DND, I tried setting pods on it and never had any ripen. They always abort. It's been in the same spot since 2013 and I've never gotten a pod from it. Its pollen is fine though.

I made the following cross today: Forsyth Summer Snow X Gentle Shepherd. If the cross is successful, anyone interested in growing these seeds, let me know. I will be happy to share them. Forsyth Summer Snow is not as white as Gentle Shepherd but it is a very vigorous plant that blooms profusely with some blooms at 7" across. Its foliage is very nice dark green and it sets pods very easily too.

Forsyth Summer Snow

bxncbx said:DND, I tried setting pods on it and never had any ripen. They always abort. It's been in the same spot since 2013 and I've never gotten a pod from it. Its pollen is fine though.

I wonder if it's just a zone difference? Or maybe mine just happens to really do well with it's location under the tree? Or maybe it doesn't like certain pollen parents (have you tried a variety of different pollen parents on yours?) Mine is currently setting pods with:
Jocelyn's Oddity
Heavenly Angel Ice
Lyonnesse
(a color-changing seedling I have)
Ginger Cookie

Many years ago I had Gentle Shepherd. It never did well in my garden so I sent it south.

Gentle Shepherd bloomed this first year in the garden, but it is too young to give an actual review on.

DND I've tried it with lots of different cultivars but none have taken. Probably at least a dozen. They look like they are growing well then shrivel up and die. But since the pollen is fine I have plenty of crosses with it. I'm just hoping to keep it alive long enough for it to get established. I have to redo the bed its in this Fall so that may spell it's doom.

Update: 12/30/19-I redid the bed and GS survived. I has even bloomed but I still wouldn't say it is thriving in my garden. I have since added several other near white daylilies that are much happier in my garden. I may give GS away to make room.

My experience here in KY is similar to most, it does ok, but not great. I've had it at least 15 years, & still only a modest clump. Foliage is often rather ratty looking. A nice looking flower, not my whitest white, but pretty. Some years it blooms quite nicely, but more often than not it is just so-so. It didn't bloom at all this year, but I have a few other daylilies that are more dependable that did not bloom either.

alilyfan.

Which is your whitest white?

I just purchased 2- "Gentle" Shepherd(s)" this year. The near white blooms are what attracted me the most. So far, after transplanting, it has done well and continues to bloom. Hoping for many years of enjoyment from this lovely one.

Been on vacation and didn't take my iPad. Gentle Shepherd was given to me last year. It has adapted well to my garden and done well in zone 7a. The late freeze we had effected all my plants.

I planted GS this Spring, after purchasing it from Tranquil Gardens. No bloom this summer but it was up to 4, somewhat rusty fans by October. I'm interested in the Daylilies labeled " whitest" so I planted Sagarmatha right next to it, as well as White Tail this season. Hopefully bloom next year from all of those!

Gentle Shepherd is still in my garden although I don't know why. It barely blooms & when it does the flowers are low to the ground and just meh. I much prefer other near whites in my garden.

2023 update…still no bloom on Gentle Shepherd. However, it continues to put on fans and ended at 8 fans, doubling in size from a year ago. Sagarmatha died, in contrast. White Tail is doing great and bloomed a ton this summer. I hope GS will join it next year!