Why Daylilies Are The Perfect Pair For Your Spring Bulbs

Many gardeners know the vibrant beauty of daylilies (hemerocallis). They bring drama and color to a landscape and are surprisingly easy to grow. Available in a variety of shades, patterns, and shapes, daylilies are spring- and summer-blooming perennials grown from bulbs. The flowers bloom from spring to fall, igniting gardens with spectacular hues from rich red to crisp white. Daylilies are perfect companion flowers, too, and pair beautifully with many other spring bulbs. Because of their wide range of physical characteristics, they offer depth and dimension when planted with other bulb species like tulips. 

Due to their hardiness, daylilies are quite forgiving. Even a new gardener is able to cultivate a showy landscape. Other spring bulbs like crocus and amaryllis are also well-suited for novices and will bloom in tandem with daylilies. Planting these forgiving flowers amongst your other perennial or annual bulbs is simple so long as you choose species with similar growing conditions. Take into account the sunlight, water, and soil needs of any flowers you intend to grow together, and you'll have a stunning showcase come spring. 

Daylilies are an excellent choice if you want an attractive and visually inspiring garden. Because they come in so many varieties, they pair well with a whole host of flowers. They grow up to four feet tall and tend to be taller than other spring bulbs like daffodils or tulips. So, when planted together, they will offer a more interesting and dimensional floral display. Consider a tiered system where shorter flowers are planted in front, and taller daylilies are planted toward the back. For a colorful cottage garden, plant flowers in an array versus a linear orientation.

Additionally, you can create a fairytale-like garden by intermingling daylilies and other colorful plants ranging in shade and shape. Consult the color wheel for a guide on what hues will make for the most dynamic arrangement. For example, should you find complementary shades to be the most appealing, you may want to plant the ruby-colored 'Rosy Scenario' daylily alongside purple flowers like vivid grape hyacinths. However, you can't go wrong with a rainbow of colors in your garden. 

The easiest companions for daylilies share their growing conditions. They grow in USDA zones 4 through 9, which covers much of the United States. Daylilies need full sun like dahlias and gladiolas. They also require well-draining soil that's slightly acidic or has a neutral pH, similar to most species of daffodil. Daylilies and daffodils also bloom at the same time, which means a showy, colorful garden all spring long. 

Popular daylily companion species include snowdrops, but be careful where you plant them as they only need partial sun. Consider planting them nearby under a shady tree. Depending on where you live, tulips are also a colorful option. In northern regions, they thrive in full sun but need partial shade in the southern states. Like daylilies, tulips come in many varieties, giving gardeners the ability to perfectly curate a vivid landscape of their liking.