You know what I like best about my garden in July? It is the time it most reflects my personality. In the explosion of colors you will see no modesty, no shyness or subtlety, and no apologies for it either. You may even think it garish or borderline tacky.It is brazen , in your face loud and no to be overlooked (but with class like me 🙂 )

Beyond the fence now blooms the ubiquitous orange day lily. Brace yourself for the next sentence. I paid for them. Yessirree I did. I scoured around for different cultivars of this roadside freebie plant so I can have them in bloom from July throughout August and into September some years then parted with cool green cash to get them.Some are single, some double, some ruffled, and they all play a big part in the look of the” back 40″.

I think I like them so much because they are commonplace and predicatable and can be weedy and most  gardeners would not waste one minute even thinking of planting them in the garden. Planting them  is sort of a tongue in cheek jab at those who will not utilize the pedestrian or ordinary in their space  for only the reason that it is just that, pedestrian and ordinary. I am nothing if not a nudge and a gadfly to those who take themselves too seriously. Almost any plant no matter how common can be used to improve a space if done right.  

My orange day lilies do not exist alone, the are joined by about 10 other varieties of day lily in other colors giving such a bright profusion of blooms you can’t take your eyes off them. This year I added purple  ( Bela Lugosi, Regal Warrior and Super Purple) and only a few are blooming now, but next year watch out ….we are headed into Lady Ga Ga tackiness! It will be perfect!!!

a short FYI,

depending on cultivar and your state hemerocalis fulva

may be considered weed, a wildflower, or an invasive species banned for cultivation

do your homework before planting. Hybrids (the doubles, ruffles etc) areusually sterile

and pose less of a threat

I have also heard they will crowd out other day lily cultivars but in the 10 years they have been here they have peacefully co-existed with not only other day lilies but also with the  phlox, clematis, climbing roses, and coreopsis that share their small space.

Cheryl