Many years ago when I was in NY, I saw some pretty orange lilies in the middle of a swamp near my mom's house. Knowing that she loves lilies, I went & pulled some up (soaking my shoes) and brought them home. She looked at them and said "Couldn't you find a prettier weed to drag home?" I was crushed, but I planted it on her berm anyways. She bought all these expensive plants (this is before I knew a lot about plants.. which means now! I *still* don't know squat!) and planted them not 5 feet from where I put her orange lily.
The following year, the only thing to come back was the lily. All her expensive plants croaked over the winter. I saw them blooming the following summer & asked her about all her peonies & dahlias & whatnot. She didn't say anything, but she did appreciate the lily a little more!
I have a few daylilies, but not a single "ditchlily" (no orange ones). And my birds (blue jays, robins, house finches, goldfinches, & mourning doves.. I haven't seen the kites drinking) outside aren't suffering from the lack of water as I have been watering for at least 2-3 hours every day. The robins love it 'cuz the worms all come to the top, plus it's hilarious watching them dance around in the sprinkler. Plus I have a waterfall pond that I know that the birds, squirrels, feral cats, etc all get their water from.
