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August 3, 1999
Daylilies and Tiger Lilies, Oh My! There is good news for wild blueberry lovers. Our native berry has been proclaimed by Eating Health magazine as the Fruit of the Year. This goes well with those celebrating all that is Celtic, for to the Celts this is the Hazel Month. So, there you have it: fruits and nuts- an ideal Toronto combination. For those that have not the slightest interest in such, the American Growers Association have selected “Paul’s Glory” as the “Hosta of 1999”. This is one of those gigantic cultivars, so perhaps not for the modest-sized city garden or gardener. The Ontario Hosta Society can advise more on how happiness is a new hosta (Box 731, Erin, N0B 1T0). Another perennial to gain popularity is the Hemerocallis, or daylily to be less formal. Unfortunately, daylilies are still judged by the weedy H. fulva. This familiar orange-flowered perennial of ditches, wastelands and gardens of the less-discerning would make an excellent political symbol. It flourishes in shaded situations, is almost impossible to eradicate and produces little for the space occupied. Botanists believe it originated in Japan. It seems to have made its way to Europe in medieval times, arriving in North America early in colonial times. Here it has become known
–incorrectly- as a “Tiger Lily”.
Its yellow-flowered cousin, H. lilioasphodelus with
scented blooms, probably came from China.
These and more than a dozen other species have been used to
create greatly superior hybrids, which now number in the thousands.
Brian Bloye in Scarborough has over 600 on hand, and can be
reached at 416-283-5485. So
long as they receive a half-day of sun, reasonable The botanical name of Hemerocallis derives from two Greek words: hemera, meaning day, and kallos, meaning beauty. Each individual flower lasts but a single day. In the newer varieties, however, the enormous clusters of buds last for several weeks. Since there are early, mid-season, and late-blooming selections, it is possible to have daylilies blooming all summer. Even better news is that dwarf forms from Siberia and elsewhere have thrown their genes into the pool. This makes it possible for the smallest garden to have a display of miniature varieties. Toronto Parks, incidentally, have some of these down in various gardens at Harbour Front among other areas. In the home garden, modern daylilies are worthy additions to the perennial border. They have that very welcome ability to blend with a wide range of other plants. In what our ancestors called the “dooryard garden” –now a place for soccer practice, leaning bicycles, the composter and other practical matters- an old lilac or to frequently flourishes. What better accompaniment can there be under such circumstances than an old tried-and-true H.fulva? Surprisingly, there is no distinct Canadian association to encourage the delights of daylilies. Until one forms, we must rely on the venerable American Hemerocallis Society, 1453 Rebel Drive, Jackson, MS 39211. Daylilies: the Perfect Perennial by Lewis and Nancy Hill (Storey Publishing, $19.95 Cdn, plus 7% GST to keep Chretien’s hoteliers in business) was published back in 1991, but may still be available from your local bookshop. Despite the heat, there is still plenty to see and do outside the home garden: 
Thursday, 5 August: Leslie Street Vicinity nature walk with TFN’s
Boris Mather, meet SW corner of Queen St. E at Leslie, 1:30 p.m.;
interesting plants and animals.
Sunday, 15 August: Gardens and Naturalization Sites nature walk with
TFN’s Helen Mills; meet Eglinton Park at garden on north side of
community centre- 2 ½ blocks west of Yonge Street, at 2 p.m.
A final note: it has been announced that P.E.I.’s university will offer a degree course in the newly-minted “Island Studies”. This will focus on the value of “an island imagination”, and extols small things- presumably also the study of bonsai.
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supplies of water and tolerable soil, daylilies will survive and
flourish.