Even yet, most gardeners prefer to include a range of other perennials to liven up their perennial beds, even though daylilies can be used to create a beautiful long-blooming perennial garden.
Daylilies can be an excellent center of attention or a vibrant accent among a variety of other plants. What an accent, too.
400 flowers may be produced by a well-established daylily clump in just one season! Each plant can flower over a 4-5 week period, or even longer for the everbloomers or rebloomers, depending on the variety you select. That adds a lot of color to your perennial bed, I must say.
You will constantly have vivid bursts of daylily color popping up in your garden, first here, then there, always changing, always delightful, if you carefully choose your varieties and position them throughout your bed.
You will struggle to make a decision because there are so many fantastic perennials for the sun garden that work perfectly with daylilies! If you plant wisely, you can make a garden that is vibrant from the first days of spring to the end of the season, with thrilling new and unusual blossoms popping up every month. Simply stroll through the Viette’s display gardens once every two to three weeks to observe how these lovely pairings produce a dynamic, constantly-changing scene throughout the season in a thoughtful perennial garden.
Make sure to select perennials that can flourish in bright shade or full sun when choosing partners for your daylilies. To have vibrant blooms throughout the year, choose a mix of perennials and shrubs that flower in the spring, summer, and fall. Your garden will come to life with the flitting of butterflies and hummingbirds thanks to the magnificent daylily companions Echinacea, Perovskia, Achillea, Coreopsis, Phlox, Salvia, and Buddleia. Daylilies look amazing against decorative grasses.
Don’t restrict yourself to merely get color from flowers. Consider the stunning seasonal color provided by foliage. Finding perennials with foliage that nearly matches every shade of perennial bloom doesn’t need much searching! A few examples include the brilliant silver of Artemisia ‘Silver Mound,’ the stunning silvery blue of Perovskia (Russian Sage), the reds, yellows, and blues of Sedums, and of course, my personal favorite, the wonderful Heuchera. Heuchera ‘Caramel’s’ vibrant apricot leaves are eye-catching on their own, but when there’s even the slightest breeze, flashes of ruby red from the undersides of the leaves add an entirely new level, like dancing “Rockettes” flashing their petticoats! Many other Heuchera varieties’ vibrant leaf offers comparable “surprises” of unexpected color, but that’s a whole other tale.
Which perennial plants go well with daylilies?
A crucial part of planning any garden is companion planting. Sometimes it entails combining plants that are frequently attacked by insects with plants that repel those insects. It occasionally entails combining heavy feeders with nitrogen fixers, such as peas. But occasionally, it’s just for aesthetic reasons. Daylilies are perennials with long bloom times and vivid colors that are quite common in gardens. The key to choosing the best daylily companion plants is choosing which colors and heights work best for an overall effect. They are particularly popular when combined in with other flowers. To find out more about choosing the best flowers to grow with daylilies, keep reading.
What complements daylilies like Stella de Oro?
Star of the Oro Daylilies are a great option for borders or bulk plantings, especially in locations where ongoing flowering and minimum maintenance are sought. Because these plants will fill out as they mature, be sure to provide space between them. Its more compact habit is useful in rock gardens as well.
Maintenance Tips:
To keep the plant looking neat, deadhead the wasted blossoms. Once they have fully dried, the scapes, or dead flower stalks, can be removed. To keep your bed tidy, remove the leaves and stalks from the previous year in the spring.
Despite being resistant of drought, watering Stella de Oro Drought will not affect the daylily’s lush, appealing foliage. Some foliage may brown out and lose its beauty during dry spells. Once additional water has been given, the plant’s damaged components can be removed.
Star of the Oro To increase flowering and lessen crowding, daylilies should be divided every three years in the spring or fall. Dig up the clump, take out between half and three-quarters of the mass, and then plant the remainder. After replanting, water thoroughly to encourage the growth of strong, deep roots.
Pests/Problems:
In general, daylilies are devoid of pests and diseases, and Stella De Oro Daylily is no different. The occurrence of mites, aphids, and thrips is possible but extremely unlikely. However, as long as daylilies can establish themselves and get enough sunlight, they will generally be content and healthy. Slugs and snails could occasionally be an issue.
Deer enjoy the edible flower buds, especially during dry spells when they may lack access to other food sources. If uncontrolled browsing is a concern, flower buds can be shielded by a fence or repellent spray.
While the Daylily Rust fungus is a problem in southern places, it hasn’t been shown to thrive in the Midwest’s harsh winters.
