This summer, Bob and I drove to Montreal to take in the Mosaiculture 2013 competition underway at Montreal Botanical Garden. The Garden had so much more to offer, including 31 specialized gardens, and when we hit upon one of those, the Daylily Garden, I could not believe the number and varieties of daylilies covering endless flowerbeds…daylilies such as this ruby red beauty.
![The Daylily Garden at Montreal Botanical Garden Main Entrance gate for Mosaiculture - Montreal Botancial Gardens](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/62/629773/the-daylily-garden-at-montreal-botanical-gard-L-oTmFx7.jpeg)
The main gate of Montreal Botanical Garden features a giant-sized watering can, which, come to think of it, really is proportional to the vast array of flowers and plants waiting to be discovered within its boundaries.
![The Daylily Garden at Montreal Botanical Garden Scarlet daylily - Montreal Botanical Garden - Frame To Frame Bob & Jean](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/62/629773/the-daylily-garden-at-montreal-botanical-gard-L-nRow5R.jpeg)
In each color of daylily, there was much variation on the shade, size and style of petals. This scarlet red daylily,
![The Daylily Garden at Montreal Botanical Garden red with yellow eye daylily - Montreal Botanical Garden - Frame To Frame Bob & Jean](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/62/629773/the-daylily-garden-at-montreal-botanical-gard-L-pOC5Iw.jpeg)
when compared to a paler example of a red daylily, hints at the vast amounts of hybridization that has taken place by gardening enthusiasts and professional horticulturalists over the years.
![The Daylily Garden at Montreal Botanical Garden Ruby red daylilies - Montreal Botanical Garden - Frame To Frame Bob & Jean](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/62/629773/the-daylily-garden-at-montreal-botanical-gard-L-7L5Nmc.jpeg)
Mass plantings of any one cultivar of daylily made for a stunning show,
![The Daylily Garden at Montreal Botanical Garden red daylily (stamen) - Montreal Botanical Gardens - Frame To Frame Bob & Jean](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/62/629773/the-daylily-garden-at-montreal-botanical-gard-L-Cws6Rz.jpeg)
but it is when I got up close to any one individual flower that I could see the finer details and subtle differences between the cultivars and distinguish one from the other.
![The Daylily Garden at Montreal Botanical Garden stream through Daylily Garden - Montreal Botanical Garden - Frame To Frame Bob & Jean](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/62/629773/the-daylily-garden-at-montreal-botanical-gard-L-dCtNie.jpeg)
The beds of daylilies were artfully laid out along a babbling brook complete with a wooden bridge where visitors can pause and take in the overall vista. Only a stone’s throw away from the largest pond within the Botanical Garden, the Daylily Garden is a delightful location to pause for awhile on a park bench or to share a picnic beneath one of the shade trees at pond’s edge.
![The Daylily Garden at Montreal Botanical Garden Jean in the Daylily garden - Montreal Botanical Garden - Frame To Frame Bob & Jean](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/62/629773/the-daylily-garden-at-montreal-botanical-gard-L-VulYKx.jpeg)
The slender leaves of the lily plants arched gracefully over the flowing water, and quietly whispered in the breeze. For as far as the eye could see, one planting of daylilies merged into the next, together representing all colours of the rainbow.
![The Daylily Garden at Montreal Botanical Garden yellow orange daylily - Montreal Botanical Garden - Frame To Frame Bob & Jean](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/62/629773/the-daylily-garden-at-montreal-botanical-gard-L-PHFgOI.jpeg)
Daylilies are not true lilies but belong to the genus Hemerocallis. The word is composed of two Greek words, Hemera meaning day, and kallos meaning beauty. This denotation is very appropriate since each daylily flower blooms for only one day.
![The Daylily Garden at Montreal Botanical Garden orange and red in the Daylily garden - Montreal Botanical Garden - Frame To Frame Bob & Jean](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/62/629773/the-daylily-garden-at-montreal-botanical-gard-L-6Eu_Yk.jpeg)
That may seem like a shame, given the intricate and delicate blooms, but a daylily plant produces an abundant quantity of flower buds that open over a prolonged period of time. It is important, when possible, to remove spent blooms to prevent seed production, but in a place such as the Botanical Garden, I can’t imagine there would be sufficient hours in a day to accomplish that task.
