The Pop Poll is a great way to help new daylily growers discover great daylilies that will grow and thrive in their regional growing conditions.

 

September 1 is the deadline for voting in the Pop Poll and you can vote online! Just go to www.daylilies.org and click on the Popularity Poll link. It's simple, just select your region and vote! If you want to mail in your selections, check your summer regional newsletter for the ballot.

 

 

This question came from Kathy Figueroa,, who has applied to be a display garden in Region 4, Bancroft, Ontario. When she knew Donna was going to use her question, Kathy contacted other members to help make this column helpful to those who have display gardens. I think we found many good ideas and hope they help those of you with display gardens.  Any further questions should be addressed to Mary Lou Lundblade, who is chairman of Display gardens (displaygardens@daylilies.org).

QUESTION:  I've heard members talk about "display gardens."  Can you explain just what a display garden is?
 
RESPONSE: According to the AHS website, this is the explanation. "An AHS Display Garden is established to display the very best daylily cultivars to the general public.  Its purpose is to educate the visitor about modern daylilies and how they can be used effectively in landscapes."
 
If it is an approved AHS Display Garden, it has to meet certain criteria.  Again, check the AHS website at www.daylilies.org for a complete list. But here are a few of the criteria:
·          The owner must be a member of AHS for at least 2 years
·          The garden must include a wide variety of daylilies
·          The garden must be well maintained
·          Plant markers should have the name of both cultivar and hybridizer
·          The garden should be open to the public
 
The RP of each region or a designated representative should visit each Display Garden in the region at least once every 2 years.
 
QUESTION:  Now that I have a display garden, are there any pointers that people could provide me with about what do with it?
 
RESPONSE:  Kathy Figueroa (who as this is written has applied to be a display garden, but hasn't received the final notice) holds a big annual open garden "flower festival" on the first long weekend in August. She is also hoping that her garden will be included in a local art studies tour where her photography, which, of course, features mainly daylilies, would be on display. Sometimes she provides her visitors with a small gift perennial in a 4-inch peat moss pot.  During this open garden, she sets out patio tables and chairs, has a musician or two at the garden and invites people to bring their cameras to photograph the flowers.  She also gives an informal talk on daylilies.  Her garden is "pet friendly." She offers water for the pets and the welcoming committee consists of three very sociable cats!  She is hoping to officially become a display garden soon.
 
Kathy d'Alessandro from Pennsylvania says she also has an open house and has a table on her covered patio with the following materials:  Daylily photo albums for anyone unable to walk about the large garden, AHS and local club pamphlets with membership information, and her business cards.  Providing food isn't necessary but is a nice gesture, and of course water is essential.
 
Elizabeth Trotter from Kentucky says "I love having an AHS Display Garden. Having an official sign out front designating our garden is a great incentive."  When she knows she is having visitors she has cold water, lemonade or tea, and some goodies like cookies or scones.  If someone visits who is totally new to daylilies, she sends them home with one. She says, "I usually have daylilies potted up for club events and perennials also so I can use those for gifts to visitors."  When Elizabeth was doing PR for the Blue Grass Hemerocallis Society last year, she gave the reporter a potted daylily as a thank you.  The Society got a front page spread in the Garden Section!  She also tries to promote the local club and AHS by showing visitors a copy of The Daylily Journal and The Daylily Appeal (Region 10 newsletter). Elizabeth says, "When I show visitors such quality, attractive publications, it's not hard to convince them to join."
 
Another comment from Judy in Mechanicville, Virginia was that she has an annual plant swap which draws over a hundred people (each bringing a minimum of 5 plants - most bring 10) who love to swap any type of plant. She provides lots of homemade refreshments and since her home was built in 1820, she gives a tour of her home as well as her gardens.  A local garden club also held their meeting during bloom season in her garden and her daughter catered a luncheon for them.  They paid $10.00 and Judy said "they certainly got their money's worth."  The other thing that Judy does is to put a sign beside her road during bloom season, just is case someone wants to drop by.
 
Rozanne Tuffnell, owner of the only display garden in New Mexico, has had a variety of experiences.  The local garden clubs love to meet in her garden, and then Rozanne gives a talk about daylilies, how to grow them and on various companion plants.  She, along with her husband, Alan, was part of a fund raising tour for local gardens.  She gets many
phone calls from a variety of people, who just want to come over, see the garden and "talk about daylilies."
 
If any of the rest of you have suggestions, let me know and I'll add them to the next "Ask the Ombudsman" column.  The next column will be about AHS Robins. If any of you have anything to say about your experiences, I'd love to hear about them. Email me at ombudsman@daylily.org.
 
One bit of trivia.  Did you know that there are more than 330 AHS Display Gardens throughout the US and parts of Canada?