Daylilies Reign

This time of year, daylilies are showstoppers in the garden, and these are two of my favorites!  On the left is Rosy Returns, on the right is Stella de Oro.  I've had Stella for years, and she comes back reliably and blooms her head off in May and June, then continues to bloom here and there for months.  This is my first year to grow Rosy Returns, but the beautiful blooms have already made it a favorite, and I am hopeful for repeat performances from this one as well.  Stella actually started blooming in April, and Rosy Returns in May.

Dayliles are joy in the garden because they really require very little and give so much.  Just give them a sunny place, good drainage and a little water, and they will leaf out in March and stay with you all season.  Each bloom lasts for only a day, but they keep sending up more and more blooms, so plant one and enjoy the show!

Coneflowers in May

Purple coneflowers are stars in my May garden.  I love them because they bloom all summer, love the heat, are compatible with lots of other flowers, and best of all, they keep coming back year after year!  I have pink ones and white ones, and they produce extra plants from seed each year.  If you want a perennial that is super-easy to grow, dependable and lovely in the garden, you can't beat coneflowers!

This is a little bonus hybrid this year that came up from seed as a pale pink!