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A PASSION for DAYLILIES
More than 20 years ago in America I discovered the joy of
growing daylilies. A curiosity became an interest, an interest
evolved into a hobby, that hobby grew into a passion which gave
birth to a small nursery business in Western Massachusetts ,
growing and selling only daylilies. Offering a range of 200
daylilies to the public, this modest enterprise expanded
steadily over nine years. Anticipating moving someday to Britain
with my English wife, I began test growing American bred
daylilies at my in-laws' farm in the East Midlands and
eventually sold my daylily business in Western Massachusetts.
I wondered why daylilies, annually among the favourite
plants found in American gardens, had not yet been embraced by
the avid gardeners in the UK. Was the British climate
inhospitable to the growing of daylilies? Did the milder
winters, less frequent sunshine and cooler summer temperatures
all conspire against successful daylily propagation in the
United Kingdom? After five years of establishing an inventory of
daylily varieties in British soil, studying their ability to
acclimatise to the vicissitudes of British weather, I can report
that daylilies can and do flourish on this island. Our trials
have demonstrated that British gardens can enjoy the vast range
of colour, shape, height and blooming times of a perennial whose
attributes can only complement the beloved and admired gardens
of the UK.
A new English friend described me recently as a "Daylily
Missionary". Perhaps, such a description fits my aspirations,
for my long and satisfying relationship with the irrepressible
daylily now encourages me, as a new resident, to introduce as
many British gardeners as possible to this plant's impressive
range of beauty. At New Hope Gardens here in rural South
Shropshire, we field grow all the daylilies we offer for sale.
We are committed to shipping the largest plants at the most
reasonable prices. I suspect that many of those British
gardeners once introduced to the world of daylilies may well be
converted, developing their own passion for this indomitable and
striking genus.
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