![The Daylily Garden at Montreal Botanical Garden tangerine orange daylily - Montreal Botanical Garden - Frame to Frame Bob & Jean](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/62/629773/the-daylily-garden-at-montreal-botanical-gard-L-C2nkY5.jpeg)
The blooms on most species of daylilies open early in the morning and wither up the following night, but there are some newer cultivars that actually have flowers that open in the evening and can be enjoyed until the following evening. These night-blooming plants are usually quite fragrant.
![The Daylily Garden at Montreal Botanical Garden reddish orange daylily - Montreal Botanical Garden - Frame To Frame Bob & Jean](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/62/629773/the-daylily-garden-at-montreal-botanical-gard-L-Y4VZyD.jpeg)
One of the nice things about daylilies is that they are hardy, rugged and adaptable perennials that grow well in a wide range of light and soil conditions. They can also tolerate a fair amount of negligence and still provide beauty in a garden for many years.
![The Daylily Garden at Montreal Botanical Garden orange-red daylilies - Montreal Botanical Garden - Frame To Frame Bob & Jean](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/62/629773/the-daylily-garden-at-montreal-botanical-gard-L-6Y5EPl.jpeg)
Because daylilies are vigorous growers, they will quickly establish themselves and form a dense clump of leaves supported by a crown.
![The Daylily Garden at Montreal Botanical Garden Yellow daylilies and purple irises - Toronto garden - Frame To Frame Bob & Jean](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/62/629773/the-daylily-garden-at-montreal-botanical-gard-L-DMIrps.jpeg)
It is recommended that daylilies not be planted next to trees that will compete for moisture, but in my own garden, I have had great success with a very fragrant heirloom variety of yellow daylily (Hemerocallis lilioasphodelus) planted at the base of a linden tree on the boulevard. Early every June, my lemon lilies produce oodles of clear yellow, funnel-shaped blooms on tall, graceful stems.
![The Daylily Garden at Montreal Botanical Garden Yellow daylilies - Toronto garden - Frame To Frame Bob & Jean](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/62/629773/the-daylily-garden-at-montreal-botanical-gard-L-zobstj.jpeg)
Early each morning, I take a tour of my garden and always stop to smell these wonderfully-perfumed daylilies. I also take a moment to remember their provenance. Bob and I saved them from a heritage home that was being bulldozed nearby – a beloved plant from the Victorian garden so painstakingly cared for by generations of farm families. I like to think, that in some small way, we continue to nurture the root stock that was so lovingly transported from Europe centuries ago. It makes us feel connected to the pastoral roots of our neighborhood.
![The Daylily Garden at Montreal Botanical Garden sunny yellow daylilies at Montreal Botanical Garden - Frame To Frame Bob & Jean](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/62/629773/the-daylily-garden-at-montreal-botanical-gard-L-fme7FP.jpeg)
I didn’t take a whiff of these sunny yellow daylilies at Montreal Botanical Garden, but they definitely caught my eye. They are a later blooming variety than my own as we enjoyed them while visiting the Garden in late July.
![The Daylily Garden at Montreal Botanical Garden lemon yellow daylilies - Montreal Botanical Garden - Frame To Frame Bob & Jean](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/62/629773/the-daylily-garden-at-montreal-botanical-gard-L-VgrEAa.jpeg)
![The Daylily Garden at Montreal Botanical Garden lemon yellow daylily - Montreal Botanical Garden - Frame To Frame Bob & Jean](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/62/629773/the-daylily-garden-at-montreal-botanical-gard-L-SjlNrv.jpeg)
This lemon yellow cultivar, like almost all daylilies at Botanical Garden, was planted in full sun. That is where most daylilies flourish. In fact, they are adept at tolerating drought conditions, but do better in moist, well-drained soil. My own daylilies, on the other hand, grow in semi-shade that may help preserve the blooms in the heat of the day.
