Garden showcases resplendent daylily

Longtime readers of this column know of the colorful Sudbury garden in Salt Lake City. But you may not know this garden is an official display garden of the American Hemerocallis Society.

In case you're wondering, hemerocallis is the Latin name for daylily, and it means "beauty for a day."

As the Sudbury garden is an official showplace, it's a great place to enjoy these flowers — especially since during the next several weeks they will come forth in all their resplendent glory. The garden is located at 1258 LaVon Circle (3430 South). To visit, call 466-0121.

A new generation of Sudburys is stepping up to keep the garden going. Rob Sudbury and his wife, Virginia lynn, are working with Rob's mother, Beverly, to make certain the garden and the daylilies remain beautiful for years to come. (Rob's father, Don, passed away in 2003.)

Rob developed an interest in perpetuating Don's daylily collection before his father died. "I could see how much work they took and thought it was time to have them and give something back."

While caring for his father, Rob got the idea to open Sudbury Daylilies, which is just getting off the ground. Online sales will soon be available, and Rob is working closely with the Utah Hemerocallis Society to promote the growth and use of these flowers.

"One of the things daylily growers are focusing on is repeat bloomers — or plants that keep flowering throughout the season," Rob said. "With our climate, we simply do not have the ability to grow many of these everblooming types."

Rob said the best way to get continuous blooms is to grow three plants with similar colors — but to select cultivars where one blooms early, one blooms midseason and one blooms late. Sudbury Daylilies will offer plants in preselected bundles, so gardeners can enjoy a longer bloom season from their flowers.

Another of Rob's recommendations is to select tried-and-true performers. "You should select plants that are grown by growers that have conditions similar to your own," he said. "Many different kinds are sold in Florida, but they will probably not grow well in this area."

Rob's mother, Bev, also emphasizes the importance of selecting the right kind of daylilies for our area. "People want pretty daylilies, but they can leave the expensive ones to the hybridizers. The tried-and-true ones are the ones that do best in home gardens," she said.