Making THE Impact

Images: Hemerocallis "Lilting Belle", "Trahlyta", "Dorothy Lambert", "Wind Frills", and the yellow "Nicholas" and red "Carmine Monarch"


Every size daylily has it's place and in that place can be just right. As examples:

• Some are meant to form a backdrop and others are meant to be the star.
• Some are meant to be viewed close up and alone and others shine brightly across the garden.
• Some are more outstanding when photographed while the beauty of others just can't be captured except in person.
• Some have many flowers over a long bloom period while others have a one or two show stoppers a day.

All of these are over seven inches - some larger. Although they have different characteristics, they have one thing in common - they are stunning for the impact their size makes.
Things to consider when buying large dayliles:

1. Do you have room to amply show off the large flower - they need space.
2. Either in person or in print, is it known for strong scapes?
3. The color of a plant of large flowers will be very predominate - do you like the quantity of that particular color?
4. Some are on tall scapes, others on short. Make sure you know what you are getting so it doesn't obscure other valuable blooms.
5. There is no subtle large daylily. If understated is your theme, you won't like the large.
6. Large daylilies photograph well, make a great window view, look good from a distance and can be amazing up close.
7. Many are fragrant.
8. Some are fragile and others tough as nails. Because they are so large, the fragile ones will usually have breakage if planted too close to high traffic areas.
9. Most large daylilies have to be deadheaded every day to look good.
10. Some large daylilies must have a bit of help first thing in the morning: A slight twist of the tip to unstick the long petals from each other. Arranging the open flower so a stem or other flower isn't preventing it from opening all the way.
11. The color and texture are easier to appreciate when viewed on a larger mass of petals. Pearlized, halos, throats, spiders, curls, multi colors, stars, shades, and veins all become major attractions in large scale.
12. Technically, the A.H.S. says large is over 4.5 inches. Most of what I consider really large are over 6 inches (my own personal measuring tool.)
13. Large does not mean it's a spider but some are classified as spiders.
14. They provoke odd sounds from the viewer such as "ooooo" "wow!" "awwww".

As examples to some of the attributes

1. Lilting Belle: the petals are very long and twisted giving it a rolled look. It looks very fragile but isn't. This is classed a "spider" daylily. It is under $10.
2. Trahlyta: The lavender petals will look more like a shiny satin steel gray.
3. Dorothy Lambert: Not only is she large, she glows a tangerine/orange/pink/yellow tropical color that never fades.
4. Wind Frills: This one looks more impressive in person. It looks like windmills.
5. Nicholas: This is a very very bright yellow with consistently huge substantial petals that form a triangle.
6. Carmine Monarch: A flat red with large yellow throat. This red tends to fade a bit as the day wears on but still stays beautiful. Looks best played off other vibrant colors.

"I perhaps owe, having become a painter to flowers." Claude Monet