![The Daylily Garden at Montreal Botanical Garden ruffled amethyst daylily - Montreal Botanical Garden - Frame to Frame Bob & Jean](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/62/629773/the-daylily-garden-at-montreal-botanical-gard-L-_TD9sZ.jpeg)
This rich amethyst-coloured daylily with the yellow throat reminded me of some exquisite jewel-toned silk. It…
![The Daylily Garden at Montreal Botanical Garden underside of frilled red daylily - Montreal Botanical Garden - Frame To Frame Bob & Jean](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/62/629773/the-daylily-garden-at-montreal-botanical-gard-L-7ramd2.jpeg)
and this plant with its exquisite fringed red blooms also demonstrate the wide petals and ruffled edges that are characteristic of some cultivars. They seem very ornate and complicated but are stunning.
![The Daylily Garden at Montreal Botanical Garden sunshine yellow daylily - Montreal Botanical Garden - Frame To Frame Bob & Jean](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/62/629773/the-daylily-garden-at-montreal-botanical-gard-L-KgNtx_.jpeg)
![The Daylily Garden at Montreal Botanical Garden purple and yellow daylily - Montreal Botanical Garden - Frame To Frame Bob & Jean](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/62/629773/the-daylily-garden-at-montreal-botanical-gard-L-pEe1OO.jpeg)
Other daylilies are called spiders because of their long thin segments resembling spider’s legs.
![The Daylily Garden at Montreal Botanical Garden double daylily - frilled - tangerine orange - Montreal Botanical Garden - Frame To Frame Bob & Jean](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/62/629773/the-daylily-garden-at-montreal-botanical-gard-L-zJ4c2Y.jpeg)
Some of my favorite daylilies at Montreal Botanical Garden were the doubles. With double the number of petals and sepals, each flower seemed so luxurious…almost regal.
![The Daylily Garden at Montreal Botanical Garden mauve Daylily - Montreal Botanical Garden - Frame To Frame Bob & Jean](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/62/629773/the-daylily-garden-at-montreal-botanical-gard-L-g9yemB.jpeg)
Lighter shades of daylilies actually require a full sun exposure in order for their subtle shades to be fully appreciated,
![The Daylily Garden at Montreal Botanical Garden flame red daylily - Montreal Botanical Garden - Frame To Frame Bob & Jean](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/62/629773/the-daylily-garden-at-montreal-botanical-gard-L-ue1lp_.jpeg)
whereas those in darker colours absorb the heat of the sun and so could tolerate a bit of shade.
![The Daylily Garden at Montreal Botanical Garden Pale yellow and wine Daylilies - Montreal Botanical Garden - Frame To Frame Bob & Jean](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/62/629773/the-daylily-garden-at-montreal-botanical-gard-L-_pSOLI.jpeg)
![The Daylily Garden at Montreal Botanical Garden pale yellow and wine daylily - Montreal Botanical Garden - Frame To Frame Bob & Jean](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/62/629773/the-daylily-garden-at-montreal-botanical-gard-L-U7jBYy.jpeg)
I photographed dozens of the daylilies at Montreal Botanical Garden being no less impressed with each new discovery.
![The Daylily Garden at Montreal Botanical Garden ruffled Coral daylily - Montreal Botanical Garden - Frame To Frame Bob & Jean](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/62/629773/the-daylily-garden-at-montreal-botanical-gard-L-ZxipWp.jpeg)
I never knew that daylilies came in so many varied colours.
![The Daylily Garden at Montreal Botanical Garden purple pink daylily - Montreal Botanical Garden - Frame To Frame Bob & Jean](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/62/629773/the-daylily-garden-at-montreal-botanical-gard-L-w3kQQq.jpeg)
I have since learned that daylilies are available in all colours except pure blue and pure white, but if hybridizers have anything to do with it, I’m sure those colours will be available in the near future.
