Peak Daylily Season

The Rock River Artists Open Studio Tour in South Newfane, VT proved to be an absolute blast. The laid-back, informal nature of the tour made for a relaxing Saturday afternoon. Meandering on the route of artists, you couldn't miss Olallie Daylily Gardens http://www.daylilygarden.com/ as it bustled with folks taking in the moment. Breathtakingly beautiful, it felt as though every single daylily in the garden bloomed that afternoon. A perfect spot to take in the daylily experience, Olallie's sea of colors and carefully designed walking paths make it easy to fall head over heels for daylilies. Their hybridized daylilies, some dating back to the owner's grandfather make it a true learning experience as well as their trial areas displaying new and interesting daylily form. The towering Scottish Thistle, reminiscent of a British border grows in their various display beds. It is a cool biennial, often overlooked but extremely hardy to Olallie Garden, which is a zone 4. You can also purchase the Scottish Thistle. Olallie provides you with the cultural advice on how to keep it growing in your own garden.

If you want to venture off the back roads in Massachusetts, here are a few favorite growers to find some special daylilies. Bob Seawright, located in Carlisle, MA is a well-known daylily grower. http://www.daylilies-hostas.com/ You can find an extensive collection of hostas and daylilies. It's a great, first stop and there is ice cream close by. Not too far down the road, check out another grower, Blanchette Gardens. http://www.blanchettegardens.com/ Leo has an extensive collection of unusual plants, astilbes being one of his specialties. He also has a number of daylilies to offer but check the online catalog for rare and unusual perennials. All plants are sold as container stock. Golden Skep Farm http://www.goldenskepfarm.com/ in Berlin, MA also offers a wide choice of daylilies and hostas. Pleasant Garden Daylilies in Bolton, MA. http://www.pgdlbolton.com/index_files/Page355.htm is another favorite. Although smaller in nature, you'll receive personalized attention from Sally Ann, an extremely knowledgeable and passionate grower.

Daylilies are an extremely resilient plant - a must for a New England garden. This is the time to research varieties for bloom, color, size, and form.

NOTE: All daylily growers listed above sell their plants primarily by bare root division with the exception of Blanchette Gardens.