Leaf Lore:
Depending on the size of their flowers, daylilies are divided into three categories: miniature daylilies, like the Stella De Oro Daylily, which have 3 inch or smaller flowers; small daylilies, which have flowers between 3 and 4 1/2 inches; and large daylilies, which have flowers larger than 4 1/2 inches.
Daylilies were introduced to North America as a hardy ornamental plant. They are indigenous to Asia and Central Europe. Although there are more than 55,000 registered cultivars, no one has yet succeeded in breeding a cultivar with just pure blue or white blooms. Many selection and hybridization projects are currently concentrating on creating cultivars with improved hardiness and distinctive flower features. Despite the large number of cultivars available, we attempt to carry only those that have successfully thrived in our soils and environment.
Daylilies are known for their daily tendency to bloom. A solitary flower blooms in the morning and withers at night, lasting only one day. The plants, however, develop an enormous amount of flower buds, and the dead blooms are swiftly replaced the following day.
Companion Plants:
Russian Sage, Catmint, Hummelo Lambs Ear, Rozanne Geranium, and Strawberry Seduction Yarrow are all suitable companion plants for Stella De Oro Daylily. Make sure you allow enough space between plants when sitting to prevent crowding and facilitate division.
Can daylilies and hostas be planted together?
Look for flowers that will show out against the Hosta leaves and leaves with contrasting textures and hues for the most fascinating pairings.
Yellow and green variegated Hostas look lovely with blue Hydrangeas and pink spiky Astilbes.
If placed in partial shade, daylilies make an excellent Hosta companion plant due to their prickly foliage and vibrant flowers. If the place is excessively shaded, they won’t blossom as well.
Daylilies and hostas planted in contrast create a lovely border for a path or the edge of a retaining wall.
The crimson hue of the Maple tree above is echoed by the black foliage of the Heuchera in this image. And this plant combination works really well because of the contrast with the green Hosta leaves.
Are orange daylilies invasive?
Orange daylilies have underground rhizomes that allow them to spread rather quickly. You can divide established plants in the fall to avoid crowding and to produce extra daylily plants.
How should daylilies be arranged in my garden?
Daylilies are enjoyable to collect and use throughout the garden because of the huge variety of flower colors, shapes, heights, and sizes. Three different pink types that I ordered by mail came as tiny divisions for my own collection and took many years to develop into huge blooming plants.
My daylily border was established when I later learned about Steve Green’s daylily sales in Sudbury, Massachusetts. I am seeking for better ways to showcase my daylily collection since it has outgrown the border. I have learned a few tricks for showcasing these lovely perennials to best effect by trial and error in my own garden and by visiting some exceptional display gardens.
You might wish to ask yourself the following questions before deciding where to plant your daylilies:
Are you featuring daylilies as the main attraction or will they complement other plants?
Daylilies are a beautiful addition to any garden. A healthy daylily clump can bloom for 4-5 weeks and generate up to 400 blooms in a single growing season. A border of spring-blooming shrubs is illuminated by daylily flowers, which also look fantastic at the base of a big stone outcrop.
What colors will combine well with the other plants in the garden?
Avoid the urge to acquire one of every daylily that has ever captured your attention. A flower garden is more unified when the number of daylily colors is restricted. Pick a daylily’s hue so that it contrasts or complements the other flowers in your garden. Also, remember the foliage! Daylily blossoms contrast beautifully with foliage that is red, blue, silver, or gold.
What about texture?
Daylilies provide the vivid, star-shaped flowers and strappy texture of their leaves. Utilizing complimentary plants with foliage that is variegated, feathery, needled, or hairy for texture contrast, or oval and round foliage for shape contrast, will help you generate texture contrast. A textural contrast can also be created by plants having daisy-shaped, spiky, or small blooms.
Is the planting intended to be admired from a distance or from close up?
Less variations with more plants of each variety will produce a larger impact of bloom and a better overall sense of harmony, is the one lesson I’ve repeatedly learned while creating gardens. This is especially true if you’re looking at the garden far away. To make a difference, more plants are required.
What if you can’t resist new daylilies?
In order to accommodate impulsive purchases or trades with gardening buddies, mixed borders and designated daylily beds are excellent. Just keep in mind to provide such a crowded border a calming backdrop. The exhilaration of a vibrant border is balanced by an evergreen hedge or a sizable area of lawn.
