Wild Child (Salter 2002)
The daylily season is gradually winding down. Many of the early bloomers are finished for the year and late bloomers are now flowering, along with a selection of excellent plants that bloom over a long period. One of my favorite daylilies is a late bloomer, Wild Child, shown above. This hemerocallis is aptly named. With its large, spidery shape, brilliant colour, spotted sepals and fancy petal edges, it does look wild. I smile every time I walk past this rambunctious flower. The curly edging on the petals, by the way, is sometimes called ‘chicken fat’, not a very flattering name. Some daylily growers dislike the effect, but I quite like it, at least on a few flowers.
Pink Super Spider (Carpenter 1982)
I noticed this flower on Pink Super Spider a few days ago. While Pink Super Spider usually has the usual 6 sepals and petals of the standard daylily flower, on this day it turned out a giant flower with extra petals and a touch of doubling at its centre. Pink Super Spider is wrapping up the season with a florish!
Vesuvian (Benz 1992)
Vesuvian is an excellent daylily. It begins blooming well into the season and produces many flowers on strong, sturdy scapes that stand about three feet tall. I have a large clump situated in front of the Tiger Eye sumacs, where the rich, velvety red of Vesuvian shows off brilliantly against a lime green background.
Stephane Grappelli (Hanson 99)
Stephane Grappelli was new this year. It takes several years for a daylily to really fill out and hit its stride. Some people pick any buds off first year plants so that the plant will concentrate its energy on growing roots and settling in. I usually just let mine bloom and enjoy a little taste of what the future holds. I purchased Stephane Grappelli because this namesake of the famous jazz musician reminds me of my violin-playing daughter.
Suddenly Blue (Lambertson 03)
Suddenly Blue was also new this spring. I liked this attractive flower. There are no blue daylilies, and the quest to breed a blue flower continues with hybridizers. Most daylilies with the word blue in their name require an act of imagination to really see the blue.
Northern Fancy (Stamile 02)
This is the third summer for Northern Fancy and I have been pleased with how it is coming along. It bloomed pretty well, and it has gorgeous flowers. I think it will be a future star.
Blue Voodoo (Rice 2005)
Blue Voodoo was also purchased two years ago, so this is its third summer too. It performed well and I have enjoyed its lovely flowers.
Flaming Wildfire (Rasmussen 1996)
Another late bloomer is Flaming Wildfire. The brilliant flowers bloom on 36 inch scapes and it is among the most vivid flowers in the garden.
Here is a sampling of other daylilies that have been flowering over the past week.
Still Night (Stamile 1992)
The Goldilocks Effect (Hanson 05)
Laura Harwood (Harwood 1997)
Autumn Wood (Dougherty 1991)
Borderline Crazy (Mason 2004)
Golden Tycoon (Klehm 1988)
Jean Ivelle (Branch 1989)
Tigerling (Stamile 89)
Willow House Chronicles 