![The Daylily Garden at Montreal Botanical Garden pheromone trap for japanese beetles - Montreal Botanical Garden - Frame To Frame Bob & Jean](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/62/629773/the-daylily-garden-at-montreal-botanical-gard-L-mO3eHF.jpeg)
On a bit of a sour note, I took notice, while at the Botanical Garden, of an unusual looking apparatus hanging from the branch of a low shrub. I instantly recognized it as a pheromone trap for the dreaded Japanese Beetles. I had not seen one of these insects on any of the daylily plants, but when I peeked through one of the tiny holes in the trap, I could see several of the colourful beetles crawling around inside. I guess the traps must do the trick!
![The Daylily Garden at Montreal Botanical Garden japanese beetle - frame to frame bob & jean](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/62/629773/the-daylily-garden-at-montreal-botanical-gard-L-rGMRQH.jpeg)
I may have to invest in one of these traps for my own garden next summer. Last year, for the first, I noticed a few Japanese Beetles on my raspberry bushes, but this year, I had to perform numerous inspections each day to keep the beetles in check on my roses, rose of sharon, and several other species of plants. Japanese Beetles are already a prolific invasive species in our neighborhood park.
![The Daylily Garden at Montreal Botanical Garden Daylily Garden at Montreal Botanical Garden - Frame To Frame Bob & Jean](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/62/629773/the-daylily-garden-at-montreal-botanical-gard-L-zCyrv9.jpeg)
Bob and I spent an undue amount of time circling the endless beds of daylilies. In speaking with a couple of the gardeners, we learned that a good share of the daylilies planted at Montreal Botanical Garden are old daylily cultivars, but they are certainly just as showy as the newer ones.
![The Daylily Garden at Montreal Botanical Garden coral daylily and bud - Montreal Botanical Garden - Frame To Frame Bob & Jean](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/62/629773/the-daylily-garden-at-montreal-botanical-gard-L-ITV0Gz.jpeg)
![The Daylily Garden at Montreal Botanical Garden coral and yellow daylily - Montreal Botanical Garden - Frame To Frame Bob & Jean](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/62/629773/the-daylily-garden-at-montreal-botanical-gard-L-S8Fpzk.jpeg)
Even though daylilies have a relatively short blooming period, with the hundreds of different cultivars planted, the vast gardens are filled with a non-stop show of color from early spring to fall.
![The Daylily Garden at Montreal Botanical Garden Daylily garden - Montreal Botanical Garden - Frame To Frame Bob & Jean](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/62/629773/the-daylily-garden-at-montreal-botanical-gard-L-mU8PZG.jpeg)
In the shadow of the 1976 Olympic Stadium,
![The Daylily Garden at Montreal Botanical Garden gold & maroon daylily - Montreal Botanical Garden - Frame To Frame Bob & Jean](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/62/629773/the-daylily-garden-at-montreal-botanical-gard-L-jvQZG5.jpeg)
visitors to Montreal Botanical Garden are sure to be wowed by the daylilies such as this maroon show-stopper with a vibrant yellow throat.
![The Daylily Garden at Montreal Botanical Garden daylilies galore - Montreal Botanical Garden - Frame To Frame Bob & Jean](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/62/629773/the-daylily-garden-at-montreal-botanical-gard-L-mEBcvK.jpeg)
It is quite unbelievable that established clumps of daylilies can actually produce between 200-400 flowers in one season, depending on the cultivar. With careful planting, so one shade of daylily compliments the next, it is no wonder that the Daylily Garden at Montreal Botanical Garden is a favorite among daylily enthusiasts. I know I sure enjoyed my visit.
Checkout some of our other Montreal Botanical Garden posts:
![The Daylily Garden at Montreal Botanical Garden Spirits of the Wood - Cernunnos - Mosaiculture (warrior holds snake) - Montreal Botancial Gardens](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/62/629773/the-daylily-garden-at-montreal-botanical-gard-L-5tDngQ.jpeg)
Mosaiculture 2013 at Montreal Botanical Garden
![The Daylily Garden at Montreal Botanical Garden Red Fox sniffs among Delicate plants - Montreal Botanical Garden - Frame To Frame Bob & Jean](http://m5.paperblog.com/i/62/629773/the-daylily-garden-at-montreal-botanical-gard-L-aZeyLl.jpeg)
A Red Fox Smells the Flowers at Montreal’s Botanical Garden
Frame To Frame – Bob & Jean