I agree with all the comments that members have stated above. I don't think competition is the right word here. For me growing and expanding my gene pool is a passionate hobby. My answers come every time I see a new seedling bloom from my sdlg. garden. How can I improve that sdlg. i.e. health, sturdiness, bud count, height, dormancy, and color. Rust is a secondary thought for me, as it really does not Winter over here in New England ( however, I try and stay away from rust buckets). I think James made a good point when he stated, the least expensive way to increase your gene pool is to buy 'seeds'. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and very subjective. Look into buying seeds that meet your criteria, your plan for establishing a unique garden. You can find a myriad of the newest intros through seeds offered on the LA. And many times, I am surprised to see the newest intros crossed with older daylily's that I already have in my garden. Make a plan, and keep it simple. One thing for sure, its going to take time. Patience and sometime a little bit of Irish luck will give you a bloom that is sensational.
Cyndy...One of my favorite older daylilies in my garden is 'Rings of Wonder'. It grows well here in my Vt. garden. Sometimes, I have found that when I introduce new plants to my garden it can take a year, and sometimes longer for that plant to establish itself in my zone 4b garden. Hang in there. It's a lovely plant. You'll see.
