I don’t like daylillies. Never have.
Those less common and “more interesting” are nice, but still not my cup of tea. Sorry, not sorry.
Yet, I still have a bunch of these boring fellas who continue to reside in the garden. I’ve had them for over ten years now. The yellow blooms are BORING and kind of messy post bloom. All sorts of mushy and blech. But I keep them around because they do fill one purpose: They take up space, space I don’t have to concern myself with, space that is not covered in weeds.
But dude, did I mention they’re ugly? They do nothing for me. Look at this pathetic excuse for a “flower”.
They have to go, right? I’m better than that, right?
What would you do?
I’m facing a similar fork in the road. I don’t like them either, but I find it hard to just take them out. What do you think about just cutting the flowers off and pretending they are grasses. It might be a compromise. Thoughts?
Currently phasing mine out also. They spend most of their time looking weedy – at best, and need to be divided every time I turn around. Last couple of years I cut them to the ground post bloom, leaves and all, to avoid the ugliest stage of those browning, flopping leaves. Only problem is, they are a bear to dig out for a hundred pound person.
Thoughts on daylilies run the same. Nothing likes to use them. Never seen a pollinator on one. But I can take a few sprinkled throughout a wild garden. Love your posts!
I have several throughout my extensive gardens as they provide a big burst of color. If they are not for you, take them out, everyone enjoys different things.
I’m surprised your deer don’t help you out. For the last few years they’ve eaten the buds off most of mine right before they bloom. I’ve given away a lot of them and will probably get rid of the rest soon, as I’m gradually reducing my garden spaces.
Your garden is your happy place, take the daylilies out if you don’t like them. If you want the similar strappy foliage of a daylily you might try a carex or perennial alliums like ‘Millenium’ ‘Serendipity’ for their flowers. There are now many varieties to choose from. You get flowers without the mush and foliage without the forever dying undergrowth. And the deer don’t like them.
Actually I think the flower is pretty, but c’mon, how often does it bloom? NOT MUCH.
I tore out all of my Stella D’oro Daylillies last year. I do not miss them. The deer ate the blooms then the foliage looked half dead the rest of the year.
Years ago, I had a similar daylily, a pale, washed out orange. Yes, the plant was ugly too…I could have dealt with the flowers, but the ugly, browning leaves…no. It’s been gone a long time. I do have some pictures though. I vote it should go.