I have this daylily, and I love it, but I can't say that it is a great performer. Part of that may be genetic, in terms of its natural budcount and branching. A great deal of it, I am sure, has to do with its treatment and placement in my garden. Most daylilies here get the "benign neglect" treatment when it comes to fertilizer (I do try to fertilize at least once a year), and this particular daylily is unhappily situated in more than part shade. Because of these problems, I am sure that I don't get as long a period of bloom, or as high of a bud count, as other people may.
Still, I have had this daylily for several years (15 at a minimum), and would be unhappy to give it up. I am not a big fan of gold flowers (daylilies or otherwise), but there is something peculiarly arresting and vibrant about the color on 'Mary's Gold'. The color is so attractive that it even makes me overlook the fact that the flowers are otherwise really rather plain, without ruffles; the color is absolutely fantastic
. The plant produces large flowers on tall scapes, both of which traits are highly desirable to me, and which imo add to the show. More importantly, the blooms
always open well, even after our cooler evenings.
There is a tendency to emphasize daylilies which rebloom (the more blooms the merrier), and who can argue with that... But given enough garden space, I think that exceptions can (and arguably should) be made for at least a few special non-reblooming daylilies, depending on their traits, and 'Mary's Gold' is one of those exceptions for me.
I note from the ATP database that 'Mary's Gold' has a rust score of 2.9. I don't spray for rust and have yet to notice rust on it (it has survived at least one garden purge for rust), but this fall may be another matter. (The daylily next to it has had quite a bit of rust, and is going to be kicked from the garden.)
To sum it all up, 'Mary's Gold' is a daylily that - for its large vibrantly colored blooms which always open well - I always look forward to seeing in bloom. The only reason I would hesitate to recommend it to anyone and everyone is its rust susceptibility, and its relatively low budcount and lack of rebloom.
(The above is my opinion on the plant. I do have a question regarding its ploidy, thanks to this thread. I was surprised to see 'Mary's Gold' described as a
dormant in the ATP database, given that the AHS database lists it as a tetraploid. I had always thought it was a tetraploid. Perhaps it really
is a diploid, and that is why I can't set pods on it (with tet pollen)? I'd like to know who/how/why it is thought to be a diploid, though.
Help, anyone?)
Edit: The bolded word in the last paragraph should be "diploid", not "dormant". Duh. I must have been half asleep when posting.... My apologies...
