Growing Daylilies Together

Nikki Schmith

I bought my first hybrid daylilies over twenty years ago at a craft show in Granite City, Illinois.  Someone was selling bare root daylilies and I

was hooked. Delores Bourisaw is responsible for selling me those first hybrids. She lives in southern Illinois and is an Exhibitions Judges Instructor and an AHS Garden Judge.

Some of the first cultivars I bought were H. 'Tani,' H. 'Golden Scroll,' and H. 'May May.'  I still grow the last one.  It blooms like crazy and reblooms consistently.  These are the ones that Delores was selling and at that time it was the only daylily source I knew of.  I would show up at her house uninvited and say "I want $30 worth of daylilies.  Whatever color."  Oh, capricious, naive youth! 

I am a member of AHS, serving as the President of its largest region - Region 2.  I am also a member and past president of the Southern Michigan Daylily Society.

For SMDS, I have served as newsletter editor, exhibition show chair, plant sale chair, president, and also launched its first website in 2000.  For the AHS, I serve as the Media Librarian, and as Exhibitions Expeditor.  I also sit on the Judges Education committee, the Exhibitions committee and the Technology committee.  I am also a senior Exhibitions Judge, and Exhibitions Judges Instructor and an AHS Garden Judge.

I have been to the last 7 regional meetings in Region 2, have attended 7 of the last 10 National Conventions and been to several Midwinter symposia in both Region 2 and Region 10.  Region 5 is my honorary region - I think I've shown up at several of their regional meetings over the last few years.  At these meetings I often teach clinics, act as a bus captain or auctioneer.  For the Region 2 Winter Symposium, I have organized the live and silent auctions for the last four years.  There is always so much to do and I enjoy helping out. 

I don't have a daylily business, but my writing and photography is my 'product', and its offered free on my blog.

I try to always be a good daylily ambassador.  I have sent plants to all ends of the country trying to get others hooked in daylilies.  I encourage exhibitors in shows, teach people how to use technology to broaden their daylily worlds, and travel all over providing presentations on my daylily adventures.

I have lots of enablers.  Nicole Willis does a good job of helping my collection grow each year.  Kimberly McCutcheon brings out Sally Sue when necessary to reign in the situation.  There are too many folks to mention...Any auction is my nemesis - I can't resist a good auction.

What I enjoy most about daylilies is the diversity in both the people who collect them and in the daylilies themselves. I can only dream of ever referring to myself  as a hybridizer, but I do dab some pollen here and there.  My focus is for an all-around good exhibition, quality daylily.  Saturated color, thick substance, distinct characteristics - whatever they may be.  I'm really into unique edges, deeply pleated throats,  sepals and extra large size.

Nikki Schmith
Dearborn Heights, Michigan

Visit my blogs:
A Girl and her Garden

http://zoominblooms.blogspot.com 
http://ahsregion2president.blogspot.com