Growing Daylilies Together

I first started collecting daylilies in 1999. I would have to say that my neighbor, Charlie, influenced my first interest. I started gardening when I became a homeowner and wanted something that bloomed longer than the average perennial. My neighbor had these yellow 'things' that bloomed almost all summer. I decided they must come in something besides yellow. I started searching on the internet, picked 5 daylilies and that summer when they bloomed, I was hooked! I soon discovered other daylily 'places' and a chat room.

Kay Hewitt and I became great friends and she bought my first year's membership to the AHS. Next thing I knew, I was headed to Lexington, KY to see John Rice’s greenhouse and meet a bunch of people from a chat room! That next summer, I had

160 varieties in my garden and was building new beds as fast as I could. I doubled my collection every year after that until I reached just over 1000 registered cultivars.

Some of my first cultivars were Malaysian Monarch and Spoken For, because they were purple. I am not 'officially' a daylily mentor that I'm aware of as I still have people mentoring ME. 

I am working on developing a focus for breeding for patterns. I go out each day with tet and dip pollen and put it on whatever suits me. I like making really different crosses to see what might come from it.   

My husband, Charles actually started Browns Ferry Gardens. We met at the MWS in 2003 and built a friendship from there and now enjoy doing everything together. He reins me in more than he helps feed my addiction. He always reminds me how many daylilies we have and do we really need that one. But, it's wonderful to have a spouse that shares the same passion. We always talk about hybridizing and the seedlings that are going to bloom.    

Browns Ferry Gardens are best known for northern hardy plants with southern hospitality. (Just made that up. ) Actually, I think we are known for sending healthy plants and great customer service. I think our catalog is pretty well known too.

Our gardens are open to the public Monday – Saturday from 9-5, March 1 to September 30.

Currently, I'm a member of the AHS, the Georgetown Area Daylily Club where I've served as the Membership Director, I'm a member also of the Lowcountry Daylily Club, and the Greater Cincinnati Daylily and Hosta Society where I held the position of Treasurer from 2001-2005. I have attended every National convention since Detroit in 2002 and in 2005 my Cincinnati garden was a National Tour Garden.

During bloom season, every day is like Christmas going out to see what is blooming for the first time in the seedling fields. I also like that I have friends all over the country, who are as nutty as I am about daylilies.

Heidi Douglas

13515 Browns Ferry Rd.
Georgetown, SC  29440
www.brownsferrygardens.com