Daylilies: The Perfect Perennial [Paperback]

Lewis and Nancy Hill (Author), Robin Brickman (Illustrator), Darrel Apps (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 4, 1991

The authors discuss how to create dramatic, colorful, and long-lasting displays.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Daylilies, as the Hills proclaim, may be the perfect perennial. Requiring little maintenance, adaptable to an almost unlimited range of landscapes and climates and available in an extraordinary selection of colors, textures, fragrances and sizes, they proliferate nearly as quickly as they're bred--though each flower blooms for only a day. Now that more than 42,000 varieties flourish, the Hills' guide seems particularly useful. It begins with practical information on how to choose, grow and maintain daylilies, and progresses to more esoteric details, such as how to arrange them ok?/mm and how to preserve them on film. If the latter seems a bit extreme, the authors come back down to earth at book's end with a comprehensive listing of their favorite cultivars. Horticulturists particularly will appreciate chapters on starting new plants from existing ones and counsel on breeding original cultivars. Illustrations and photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

" The classic book on the plant comes from the prolific keyboard of Vermont nurseryman and gardener Lewis Hill and his wife Nancy." - Toronto Free Press

 

 

"…pleasantly arranged, easy-reading book that takes the gardener on a friendly tour through the many facets of daylilies and their care." - The Times

 

" Longtime daylily experts and breeders, the Hills share solid information on growing, propagating, and caring for daylilies, right down to such small details as to how to label the plants." - Gardener's West

 

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC; 1ST edition (January 4, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0882666517
• ISBN-13: 978-0882666518
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #386,694 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Husband-and-wife author team Lewis and Nancy Hill currently live in Greensboro, Vermont where they own and operate a small fruit farm called Berryhill. Previously, Lewis first started a small plant nursery in the late 1940's where he grew daylilies, hardy plants, fruits, antique apples, greenhouse plants, and Christmas trees. His nurseries were called Vermont Daylilies and Hillcrest Nursery.

Lewis also helped form the Vermont Plantsmen's Association--later serving as president -- and was leader of a 4-H club for thirty years, sharing his knowledge with over 200 children. He is a member of the National Christmas Tree Association and the New Hampshire and Vermont Christmas Tree Associations. Lewis has written the Storey books titled Christmas Trees, Cold-Climate Gardening, Secrets of Plant Propagation, Pruning Made Easy, Pruning Simplified, and Fruits and Berries for the Home Garden.

The most recent title from the author team is The Lawn & Garden Owner's Manual, a landscape and maintenance guide for keeping beautiful grounds year round. Together they have also written Daylilies, Bulbs, and Successful Perennial Gardening."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Daylilies in review, June 11, 2000

By 

Margaret S. Cooney (Tidewater area of Virginia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Daylilies: The Perfect Perennial (Paperback)

As I started reading it, many of my impressions and assumptions about daylilies disintegrated and a whole new concept was formed. They originated in Asia and there are more than 32,000 cultivars. Some consider them to be the perfect perennial because they tolerate a variety of conditions. Culture, pest, and propagation is covered along with requirements for registering new cultivars. It gives advice on which cultivars are best suited for your soil. Lists of cultivars are useful for selection since they indicate what size they are and how hardy they are. Good book!

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Helpful for Daylily Addiction, July 4, 2006

By 

D. Pak - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Daylilies: The Perfect Perennial (Paperback)

This book is really the "how to" manual for beginning daylily addicts. In addition to a history of the species, it identifies high quality cultivars, describes various steps in planting, and most importantly is very informative about hybridizing. I use it as a reference manual as well as enjoyable reading.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book for Beginners, May 15, 2008

By 

Julia d. "Wine Country" (Finger Lakes, NY) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Daylilies: The Perfect Perennial (Paperback)

I purchased this book since I had no prior knowledge of daylilies. This is a good book to provide the "beginner" with overview of daylilies. Only subject I found so far which was missing from this book was a more thorough explanation of when transplanting or planting bareroot daylilies there is a period where the plants outer leaves will die off and new growth will begin. If I hadn't asked on a garden forum about this, I would have assumed I was killing my daylilies. An updated publishing of this book would be better as well but content is still okay.
Overall, it's still a good reference but not for a more experienced daylily gardener.