Click here to download our current Special Offer Click here to download the our current Catalogue Click here to download our order form Dear Daylily Enthusiast January 2010 At present it is snowing, (yes, even here so near to the coast we are having our second challenging Winter), and I am sitting here typing this at the beginning of what I am hoping will be a fitter and happier year for us both and a much better Summer for all our daylily pals and customers which hopefully will also ensure an even more fantastic display for us and for all our welcome visitors. Many thanks to those of you who dodged the showers again in 2009 to come and see us and our ever growing collection of daylilies. So a big welcome to our eighth daylily plant list. Can it be eight years already, where does the time go? The format has changed a little so that I could make room to offer quite a few more plants this year, mainly in the limited list plus a few new plants, including some of our favourite daylilies bred by the Reinkes a number of which I believe are being offered for the first time in the UK. The catalogue is also available on the website as a PDF and gives you the opportunity of looking at the pictures and bringing them up to full size if you wish. Great fun1 As usual I am also reminding you that the varieties listed represent just a small sample of the daylilies that can be seen growing here, (now numbering over 1500). If there is a daylily not listed that you particularly want please do not hesitate to ask. In 2009 as usual many visitors left, in some cases, extensive wish lists with me and I am always delighted to try and fulfil wishes as the plants become available. I love to see the response I get from a satisfied customer. As already mentioned we are now well over 1500 cultivars of which over 500 are part of my National Collection of spider and unusual form daylilies. Some of these are very new to this country and we continue to trial them for weather hardiness and performance in this country. What a pleasure it is! We had cut down on our importing but in 2009 I had a significant birthday and celebrated it by going “a bit mad” despite the fact that we are still fast running out of space. The Summer show is really quite stunning and even though I guess we are fairly seasoned growers now we are increasingly impressed by our new purchases. At peak season it is hard to know where to look and I confess that I am sometimes totally overwhelmed by the beauty and variety of daylilies particularly in the raised beds in the field. Apart from small changes to the field and garden we have decided that further expansion is not an option now, (far too ancient!). We are just pruning out the odd plant which does not flower or grow sufficiently well for us, (and therefore not good enough to put in the catalogue for you either), and we will just have to squeeze the new plants in where we can. I hoped I wouldn’t be saying this again this Winter but I am looking at this years additions and hoping that they are still going to be alive in the Spring. We do a lot of research to try and acquire the hardier varieties but we are sometimes tempted by less proven pretties and also some of the plants imported from one source this year were rather small. Terry went a bit mad with the hybridising in 2008, (and I might add even madder in 2009) so we have 400+ seedlings in the greenhouse from our 2008 efforts, (new greenhouse coming in the Spring), and a fridge that I am told has approximately 1000 seeds in it at present. These will not all germinate, of course, but I can see that we are going to be really busy in the Spring. As usual there are a few pictures of seedlings at the bottom of the page which flowered for the first time in 2009. We are quietly excited about a few of them. Now to the catalogue and again apologies as I am repeating myself by saying that we are a modest concern and on the whole the daylilies refuse to be hurried so in some cases I do not have many plants available of the ones listed. This means that they will be sent out/sold on a first come, first served basis. (I have put a space for your e-mail addresses on the order form this year. This gives more opportunities to discuss your requirements and for me to alert you that your plants are on their way.) I send out my orders bare rooted from mid March to June subject to weather conditions and again during September and October. Most of the daylilies I am offering are growing on in 2 litre pots at present and are, (with some exceptions), normally at least 2 fans. Occasionally the daylilies will be single fans only, sometimes because they are very big growers and will not increase in a 2 litre pot or sometimes because the plants, especially on the limited list, can be in very high demand but this is still the exception rather than the rule. You will see that the prices of the plants vary a great deal. In some cases these are cultivars that I think are being offered for the very first time and the prices reflect their rarity and availability in this country. As far as the limited list is concerned if you do not order early it would probably be advisable to contact me first by telephone or e-mail to check that these are still available. Again, because of this really awful weather I would be grateful if you would please indicate whether substitute plants would be acceptable. In nearly all cases last year we were able to provide all daylilies requested and I never send substitutes unless I have a list or I have discussed this with you first. As before I am again making a special offer of some of my older varieties of which I have larger numbers. Although lots of you have probably already got these, they might form a good basis for a new collection or perhaps just fill in a few gaps in your garden. As far as my mail order efforts go it is very reassuring and encouraging to receive all your lovely e-mails, cards and letters to tell me how happy you are with your plants and how well they are growing. As always, it is really kind of you to bother. To thank you for your kindness and continuing loyalty and support I am, for orders over £50, as usual offering bonus plants to the value of 15% of your order, or alternatively a 10% cash discount. Please state your preference and pick bonuses where appropriate. (I am afraid, however, that because of the very small numbers on the limited list I would please ask you not to pick anything off here as your bonus.) We are, as ever, really looking forward to the coming season, lots to look at and enjoy although as I sit shivering in our very cold office it seems a long way away. But the sense of excitement is always with me as I put the catalogue together and bring up the pictures in all their glory and if we have given you pleasure, (as a lot of you have indicated in the past), then it makes us very happy. We will be opening as usual this year for the local hospice so that as ever I can do what I like most, showing the daylilies off to our visitors. Opening times are as follows:- Weekends from 19th June 2010 to 31st July 2010 inclusive 9-30am to 5-30pm and weekdays during that period 2-00pm to 5-30pm. Of course, you are also welcome at any time if you just give us a call first. If you are interested in supporting the Red Cross we are opening specifically for that Charity on Sunday 11th July same times. With very best wishes Pollie