Over my many years in daylilies, I've learned a lesson about growing them. When I first began in AHS and joined the local club, all I heard about was ordering from the Florida hybridizers. That was all the rage. ( absolutely nothing against Florida grown plants) But over the years, there have been some tender evergreen genetics that didn't do well here. And at first, everyone sort of scorned the "local" ( those in our region) hybridizers as being "ordinary." It took me a few years and lots of dollars lost to realize that I valued good garden performance more than a pretty face that might produce ( if I was lucky) 10 blooms in a season. So I slowly began trying daylilies from people who lived in Region 3....in a similar climate. And wow, what an eye opener. All of a sudden the plants began producing more blooms and were totally vigorous. I didn't have to worry about any more tender plants coming up looking like a couple of blades of grass. Don Herr was one of those who was just getting started back then. I think the BIG revelation for me was the last time AHS had a convention in Minnesota and I saw two ladies from Region 1 going absolutely wild over Don's then not very well known 'Her Best Bloomers' because it had the most amazing bud count they'd ever seen. Wait a minute, people were paying attention to Region 3 hybridizers? There were some of Jim and Margo's plants in Steve's garden also and they were getting a lot of attention also. So at that point, I began to realize the value of growing locally hybridized plants, and I haven't looked back. Every single one of Don's plants do fabulously well here. As mentioned, he's been working more on Unusual forms and Polymerous and is making great strides in both areas.
AARON BROWN, may be my all time favorite of Don's! and BIG BERTHA'S SISTER ( new this year!) huge and eye catching.
CAROLYN'S CURLS ( new this year- didn't bloom here) and FOURS ARE WILD, one of Don's high percentage polys
I have grown HER BEST BLOOMERS for years, but the best illustration was the clump growing in Don's garden ( below) and HER PURPLE EYELINER
MARTHA'S MEMORIES - I saw this for the first time on LI, and saw Pat Stamile walk up to Don, tell him it was the clearest lavender he'd ever seen, and order it on the spot!
I came home and later that summer, got it at a bargain at our club auction when no one else was familiar with it. I told them the story ( above) after I'd won it. They weren't too happy with me.
LAVENDER SUSPENDERS on the right:
STAR POLY ( another favorite, almost all blooms are poly.) and TIGER BY THE TAIL ( IMHO, improved version of ADORABLE TIGER and sculpted to boot!)
I have a few more pictures of some of Don's ruffly ones, but will have to look them up!
