summer. They are not true lilies, so don’t get eaten by lily beetle at all.

Different varieties bloom at different times. It is best to avoid early ones (Mayearly June flowering) as these can be attacked by Gall Midge which destroys some of the flowers). Later bloomers avoid this pest.

Growing is easy - day lilies are great survivors flowering in poor, dry, damp or even wettish soils. They need some sun to flower well. They can also be grown in large pots or containers.

Day lilies should be deadheaded regularly, mainly because the faded flowers go soggy, but also because they may harbour pests. Tidy gardeners go round their plants last thing at night and remove all the blooms that have opened. They can be divided from spring to autumn when not in flower.

With over 50,000 varieties registered there are plenty to choose from.

Every colour is available except black, a pure white and a true blue. Most modern types are around 2ft - 2ft 6in / 60-75cm tall although some are half this height, and some are taller. The flowers typically have 6 petals (occasionally eight or more) and can be trumpet-shaped, circular, starshaped or long-petaled (‘Spider’ forms).

Perhaps the easiest to place in a garden colour scheme are the “selfs” – those with petals all in a single colour. On some varieties the “throat” of the flower has a different colour, often gold or green and sometimes contrasting with the petals.

Some have two shades of the same colour front and back petals (‘bitone’) or contrasting colours (‘bicolour’). These can be quite striking in the border. Even more striking are the “eye zone” patterns with a contrasting colour in the middle of the flower and even patterns in this eye (‘watermark’ and ‘etching’).

Flower sizes vary from 2in / 5cm up to 10in / 25cm depending on variety. The largest ones are the spider form and socalled UFos (“unusual forms”) with twisted, dangly petals.

Whatever the variety, these easy to grow plants will reward you with a fabulous display each summer.

Janet and I organise Plant Hunters’ Fairs, specialist plant fairs at wonderful locations offering great value days out.

Capesthorne Hall & Garden, Macclesfield on Sunday, August 14. Admission to gardens and fair £3.50. Pay on the gate.

The Dorothy Clive Garden on Sunday, August 28, and Monday, August 29. Advance tickets for admission to garden and fair £5.

Weston Park, Shifnal on Sunday, September 11. Advance tickets for admission to garden and fair £4 or £8 on the day at the gate.

For further details and tickets go online to www.planthuntersfairs.co.uk.