And then you can share and sell the divisions and seeds to your countrymen/women! Make a little profit off your daylily hobby! Start a new garden fad and start a popular Daylily Club. It could happen.
When I first moved into my current home over 20 years ago, it was a fairly new neighborhood. I rarely saw anyone outside. I had 2 young children and one teenage son. There were no children that I ever saw. I started going once a week to a half hour storytime program at the local library and met other mothers and their young children. We enjoyed seeing each other once a week and even set up play dates for our children. But it was not enough. So I started a Playgroup. It started with 10 women and their children. Then grew by word of mouth. At one point there were over a hundred families who were members, some were even dads, nannies, grandparents, and babysitters. We decided to walk as a group (we had t-shirts made up) in the local 4th of July parade. I remember everyone on the sidelines asking who we were! Our playgroup was the best kept secret in our city! We were a big hit because of our children waving to everyone! I never advertised. I did a monthly newsletter, planned outings, and field trips (we got a group discount), and even did a Mother's Night Out (once a month). I did that for 8 years and then had to go back to work. People actually cried when I resigned. The playgroup was passed on to another mother. She tried to do the best she could but unfortunately the playgroup dissolved 2 years later. I have so many wonderful memories of that playgroup. It all started from a "need". There was nothing for parents and their young children to do here to meet others. That all changed because a few of us met at the library once a week and saw a need to do more and we acted on that desire.
Same could be said of a gardening club. Or a daylily club. You get enough people involved, you could be really surprised what it might develop into! Most people love to belong to something. And gardening is a very popular hobby for many people. So you put socializing and gardening together .... you might just have a big hit on your hands! Start out by sharing your daylilies and then add an event or a sale or a BBQ ....
There used to be a daylily club here in my county years ago. When rust hit Florida in the early 2000, collector's mindset changed. Especially those who live in central and south Florida. The daylily craze fizzled out and has never recovered here. I am secretly hoping I can change that by hybridizing some rust resistant daylilies and sharing them with friends and neighbors and maybe even selling a few to local gardeners. That is my long-term dream. Not sure if it will become a reality or not. Time will tell .....
