Rockwall, TX (March 24, 2025) – Who doesn’t love a perennial that is drought tolerant, cold tolerant, loves the heat, doesn’t wilt from our high humidity, attracts pollinators, and can practically come back from the dead? These are just some of the reasons why daylilies are my favorite perennials of all time.
I am going to share with you how I keep my garden in amazing and glorious bloom from early May until mid-October simply by planting daylilies. Daylilies are broken down into three main categories: early, mid, and late season bloomers. Simply choose your daylilies from each of these groups and you will have an incredible succession of flowers all season long. They also come in many different heights, which makes it easy when planting for the front of a border or peeking out from behind a hedge. I find that the best way to display daylilies in your garden is to plant them in groups of three or more. This will create an outstanding drift of color that is sure to be noticed. 
Daylilies appreciate a full sun location to bloom well and are tolerant of all types of soils. With that being said, it’s a good idea to add a little compost at planting to amend the heavy clay soil that we have here in North Texas. It’s good to keep them evenly moist as they settle in, but once your daylilies get established, they will require only about 1” of water per week. Each year, as your daylilies break dormancy in early spring, give them a small dose of fertilizer to keep them healthy and blooming throughout the growing season.
Daylilies will shed some leaves throughout the growing season. Just like blooms fall from a plant once they’re spent, this is perfectly normal behavior for daylilies. If you notice that your daylilies are looking a little straggly halfway through the season, scoop up all the foliage like a ponytail and give it a light haircut. Within a few short weeks your daylilies will flush out with brand-new growth.
Daylilies in general are very cold tolerant, with their hardiness rated down to USDA Zone 3. To prepare my daylilies for winter, I simply cut them down to about 4” and add a good layer of mulch at the base. The dormant varieties will die all the way down to the ground and re-emerge when the temperatures start to warm up again.
There is one special type of daylily that I always try to incorporate into my garden. It’s called a ‘reblooming’ daylily. These daylilies typically bloom in early to mid-spring. After this first flush of flowers fades away, they’ll take a short rest, and then they’ll start the bloom show all over again. Sometimes these second bloom displays can last for months at a time.
From soft pastels and striking reds and oranges to sultry fuchsias and deep purples there is a color palette for every garden! With all these beautiful blooms to choose from, the hardest decision you’ll have to make is trying to decide which one is your favorite.
Where can you find a gorgeous variety of bare root daylilies grown specifically for Rockwall County? At the Rockwall County Extension Master Gardener Spring Plant Sale! The catalog will be available on March 29th and will also include our summer favorite annuals, perennials, cut flower seeds, select vegetable transplants, and natives. Go to txmg.org/rockwall for more information.
Article and photo by Donna Fernandez, Rockwall County Extension Master Gardener. Edited for publication in Blue Ribbon News.
Daylily Season: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year! added by Melanie M on
View all posts by Melanie M →