Come back! | Daylily Blog about Regret and Reclaiming

Posted January 28, 2013.  This is one of the last shots of my garden from fall 2012...that's H. 'Kings Cloak' still blooming in November, and its the old Munson daylily I bought while on my honeymoon in Vegas.  I carried it home, potted, on the plane.  He should have known what he was in for then...

For a recent project, I needed to comb throught he thousands of daylily photos on my computer and find some specific ones.  While carrying out that arduous task, I happened upon photos of my garden I had long forgot.  Shots from 2006, 2007 and earlier, which were of cultivars that have long left my collection.

Some of them caused me to roll my eyes and remember exactly why they no longer grow here, and others I was sad to remember I no longer owned.

For example, H. 'Gavin Petit.'  For three years after its introduction, I lusted to grow it, but couldnt afford it.  Finally I won it in an auction and enjoyed the vibrant and gaudy blooms in my garden.  I dont grow it anymore because someone visited my garden and made me "an offer I couldnt refuse" for the clump and off it went.  At that time, the high price she was willing to pay overshadowed my desire to have it among the other hundreds of daylilies in my collection moving to the new gardens here in Illinois.  Blinded by the dollar, I was, and now I wish I had that daylily back.  I love the splatter pattern at the edge of the eyezone.  I also enjoy the thick edge and unassuming sepals.  Sepals that stick out and do crazy things do not appeal to me.    (looking at this photo closely, I also see my old clumps of veronica in the background.  I miss those, too.  Left them behind at our old house...)

I also terribly miss one of the most sophisticated gray-pinks I have ever seen, H. 'Janet Benz.'

BACKSTORY: One time I was working in a garden digging plants for a club plant sale.  The hybridizer/enthusiast was donating lots of clumps to the club and all we had to do was come dig them.  As a nice reward for our efforts, he gifted each worker with one single fan of anything he was growing.  I could not believe the offer.  My choice was H. 'Janet Benz.'  I could not have afforded to buy this at that time, and it was not widely distributed, so I was thrilled to get it.  After about 7 years growing in my garden, I sold it off in about 10 double fans to clubs visiting my garden before I moved to Illinois.  I miss it.

I also miss H. 'Royal Butterfly.'  And H. 'Fresh Start.' 

And H. 'Spacecoast Tiny Perfection.'

Of the over 400 (I've lost count since last Fall) I still grow, I'm finding new favorites.  As I looked through these photos from the last 10 years of gardening with daylilies, I see the growth of my collection. Not only in quantity, but quality.  I do still have many I started with, but its easier these days to dig and sell a clump in order to make room for other possibilities.  If you like to trade, sell or buy daylilies from other daylily folks, you should check out the Facebook page for doing that.  It's a growing group of folks who are interested in making some deals.  See it and/ or join it here. Post something cool for sale or ask for something you have been looking to add.

Yes, I do miss the ones that are now growing for someone else, but I love what the future holds, too.

one of the islands in my back yard...summer 2012