Okay, are you guys ready to join me on our different trips along the Daylily Trail? It’s been a beautiful journey that is FAR from being over! Below you will find different gardens we’ve visited, an array of photographs, and a brief description of our visit!
We originally started buying daylilies off the internet from Smokeys Daylily Gardens and Oakes Daylilies. Then when “online shopping” didn’t seem enough I decided that I wanted to visit Canoochee Daylily Garden, because my parents often visited and bought from them in years past. I found my trips to the Canoochee Daylily Garden, owned and run by the late Mr. Darrell Lane, was as much for buying daylilies as it was for talking with Mr. Darrell. I won’t ever forget the day I asked him how he knew which flowers to cross and he gently replied, “Honey, I just put pretty on pretty. Sometimes they come out to be the ugliest things or the most beautiful you ever laid your eyes on.” He was what is known in the south as, “a gentle soul”. I just know he is making heaven a little more beautiful and brighter with his gardens.
Then after many trips to Canoochee, we decided to visit Bell’s Daylily Garden in Sycamore, Ga. Run by an awesome family, Tim and Linda Bell, along with their two daughters and son. How do you describe one’s first visit to Bells’? WOW? Breathtaking? Awesome? Magnificent? One step towards Heaven? None of these even seem to come close. You just have to visit to understand the beauty of such a place. It makes your dreams of a beautiful garden get bigger. Many, MANY, trips have been made to Tim’s gardens. He has become an awesome mentor and friend to us both. We cherish his friendship and his gift with daylilies. Take a look at a few of our photos from our visits below:
Our next stop was a trip to Oakes Daylily Festival in Corryton, Tennessee! This garden is only open to the public once a year and it’s only for this particular festival. We were completely awed and amazed at the vast collections of daylilies. Both of us made purchases that day. LOL! Bruce wanted certain ones, and of course, I wanted certain ones. So what else do you do? You go home with them ALL!
Oaks Daylily Festival
Oaks Daylily Festival
Oaks Daylily Festival
Then came Jammin’s Daylily Garden. There we meet for the first time Mark and June Singletary. Their children, Ben and Amanda. Such a beautiful and all around great family. They were at that time, small and growing fast, just like us. This is where we got the idea of a shaded breeding area. Mark and June are another couple we have befriended along the way.
Now as we move along I’d like to point out that when we order flowers we prefer to go and pick them up. This saves on disturbing the roots and you get the biggest benefit of getting to meet growers and visit them often. One such trip was to Pete Harry Daylilies. There we were greeted by two huge black lovable dogs, and of course, Pete himself. Later we meet his wife, Rossen and son Derrick. Rossen absolutely sparkles when she talks and Derrick is a handsome, hardworking young man. Ever since our first introduction they have become great friend that we will cherish always. This is another couple you just want to bring home with you or at the very least, be able to visit often. I absolutely adore the bond we’ve formed with this couple and their families. We enjoyed meeting Rossens mother as well and especially her brother.
Moving along, next we visited with Nicole DeVito. The youngest hybridizer/grower we have had the pleasure of meeting so far. Nicole is as spunky as they come and has an eye for her flowers and her garden. She recently spoke to our Valdosta Daylily Club on her newest introductions where she was much enjoyed by all who attended. (I’m still hoping to acquire that fantastic flower, Undefinable, Nicole!)
Ahh, so lets see. Then there was our first trip to Floyd Cove Nursery in Deltona, Fl. There we were greeted by a lovely lady named, Karen Pierce. She is undoubtedly the most soft-spoken and lovely lady. She just makes everything around her bloom! Oh, did I forget Guy! Never! Guy was a trip when first we met, zooming up in his Gator, all smiles and full of vigor. I’ve learned since then he moves around this fast all the time. What a breeding program he has! Awesome.
Then it was off to Water Mill Gardens where we were greeted by a friendly guy with the biggest smile. This was none other than Dan Trimmer himself. I did not get to meet his wife Jan until the Florida Mecca. She is a very gracious and friendly lady also. Both Dan and Jane have their own Hybridizing program. We could talk to Dan for days. I love hearing all his stories of days gone by. Never a boring moment. Absolutley love this hybridizing couple.
So, I just mentioned the Florida Mecca, this was our next big stop for the year 2016. We met lots of daylily growers and breeders on this trip. They are just good, down to earth folks, that just love the daylily as much as we do. We made quite a few new friends there. I would like to say a big “Thank You!” to Becky Robinson for the mini camera lesson at the Floyd Cove barbecue. Got me started on photographing our daylilies. During this trip we also meet Dan Hanson for the first time. Dan is very knowledgeable about hybridizing, growing and doing so much, naturally. He does not believe in using chemicals. He grows absolutely beautiful daylilies. We immensely enjoyed our one on one time with Dan. Oh, and Dan, do NOT throw that gorgeous huge red daylily in the garbage pile.
Next we visited Ludlow Lambertson, Art Gallery Gardens. As we were leaving we had the pleasure of meeting his wife. Ludlow names his daylilies from rare birds. He loves traveling and bird watching. It was an absolute pleasure seeing how different passions can be morphed into the naming of your daylilies.
Our last trip to date would be our visit to the Blue Ridge Dayliles in North Carolina during the “Middle of Nowhere Mecca”. There we met two awesome gentleman, Eric Simpson and Robert Selman. We were able to get so many different ideas during this visit. Such a pleasant visit. I have to admit, not having to fan gnats and sweating was oh so nice. Here are a few pictures we have from this visit!
OH and I must not forget, Wynn’s Daylily Garden. This garden is run by Gene Wynn and his daughter, Jessica Wynn Clinard. Great plants at a great bargain. They have also become great friends of ours along this journey.
Between all these trips we also travel to our AHS Region 5, Valdosta Daylily Club, Region 5 Spring Regional held in Statesboro Ga last year, and many other meetings. This year we are registered to go the AHS 2017 National Convention to be held in Norfolk, Va.
We will be helping to host the AHS Region 5 Spring meeting to be held in Valdosta, Ga this spring. Our garden will be one of the gardens on tour, as well as Freddie and Becky Potts of Daylilies on Tallokas in Moultrie, Ga. Also on tour will be the Wynn’s Daylily Garden. On the first day we will have supper and a daylily auction at Bell’s Daylily Garden. Here there will be “more daylilies”. The Valdosta Daylily Club will be the host of this meeting. Come join us May 19th-20th 2017. Visit this site or our Facebook page for more information.
So, shopping and touring continues for us along the “Daylily Trail”. Many more gardens to visit, daylilies to buy, and friends to make. Hope to see you there on the endless “Daylily Trail”.
Till next time, this is Kathy, at “Kathy’s Daylilies”
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