Oriental Poppies
Bearded Iris do not have the deep bright red blossoms like Oriental Poppies possess. They make ideal mates because they are tall and showy and have comparable demands. Use scarlet flowers for a splash of brightness, red Oriental poppies for a calming effect, or peach-colored flowers for a delicate appearance. Plant other perennials in front of them to disguise the withering leaves since they will die back in the summer. Plant perennial oriental poppies or oriental poppy seeds (plants available seasonally).
Lupines
With their tall, vibrant stalks of durable flowers, lupines will assist in giving your iris a wonderful wildflower appearance. The flowers of lupine blossom in the spring and come in both warm and cold tones. Consider growing lupine plants or seeds (plants available seasonally).
Allium
Alliums, which range in height from small to very tall, add a sculptural element to the garden. They are long-lasting pollinator favourite and simple to grow. Choose medium-height Allium and plant them in a straight or defined pattern for a formal appearance. Tall Allium planted liberally throughout a perennial garden create wonderful garden features with a whimsical character when used in an informal setting. Allium bulbs for fall planting come in pink, blue, white, yellow, or traditional purple (bulbs available seasonally).
Delphinium
Larkspur (Delphinium), which has magnificent towering wands, makes a wonderful companion plant for bearded iris. Purple, blue, pink, and white hues make for a stunning backdrop for a late spring display. Plant perennial delphiniums or rocket larkspur seeds (plants available seasonally).
Baptisia
Baptisia, often known as Indigo, is a fantastic option for yellow- and blue-hued fabrics. Try pairing blue, white, or gold iris with yellow baptismia. With Bearded Iris in blues, purples, or other contrasting colors, blue flowering Baptisia looks wonderful. Plant baptismia plants or indigo seeds (available seasonally).
Peony
One of the most popular perennials with spring blooms is the peony. Peonies make a great Bearded Iris companion because of its dark green foliage and blossoms that open to a luxuriant, fragrant, and long-lasting flower. Although they take time to develop, these long-lived plants can endure the appropriate conditions for decades. Check out our assortment of bareroot peonies (available seasonally).
Daylilies
A simple-to-grow option to complement Bearded Iris is daylilies. Additionally, the long, strappy foliage of these plants adds depth to a garden. Even some of them rebloom with Bearded Iris. View our available daylilies here (available seasonally).
Salvia
With its vibrant, long-lasting flowers that draw a wide variety of pollinators, salvia will give a splash of color to the border of your iris garden. Usually has flowers that are dark purple or red. In a formal environment, you can make a lovely border; in an informal one, plant them in groups of three or five for a more natural appearance. Salvia, a plant also known as Sage (plants available seasonally).
More Bearded Iris!
More Bearded Iris can extend the blooming season and bring a rainbow of hues, patterns, and textures to your existing bed thanks to their diverse range of colors, sizes, and bloom dates.
Remember to include some late-season bloomers like Agastache, Aster, and Salvia if you have a reblooming variety.
And most importantly, enjoy yourself! Experiment Sometimes breaking the rules is vital. Pay attention to the vegetation as well. With its upright foliage, Bearded Iris brings a lovely vertical feature to your garden.
How many daylilies can you plant in a single planting?
I had a variety of roles as a founding worker at Gardener’s Supply over the years. I currently run my own business, which is called Johnnie Brook Creative. A huge vegetable garden, a seasonal greenhouse, a cutting garden, perennial gardens, a rock garden, a shade garden, berry plantings, numerous container plants, and a meadow garden are among the gardens surrounding my Richmond, Vermont, home. The garden is the only place I would rather be. Check out this Garden Gate magazine video interview from January 2021 if you’re interested in learning more.
The daylily is the only perennial that can be considered a “guaranteed thing.” They do well in zones 3 to 9 (from Minnesota to Florida), can survive a wide range of soil types, are unaffected by diseases or pests, and consistently bloom for years with hardly any care. Hemerocallis, the daylily’s botanical name, literally translates to “beauty for a day,” and in fact, the majority of daylily flowers open in the morning and wither by dusk. The plant blooms for several weeks because each flower stem, also known as a scape, often bears at least a dozen flower buds.
Daylilies, unlike the majority of perennials, can be used in a variety of ways in the garden and landscape. The shorter, more compact kinds grow nicely when planted straight into perennial borders, where their blossoms provide the landscape a much-needed lift in the middle of summer. Daylilies are best planted in groups of three or five for landscapes, especially when combined with tiny shrubs and decorative grasses. Daylilies make the ideal plant for mass plantings along fences or walkways since they create a weed-free display that is thick and attractive.