How to Landscape With Daylilies

Daylilies are extremely hardy plants. Most daylilies can withstand extreme heat, cold and dry weather better than many perennials. Daylilies are named for their habit of producing flowers that open for only one day before they shrivel and die. They come in a wide variety of colors and flower shapes, and their sizes range from 6 inches to more than 4 feet. They require little care, so both expert and less skilled gardeners can successfully grow daylilies.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

1. Choose an area for your daylilies in full sun or partial shade with well-drained, slightly acidic soil.
2. Pick daylilies depending on height and where you are planting them. Use shorter varieties in the front for borders or to line walkways, and use taller ones in the back or middle of the garden. Hide fences, outside meters or faucets by planting daylilies around them.
3. Consider color when landscaping with daylilies. Using one color and one variety creates a more dramatic effect than using multiple colors in a small area. Also, if the background is dark, lighter-colored daylilies give more impact.
4. Try to achieve continuous bloom from spring to first frost by choosing different varieties with varied bloom times. Daylily varieties bloom at seven different times during the growing season: extra early, early, early- to mid-season, mid-season, mid- to late-season, late and very late. Choosing extra early to very late varieties can extend your daylilies’ bloom time to six or more weeks. Re-blooming varieties of daylilies are also available.
5. Divide your daylilies every three to four years. The best time to divide plants is in early spring or after flowering. Use your new divisions to fill in spaces in your garden where needed.

Tips & Warnings

• If the foliage starts to look ragged at the end of the summer you can cut it back to 6 to 10 inches. Re-blooming daylilies usually have smaller flowers than standard daylilies. Trade extra divisions with your neighbors or friends.

• If you don’t divide daylilies every three to four years, you’ll have fewer blooms. Daylilies grown in full shade will have fewer flowers.