Good ideas, Seedfork. I also like the look of mixed plants. Each of my beds has a different 'feel' or purpose, but daylilies always fit in no matter the theme or concept.

I separated my daylilies not wanting to wait til fall since our fall can be almost as hot as summer. I may or may not get any blooms this year. The big bed is looking a little sparse without the licoris that accompanies them in the fall and winter. This is the perfect solution! I don't get many opportunities to plant in full sun. I will look into some fun annuals to fill in the spaces. Thanks for this tip!

I'm still working up the courage to mix in some other plants with my daylilies - it is hard to find things that do well in 9b. So far, just snapdragons, sea thrift, and dianthus. But, seeing all the variety and color in your garden gives me hope that, with time, I'll stumble onto some neat new plants to try out with my daylilies!

I can normally separate daylilies at this time of year, and if I can leave a large root ball with them, they nearly always bloom, they hardly notice they were ever moved.

chalyse,
I am surprised by that selection of plants, I grow those here but they do better in the early part of the year like now, they don't do so well in the hot summer here.

seedfork - Very inspiring article! Thanks for sharing your experience of growing daylilies and other blooming plants together! Very helpful article!

chalyse - I, too, grow snapdragons and dianthus here in Florida! They bloom constantly for me! I have snapdragons in with my daylilies, but haven't actually planted the dianthus in with them too .... yet. Dianthus seem to really spread here, so not sure if it will work out with daylilies. But I bet it would look beautiful!

Yes, my snaps and pinks do tend to bloom all summer long, even in the dry heat. During the early part of the spring/summer, they are the only thing blooming. Makes a nice interest for the garden to have some color when the daylilies are still just green blades. But, I'm hoping to find a few more types of flowers to add in as well, just to add to the variation in height, leaf type, etc.

Nice article, Seedfork! The different bloom shapes and shades of other plants really can enhance a daylily bed and lengthen the season of the bed when the daylilies are done.

My flower beds are a mixed bag of plants, but mostly daylilies. I like Blazing Star, Balloon Flowers, Phlox, Cosmos, and Daisies around my daylilies.

Seedfork, we are of like mind!

I've been building my garden for a decade now, but with limited $ and no labor help, so it's in its new stages, too.

I had already decided to focus on daylilies, irises, and bulbs because they are so easy, with other perennials for in between their bloom times. I feel encouraged by your success!

Tina, I also have Dianthus rimming a daylily bed, and interspersed in several other areas. Do you want to keep all the companion plants perennial? There are many plants listed as 'annuals' that are actually tender/half-hardy perennials and would overwinter in your zone just fine. I've had Mexican Heathers and Strawberry Fields Gomphrena come back each of the last three years. Do you want contrasting foliage in color or form? Dwarf Cannas have done surprisingly well in my benign neglect kind of gardening. Gerberas, or something like Zonal Geraniums take more water, but could put in just a couple for color maybe? Add in some Lily bulbs, dwarf Penstemon, or Achillea, all of which do pretty well in low water conditions. Lots of options.

Mexican Heather


Strawberry Fields Gomphrena

Oh to live in a warmer zone.......

crittergarden ... I know how hard it is ... if you ever get the chance, like I finally did, jump at it!

@lovemyhouse I am weeping over my keyboard in jealousy for your Mexican Heather!! I tried Six times to get plantings to take, because they are so very, very beautiful ... I tried them in every different place, with every kind of care ... and all of them finally succumbed to the intense dry heat. They are one of the finest beauties ... 9b can be very unforgiving ... *sniffle*

BUT!! Now you have shown me Strawberry Fields Gomphrena I must investigate!

Mine get afternoon shade, which might by part of why they are so lush, although, I may have lost them all this winter. Third coldest on record here, but 75% of them had green growth under the leaf mulch and dried stems. I cut them all back thinking we were safe and the very next week we had a 16 degree low. Haven't seen anything out of them yet, but I keep hoping.

You could look at these:

http://www.bhg.com/gardening/f...
http://txsmartscape.com/plant_...
http://txsmartscape.com/plant_...
http://txsmartscape.com/plant_...

I just put two of these in. One bloomed already at just six inches high.
http://www.plantdelights.com/S...

Mexican Heather has to be treated as an annual here in southern Indiana. I had it in a mostly shaded area a few years ago, but it died over that same winter.

I agree with Tina that it is one of the most beautiful plants.

@lovemyhouse thanks for the great list of what I can pair with my daylilies. Planting in full sun is new to me. I look forward to having more color in that bed once the daylilies have stopped blooming. Mexican Heather might do the trick!

As for the rest of your in cooler climates, our blooms are more short-lived due to the intense heat. Oh! If only we all could live in perfect 75º temps so our plants could bloom for a long time and be happy!

You are welcome, Cheryl.

I have a 3-tiered bed in which I am currently growing my newest daylily hybrid seedlings. I DO have Dianthus growing in the top bed around the foot of a statue in that same bed. But Dianthus do spread a LOT, so I am afraid to plant them IN with my daylilies. I tend to crowd my daylilies all together (maybe too much), so I need plants like the Snapdragons that don't spread. I also have amaryllis in with the daylilies. They bloom earlier to start the Spring/Summer show. I always purchase the Amaryllis bulbs when they go on clearance at Walmart for half price. I got Snapdragons at Wally World also for .59 each! They were clearanced and very healthy looking! Other big box stores and local nurseries also clearance a lot of their plants which I also will buy. And I do grow a lot of plants from seeds! I grow Milkweed for the Monarchs from seeds every year and will grow a few in the daylily raised beds. I actually enjoy growing many plants from seeds or rooted cuttings. Saves me a lot of money! So don't overlook sprinkling some seeds around after the last frost! (Or even in the Fall.) Seeds are pretty cheap compared to plants. Just a suggestion to those like me, who garden on a tight budget!

And another plant that looks really pretty with daylilies is Poppies! They start the show in early Spring and then the Daylilies take over in late Spring through Summer. I grow all those from seeds too that I sprinkle in my daylily bed in Winter.

Fabulous article, Seedfork. Very well written. I, too, like mixed plants in the beds to extend the
blooming season, such as daffodils, then iris, then daylilies blooming in succession. Also,
various shrubs and vines add additional color. Love playing in the garden, and deciding
what to place together.

Seed, I am with you. I find daylilies excellent companions to vegetables, chilies, herbs, gladiolas, coleus, tomatoes pumpkins (squash), eggplant. The trick is to just give right of way to the daylilies in flower.

[quote="ShadyGreenThumb" Oh! If only we all could live in perfect 75º temps so our plants could bloom for a long time and be happy![/quote]

And our bodies would be happier, too!