By Michelle Ogee
In 1996, when I bought my first daylilies, I never dreamed they would become such a passion—not just for the flowers but for the friends I’ve made. In the Fall of 2000, I found a small 1920′s bungalow in the bedroom community of Taylor, which is located 25 miles northeast of Austin. After cutting down 42 Hackberry trees, the yard slowly evolved into a cottage garden with daylilies, antique roses, and native plants.
As you drive up to my home, you will see a large L-shaped flowerbed filled with double, small, and miniature daylilies. The daylilies are mixed among the antique roses and natives of every kind. I am located within the Blackland Prairies, which have heavy clay soils. These soils are considered some of the most fertile in Texas, but it can be difficult to grow some of my favorite flowers in them.
While you wander, look and see if you can find daylilies from your favorite hybridizers, such as Salter, Herrington, and Morse. You will even find a bed of cactus and agaves and with luck, they might be in bloom too. In the backyard you will find my passion—not just English and Antique roses, but exotic and unusual flowers. The front yard is for everyone to see and enjoy, but my secret desires are in the backyard, which is home to my spiders, unusuals, and anything that doesn’t fit the normal flower shapes. You will find the modern spider daylily and also some old spiders that are long forgotten. The backyard is also my oasis in the world so come, sit, and relax.
