Xeriscaping With Daylilies

Daylilies tolerate poor soil and dry conditions, making them a good choice for xeriscaping–that is, a good choice for dry climates. Xeriscaping is a landscaping method developed especially for arid and semiarid climates; it utilizes water-conserving techniques such as the use of drought-tolerant plants, mulch, and efficient irrigation. Daylilies grow through spreading rhizomes and produce prolific, trumpet-shaped blooms midsummer to fall. They form mounds of grasslike foliage that grow to 2 feet high.

Significance

• Daylilies are popular with gardeners for several reasons. They provide large yellow, orange, red or peach blooms almost all summer long that attract birds, bees and butterflies to the garden. They need very little care, and they thrive in almost any condition, according to Cornell University, although they bloom best in full sun. They spread rapidly, filling in bare spots in the landscape.

Function

• You can plant daylilies alone in a xeriscape garden as a border or you can mingle them with other flowering perennials. The flowers bloom on 6-inch stems above the foliage, providing a vertical element to your garden.

Considerations

• Daylilies need regular watering when they are first planted but are fairly drought tolerant after the first year, requiring only occasional watering during dry conditions–which is why they’re suitable to xeriscaping. Additionally, they spread quickly and can be divided for propagation, according to Barbara Damrosch, landscape designer and author of "The Garden Primer."