The bonus culture in daylily sales can be both positive and negative. Generally, I would much rather receive a substantial division of the plants I ordered than receive a bonus. The previous comment noted tossing away a gift plant, which I myself have done, but only after growing it and being dissatisfied.
What I most dislike is to receive a paltry division of what I ordered and then a bonus that is supposed to make up for that. I would also prefer to receive a good price on a plant rather than pay a hefty price and receive a bonus. The extra plant(s) also costs extra postage, which means that the seller must recoup the cost somewhere, often in steep charges for additional plants ordered. It seems a shame to have a culture in which gifts are tossed or are a waste of time growing.
There are situations in which I think bonuses are warranted and beneficial. If a customer has a large order, some good-will gesture is probably appropriate. And a customer that is newer to daylilies or has a small collection can almost surely make good use of the gift. In another situation, orders directly from the hybridizer usually involve fairly high-priced plants, and some gift may be appropriate. Often the hybridizer will ask for gift suggestions in that case.
