WORDS OF PATRICK STAMILE, NOTED FLORIDA
HYBRIDIZER-WITH HIS PERMISSION
"----I have visited thousands of gardens in my lifetime from
the brownstone gardens in Brooklyn to the huge estate gardens. From Italian
Renaissance, English Cottage, French Formal, Japanese, Chinese, Prairie
Wildflower, Woodland to gardens that have elements of all. I have to admit I love the
design and contrast in textures that are found in a Japanese Garden and many
modern gardens mimic this cry for contrasts in texture and feel so you are
left with massive sweeps of one to contrast with another or even to have one
plant grouping to contrast with natural or man-made structures. These are all
beautiful in their own way.
To me the daylily garden is uniquely American-BOLD, BRASH, FILLED WITH
RIOT OF COLOR that calls to look at me! The subtleties of texture and form
of say a moss garden this is not. Combined and interplanted with spring bulbs,
peonies, iris, and other perennials to bring color and contrasting forms to
the early season daylilies fill an important nitch after the last of the
Japanese iris and before the Phlox, Rudbeckia, Monarda, Helianthus bloom. Daylilies
and other perennials tie us irrevocably to the cycles of nature making us
feel part it as if we are ourselves somehow in this endless cycle of renewal
rather than a casual observer.---------------- It is true like other
perennials daylily foliage is not attractive after bloom. What perennial is not?
Even Hosta grown for their foliage look ratty after they bloom.-----------
-----the grass-like foliage. This foliage is great for hiding the yellowing foliage
of the tulips, daffodils and poppies of the early season. In the fall the
green of the evergreen and semievergreen daylilies contrast wonderfully with the
gold, reds, purples of the autumn colors while the dormants with their yellow
foliage join in the riot of falls glories. In spring these same dormants
will add their beautiful blue-green structural presence to springs emergence. If
you want a beautiful sameness throughout the year stay away from all
perennials you really want a dwarf conifer garden. These are gorgeous and add so
much bones to a garden and look attractive all year long.---------
------- Stella D'oro for being planted endlessly along
parking lots and highway medians. You need special plants to take the salt of
winter, the relative neglect and heat of the asphalt in the summer. Daylilies do
this and bring color. They have replaced the endless junipers of my youth.
Both have a place but to me the daylilies bring a smile when they are in bloom
that the junipers while a beautiful contrasting texture cannot.
Daylilies are not for everyone.------------------------ For me
daylilies are simply a joy and joy is something no one should be without. If another
kind of flower or garden does this for you I say that is wonderful and
consider you blessed like I am." -------Patrick Stamile