What flowers grow well with daylillies?

[peachyness]

I apologize if this was asked before. I did a forum search and typed in daylillies and did not see a thread that pertained to this question.

My plan is to plant some daylillies (I have 4 pots of them right now) in an area in my front lawn. I would also like to mix it up a bit and plant some other flowers (perennials) with them. This is a nice sized area, full sun.

I was just curious if you guys have any favorites? I have a nice nursery that I frequent, but I found this site to be even more helpful.

Thank you.

[Kisal]

I don't know how daylilies behave in your area. Up here, you put them in the ground, and by the time you blink your eyes, the things have spread and taken over half your yard.

I love dayliles, though. They've been a favorite of mine since I was a child. They do have to be dug up and divided every few years, so I would avoid planting them near things like peonies, that dislike being disturbed.

I have dayliles growing with tall Siberian irises, and dwarf daylilies could be planted near standard bearded irises. Both daylilies and iris need to be dug up and divided at about the same time intervals, so neither would be bothered by the process.

There are many perennials that could be good companions to daylilies. I just happen to be especially fond of both daylilies and irises.

[rainbowgardener]

We've been corresponding in the Spring Flowers! thread, so you know what all I put with mine. So if it were me, this fall I would put in some spring bulbs for something happening sooner. The daylilies are summer bloomers, so they are a little slow to get started in the spring.

Then the daylilies (which do multiply and spread pretty quickly) if they are not dwarf varieties do get pretty big and tall (even the foliage, not to mention the flower spikes). So it's nice to have something low around the edges and a bit medium sized in between. I do some of the low by popping in some annuals -- when the pansies get frazzled in the summer, I pull them and pop in some marigold. The nice thing about the annuals is they bloom all season. Most of the perennials have just a few week season of bloom

I do like the perennial salvia (I have the may night purple salvia) for the mid range, because unlike what I just said, it does bloom and bloom. It has buds on it now, in a few more days it will be covered in purple flower spikes. Then if you keep it dead headed, it will keep blooming (not as prolifically) all the way until frost.

[peachyness]

Thanks guys! I looked into those flowers and it looks like they would work well in my zone, full sun, water needs are similar, and they are colorful.



Do you guys know of any flowers that have stronger fragrances? For example, any idea if freesias would grow well with daylillies?

[Kisal]

I have not grown the two species together. As Rainbowgardener noted, standard-sized daylilies grow rather tall, roughly 18" to 2 feet. They also spread fairly aggressively, and can hide or overrun any nearby plant that is too short. That's why I use tall Siberian irises with the standard-sized daylilies.

Low-growing annuals are good, because they die at the end of the season. They can't be harmed as the dayliles spread, and they will be gone when it's time for you to dig and separate the daylilies.

[peachyness]

Kisal, thanks! What I think I will do is plant certain fragrant flowers in large pots (I have a patio area near this garden area) and put iris out with the daylillies. That way, it'll please my hubby who wants fragrant flowers, and it'll make the area with the daylillies work.

I am so glad that I have you guys to give me your opinions. Otherwise, I would be in tears stressing over this stuff.

ETA: darn, my favorite nursery doesn't carry the Siberian Irises. Hmmm, time to do more thinking here.

[Kisal]

Walk around your neighborhood. The tall irises are fairly common, but have not been so heavily hybridized as the bearded irises. I've only seen them in white, purple and yellow. When I moved into this house, a neighbor asked if I'd like to trade some of my white ones for some of her purple ones. I did. Last year, a new friend said she wished she had some purple ones, but all she had were yellow. Mine need to be divided, and I've always wished I could find some yellow ones. So, we'll be doing a trade later this year. (She even volunteered to do the digging, since I just had a total shoulder replacement a few weeks ago! I'm getting a great deal! )

[peachyness]

Kisal, wow, I hope you are taking it easy!

We just moved into this neighborhood so we're still meeting our neighbors, but I can see that as being a fun way to meet them! We actually did walk around the neighborhood, mainly to see how everyone else to doing their gardens, and I don't remember seeing any irises (although I will look again). Common flowers were daylillies and daffodils.