Hi there! My friend is an HOA board member in her subdivision and I told her about my newfound love for daylilies. I asked how much they spend on annuals and what happens to the plants when they're done blooming and replaced with other ones? (Neither of us know; I'm assuming the worst)

So she asked about daylilies. I explained that they're not always in bloom but they're perennials and will multiply, and there are many of them (she loves pink, so I think I can get her hooked lol).

I know this is a tall order but wanted to ask - has anyone tried to come up with (or have suggestions for) an area of evergreen daylilies (bright and light pinks) that bloom E, EM, M, and MLa (I know not one plant will do this, but hoping a combination would be suitable for her needs)?

Thanks in advance for your time!

Jackie, what is the duration of bloom in your area? After the bloom period is complete you need to have other interest, e.g. foliage, and other blooming plants. If not after the daylilys are done than you just have strappy foliage left.

Ooh good question. I actually don't know. This is my first season with fans, and though they're growing very very well, they're not blooming at their usual times and I have no historical record. I'm in Zone 7b/8a in Georgia if that helps.

You could look for rebloomers but the hard part is knowing whether the leaves get ratty looking after flowering because that does not get documented anywhere. You might try asking people to post which cultivars stay looking green without being cut back after flowering. That can still vary a bit by location though even for the same cultivar. That wouldn't avoid having just strappy foliage during the non flowering times but at least they would look reasonable.

You might also keep rust resistance in mind. It will look a hot mess, if you end up with a island of rust buckets.

Yeah - and honestly, I don't think she realizes that they're not a plant them and leave them kind of plant. Ugh - oh well. I can only do so much for the planet and I guess I have to focus on my small garden :

I had the same problem when I lived in Marietta. The powers that be were spending $$$ planting annuals 4 times a year at the entrance. I took them thru my 1/2 acre garden and recommended perennials for them. They bought the plants and a friend and I planted them. Many neighbors pitched a hizzy!! Not as pretty as annuals. I didn't know what I was doing. Etc. On purpose, I didn't recommend daylilies. The area had too much shade and an inadequate sprinkler system.

Jackie, just let them do what they want to do. By the way, dormant daylilies grew quite well where we lived--inside the Kennesaw Battlefield in West Cobb. You do what you can, then just let it go!!! Bless you for trying!

florange said:I had the same problem when I lived in Marietta. The powers that be were spending $$$ planting annuals 4 times a year at the entrance. I took them thru my 1/2 acre garden and recommended perennials for them. They bought the plants and a friend and I planted them. Many neighbors pitched a hizzy!! Not as pretty as annuals. I didn't know what I was doing. Etc. On purpose, I didn't recommend daylilies. The area had too much shade and an inadequate sprinkler system.

Jackie, just let them do what they want to do. By the way, dormant daylilies grew quite well where we lived--inside the Kennesaw Battlefield in West Cobb. You do what you can, then just let it go!!! Bless you for trying!

Thanks, Arlene. She asked me which ones bloomed all the time and I immediately recognized that she mistook evergreen for blooming. So, I think it's a lost cause and I agree--I'll let it go.

After all the work you and your friend put into the project -- please tell me they didn't rip them all out and throw them away. I'm sure you were frustrated. I lived in Smyrna, Mableton and then further west. Then we moved all the way to the NE part of the state for DFH's job. I hated all of the HOA- and apartment-mandated annuals beds....just seemed like a supreme waste of money and natural resources. So glad our neighborgood doesn't use ANY annuals in our entry island. All perennial grasses, crepe myrtles and rose bushes.

What happens to the annuals that are planted and replenished each season--do you know? I prefer loads of perennials with usually one variety of annual as a border. But... I just found the right size daylily that would act perfectly as a border , so I'm going to order some of those and keep my fingers crossed.

Plastic Pink Flamingos

Charley