Background history:

'Happy Returns' is a dormant diploid introduced in 1986 by Apps.

It has earned the following AHS awards:
Honorable Mention: 1992

This plant can be found in our Plant Database at:
Daylily (Hemerocallis 'Happy Returns') .

Please join in, if you own this plant! We would love to know more! I award an acorn for performance information posted to this thread.



Also, please consider adding a Plant Performance Report to the database! Thank you!

Daylily (Hemerocallis 'Happy Returns')

So far no sign of Happy Returns returning, it has never done well here in my garden, always just barely hanging in there.

Happy returns always does well here. It blooms early and for long period of time. I have it planted in a group with two other yellow daylilies, Mary Todd and Frozen Jade. These three yellows blend nicely and create a real splash of colour.

Happy Returns grows well here, although it took a year to settle in. I like the cheerful colour. It's always one of the longest blooming daylilies - it takes a very cold spell to send it to sleep for the winter!

Happy Returns is an extremely well grower in my zone. It took only about 2 years to have a large clump and it blooms most of the summer with a rest period usually in August. It then reblooms into September. A great little flower that I will always have in my garden.

Happy Returns is a fine small flowered daylily for us. The original plant was moved several times, plus it was divided a couple of times, and never really missed a beat. We now have three plants and when they begin to bloom, they will go for a long time. Yes, there may be a rest period in the hottest part of the summer, but with the return of cooler weather, back come the blooms. When the weather cooperates, HR can put out a few blooms into November.

I don't think I can add more to say for Happy Returns than has already been mentioned. I like the soft yellow of it, lots of blooms that last a long time, with plenty of rebloom. It is in the worst part of my garden where I rarely water or weed, but it still comes through nicely. I'm not a big fan of small daylilies, or yellow, but this is one that will stay because it is such a hard worker

Just added to my garden last summer, it looks pretty happy so far this spring. It's planted near pathways and should be easy to photograph. I write this partly as a reminder to self.

This one is a popular seller in our local big box store. It is another pretty yellow face in the garden. My DW actually picked this one out a couple years ago. It was potted and and has remained. It is returning again this year with a steady 2-3 fan increase again. A reliable rebloomer it will always be a favorite.

2015


Current


I really need to get this one out of the pot so I can recognize its full potential.

Steve - Please post more evaluation info about the plant so I can tip you an acorn!

This was just about my first daylily. Came from Wayside Gardens maybe 25 years ago. It is a little charmer and is one of my first to bloom in the spring. It repeats reliably here - not massive amounts of blooms on repeat, but enough to show off a bit after the initial spring bloom has sprung. I've not pampered it at all - no fertilizer most years, only occasional supplemental water during the worst of our drought years. It's a nice little daylily for the front of the border.......Maryl

This is a very charming daylily, although it is on the small size. It takes a break in our summer heat, but once it cools down, it continues to bloom until frost. It multiplies at a moderate pace, allowing divisions that can be moved to other parts of the landscape. This one is a keeper in my gardens, as it doesn't need much pampering.

Gah, just what I don't need, another diploid!

But I fear you guys are selling me on it... Rebloom, rust resistance, yellow (I like yellow daylilies!)...



I'll think about it (she grumbled...).

I know! All these good reviews makes me want to check into this cultivar, too!

One thing that I have noticed, is that a lot of the images of this daylily seem to show it as having a somewhat chalice-shaped bloom. That, in my opinion, is not exactly a great form, and it makes me worry about how well this daylily will open in areas (like mine) where the evenings are cool.

Does anyone have any insight into that? Bloom form? Bloom opening after cool nights?

Happy Returns always did well for me in full sun or 50% sun. It was consistently one of my first to bloom and reproduced divisions quickly. As soon as I put it in 30% sun it seldom bloomed but the foliage still looked great and it has never struggled despite the numerous transplants.... the blossom is always a beautiful lemon yellow.

Well, after I went ahead and ordered this plant, I bothered to read the reviews (on the Oakes website).

One person in N. CA had this to say: " Interestingly, it starts blooming very late in the day – like 5 pm, is fully bloomed by dark, and the bloom is fading by morning.

That suggests to me that maybe (even though it is not registered as such) it is a nocturnal daylily. (That would explain why the flowers do not seem fully open on some of the images.)

Not exactly what I wanted.

Has anyone noticed similar behavior?

No, not here. Blooms fully open here.

I have never noticed any problems with the blooms being slow to open.

Thanks for your replies.

Hmm... I have to wonder if somewhere, someone has the wrong plant.

Well, since it's already on order, I guess I will see how it does here.

Thank you, SpringGreenThumb, for your comment on its shade performance; I have a lot of shade here, so such information is very useful, and will help me to place this plant.