Hi Susan, I think there must be a zillion answers to that question but I'll put in a few of my thoughts. Bud count isn't the most important because you could have a bud builder that makes more buds as the season progresses and so these bud builders can often bloom longer. Good branching is important so that the flowers can display properly. If you have a daylily that has all it's buds blooming at the top of the scape the blooms can get crowded and not open properly. Substance is another thing I'm always keeping in mind as a flower with good substance will hold up better in the weather. I don't like flowers that bloom down in the foliage as they are hard to see, I want to see them blooming over the foliage so they can show off their pretty faces. Rebloomers up north here are always a bonus so I'm always on the lookout for those.
The best bloomers that I have I've probably already talked about before but I'm glad to mention them again because I think they are so good and it's not just this year they really performed, they've performed very well in the past few years also.
GLORY TO HIS NAME by Jack Carpenter was a sleeper for me. I had no idea what a blooming machine this plant is and how long it bloomed for.
CATASTROPHE WAITRESS by Curt Hanson is another blooming machine. This daylily is another fast increaser that always puts on a show. I love the coloring on this daylily, it's very different.
VANILLA GORILLA by Mike Huben I can't say enough good things about this UF cascade. Any way I look at it this is a great plant.
SYMPHONY OF PRAISE by Tim Bell. This daylily got my vote for the Stout award. It sent out reloom scapes for me this year which considering the weather I thought was wonderful. This was one of my last plants to bloom in the garden.A lovely shade of pink and great ruffles!
ANTIQUE ROSE by Sarah Sikes. This is an oldie but goodie which gives me a lovely show every year no matter what the weather. I think it is one of the prettiest pinks in my garden.
