Youer Than You

Dr. Seuss' birthday is today and isn't this a great little quote?  Are you Youer than You?  And, don't some of your favorite garden plants fall under that category?  My daylilies are "youer than you". 

Daylilies are a favorite because of their many traits other flowers don't possess.  Granted the whole bloom only one day thing isn't my favorite part of the plant but it's also one of the things making it an individual. 

For me, a couple of traits daylilies have that make them rise to the top of the garden "love-love-love them" list is trouble-free and beauty.  Or, beauty and trouble-free. 

Blushing Summer Valentine

Oh sure, you can mistreat them and they will finally give it up but not without limping along giving you chance after chance to rectify the situation.  Too much shade:  I'll bloom but perhaps not as much.  Too much clay:  I'll bloom but perhaps not spread.  Japanese Beetles:  Eat one petal but tomorrow I'll show you an all new perfect one.  Ship bare root and forget to plant for weeks:  Dried looking but watch me rebound with a little watering.  

Pick a daylily flower and it will look as perfect laying on your desk as it did on the stem. 

Give it gloriously perfect light, soil, moisture, year and you will be rewarded with the kind of devotion only a dog can give after you've adopted him from a animal shelter. 

Daylilies are Youer than You and that's pretty darn perfect in my garden book.  (It's also true of grandchildren.)