Growing Daylilies Together

I'm from Raleigh, North Carolina and a pharmaceutical chemist by trade. I began collecting daylilies back in 2002. I was driving to a local park for a mountain bike ride and spotted daylilies for sale. I always thought they were the orange and yellow ditch varieties. After walking around this place, I was hooked. I was always a creative person and this 'sickness' allowed me to be as creative as I wanted to be. Hybridizers that influenced me were Vic Santa Lucia, Van Sellers, and Roger Mercer. These three people taught me more than they will ever know. Thank YOU!

Most of the first ones I purchased were because of their looks and to play around with hybridizing. Ed Brown, Untamed Glory, Wedding Band and Ida's Magic were among my first purchased. I still grow them all! About 4 years ago, I purchased 3 acres between Raleigh and Durham, North Carolina. In my short time with daylilies I have collected over

600 different varieties.

I am a member of the AHS, the Raleigh Hemerocallis Club where I served as Vice President from 2008-2009, the Central Daylily Club, and the Southern Virginia Daylily Club.

 I have gone to many of our regional meetings and am hopeful that I will get to the National Meeting soon. I travel/work a lot so it is difficult to get off when I need to. I'd rather be lying on a warm tropical beach with a Margarita in one hand and a pretty girl in the other!

 I do not own a daylily business. I am doing this as a hobby. However, I do sell inventory to visitors, on the Lily Auction and donate to local clubs. I will have my first intro for sale in the Fall of 2010, named Marie's Smile, named after a local club member, Marie Bumgardner. It's out of a seedling x Shores of Time and you can check out a picture of it in my photo album.

 I believe in passing on what you have learned. Anyone who is willing to ask questions, I will gladly give my knowledge on what I know. I believe one has to know what to do wrong in order to get things right. Not always do I have the best answer, but I'm still learning too.

What I enjoy most about daylilies is the variety. I don't think there is any other flower in which there is so much diversity. Each person has their own passion on what they like about them and there is so much variety to choose from.

My mission as a hybridizer is to create big hardy plants, good branching and bud count,  large, clear-colored blooms and unique form. I'm looking for the total package, not just a pretty face. I put emphasis on Northern Hardiness and Distinctiveness.