Daylilies (Hemerocallis) are resilient perennials, cherished for their wide array of colors, forms, and ease of maintenance. These adaptable plants offer beauty and durability, making them excellent choices for various garden designs. Their vibrant, showy flowers thrive in diverse conditions, providing visual interest with minimal intervention.
Understanding Daylily Characteristics for Design
Understanding daylily characteristics is fundamental for informed design choices. Daylilies exhibit a vast color palette, from near-white to deep reds, oranges, yellows, pinks, purples, and even near-black hues, often with intricate combinations. Choosing specific color tones, such as warm golds or cool lavenders, significantly impacts the garden’s mood and visual flow.
Daylily height and form also influence garden structure. Varieties range from compact miniatures (12-25 inches tall) suitable for the front of borders, to towering types reaching up to 4 feet, ideal for the back. Bloom forms vary widely, including single, double, spidery, ruffled, and trumpet shapes, each adding distinct visual texture. These attributes contribute to vertical interest and garden layering, shaping the overall aesthetic.
Bloom time is another consideration, as individual daylily flowers last only a single day. Each plant produces numerous flower stalks (scapes) with multiple buds that open successively over several weeks. Selecting varieties with staggered bloom times—early, mid, and late season—extends the flowering period. Some reblooming varieties can flower intermittently from early summer until frost. Daylily foliage also contributes to design; the grass-like leaves vary in color and texture, providing visual interest even when the plant is not in bloom.
Fundamental Design Principles with Daylilies
Applying garden design principles involves strategically arranging daylily attributes to achieve desired aesthetic effects. Massing a single hue creates a dramatic and impactful statement. Alternatively, blending complementary shades or using contrasting colors can produce visual excitement and focal points. For instance, a background of pale yellow daylilies can make purple accents more prominent.
Texture and form contrast add depth and visual interest. Combining daylilies with different leaf textures or bloom forms, such as spidery types alongside ruffled ones, creates a dynamic display. The arching, grassy leaves of daylilies contrast well with plants having feathery or broad foliage. Planting daylilies in large drifts or repeating groups throughout a bed establishes cohesion and rhythm. This massing also functions as an effective groundcover, suppressing weeds.
A daylily variety or grouping can serve as a focal point, drawing the eye. For example, a tall variety planted en masse can create an airy feel. Achieving visual equilibrium involves considering the distribution of color, height, and form for a balanced composition. Shorter daylilies are placed at the front of a border, while taller varieties are suited for the rear, ensuring all plant heights are visible.
Integrating Daylilies into Garden Settings
Daylilies incorporate well into various garden layouts and combine with other plant species for diverse design outcomes. They are effective as front-of-border plants, mid-border fillers, or back-of-border statements, depending on height and visual impact. Mass plantings create large, impactful displays, whether with a single variety or complementary daylily combinations. These dense plantings can also function as weed-suppressing groundcovers.
In mixed perennial beds, daylilies pair well with plants sharing similar sun and soil requirements. Good companions include:
Ornamental grasses (e.g., switchgrass, fountain grass) for fine textures and movement.
Coneflowers (Echinacea) and Black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia) for daisy-like flowers and similar bloom times.
Salvia, with spiky blooms, complementing daylily trumpet shapes.
Hostas, offering contrasting broad, textured leaves.
Phlox, yarrow, lavender, and sedum, contributing varied flower shapes, colors, and foliage textures.
Daylilies are useful for naturalized areas and slopes, where their dense, fibrous root systems help control soil erosion. Their suitability for low-maintenance, informal areas makes them versatile. Smaller daylily varieties also thrive in containers, offering flexibility for patios or smaller spaces. When planting in containers, use pots at least 15-18 inches in diameter for adequate root development.
Creating Year-Round Interest
Maintaining garden appeal beyond the daylily’s peak bloom requires planning for continuous visual interest. Select companion plants that bloom before, during, and after the daylilies’ season for a succession of color. Early spring bulbs like daffodils and tulips can precede daylily blooms, while late summer perennials such as asters, rudbeckia, and sedum extend the show into fall. This layering provides ongoing vibrancy.
Foliage-focused plants also fill visual gaps and provide continuous interest. Hostas, heucheras, ferns, and various ornamental grasses offer diverse textures and colors that remain attractive throughout the growing season, even when daylilies are not flowering. These plants contribute structural elements and visual weight.
For winter interest, incorporate evergreen shrubs or small trees for structure and color when deciduous plants have shed their leaves. Plants with persistent seed heads, like some ornamental grasses or sedums, also add appeal during colder months. Deadheading spent daylily blooms promotes new buds and can extend the flowering period. Removing spent flower stalks and yellowing foliage contributes to a tidy garden aesthetic.