A Much Anticipated Arrival
Every July, yellow daylilies (Hemerocallis 'Hyperion') light up the end of the pool. This year, I was a bit uncertain about their performance. The voles had definitely been active, creating tunnels around the daylilies and eating all the Agastache 'Blue Fortune' that usually complement the Hyperion blooms.
When the daylily scapes (stalks) didn't appear in late June as usual, I feared that stress caused by the critters would impair this year's blooms. Fortunately, the scapes tardily popped up about a week ago. The first blooms opened up this past weekend.
This is one of my favorite daylilies. An old heirloom from the 1920s, Hyperion has simple, lemon-yellow blooms on 36 inch scapes. Besides its beauty, Hyperion has a wonderful sweet fragrance that is hard to find with newer cultivars.
I originally planted about 18 Hyperion plants from a mail order source about nine years ago. Over the years, I have divided them and now they densely fill the bed.
Hyperion is easy to grow. Water is actually the best "fertilizer", but I do layer a little compost in their bed each spring. I also scatter a little Plant-tone as they leaf out. They need division every 3-4 years for top performance. Leaves tend to deteriorate after blooming. Then I cut them down to about six inches. Add a little Plant-tone and water well. New vegetation will grow back in about two weeks (but they won't bloom again that season).
Because daylily blooms last only a day, pinching off the dead blossoms becomes a daily chore. Some gardeners may not like this, but I think it is a small price to pay for their exciting midsummer show.