H. 'Reaching New Heights'
(Baxter, 2011)

H. 'Reaching New Heights' is not only one of my daylilies. "Reaching New Heights" is also a motivational statement and goal of Daylilies of North Carolina.

As a flower, H. 'Reaching New Heights', registered at 68", is one of the tallest daylilies of all time. The AHS Registration Database shows 43 registered cultivars of 68" or higher, and only 10 registered cultivars of 74" or higher. In 2010 & 2011, it exceeded 74" in my garden.

Motivationally, "Reaching New Heights" guides my hybridizing and passion for the daylily. As the leading hybridizer of high percentage (over 51%) polymerous daylilies with more than 20 registrations I am also an advocate of encouraging the promotion and advanced development of the form. By pricing my polymerous daylilies affordably and sharing information freely, I believe more daylily fanciers will grow & enjoy the polys, and more gardeners will be hybridizing them.

I also challenge hybridizers of the spider form of hemerocallis to work toward "eight-legged" spiders as genuine arachnids have.

Hemerocallis ‘Swim Bike Run’ (Baxter, 2011)

Hemerocallis ‘Swim Bike Run’ is a 100% polymerous 2012 introduction.

H. 'Swim Bike Run'... (Baxter, 2011), Sdlg. #031, Diploid, 100% Polymerous, 7" bloom, 24" tall, semi-evergreen, reblooms. When I crossed my own H. 'Pancake Platypus' back to one of its parents, H. 'I'm Different', the resulting offspring were huge and wonderful. H. 'Swim Bike Run' is huge, often more than 8", and always opens magnificently giving it a commanding presence. Great substance ensures this beauty maintains its appearance throughout the day even during the most intense periods of summer heat. It was one of my most important flowers during the 2011 & 2012 hybridizing season. I named this flower as a tribute of my passion for competing in triathlons. Pod and pollen fertile.

I rate H. 'Swim Bike Run' as a "Superior" plant overall. It is a true garden star in every category. It starts in the early season and then immediately sends a second set of scapes up before the first set blooms out. At clump strength it is one of the longest blooming daylilies in my garden. Here in my zone 7b garden in North Carolina I can always count on a third set of rebloom scapes, too. In addition to being 100% polymerous and throwing so many 4 x 4's, you can also count on seeing some 5 x 5's. It has wonderfully strong and nicely branched scapes with a pleasing bud count. Blooms open well even after cool nights.

Hybridizers need to jump on this plant as it simply the best yellow polymerous daylily... period. H. 'Swim Bike Run' easily sets pods and you can count on its powerful pollen to get the job done.. I have been crossing H. 'Swim Bike Run' across the full range of my polymerous breeding program with the spidery types, unusual forms, full forms, and all colors. And don't forget... size does matter!

Addendum 9-21-2013: I just keep discovering great things about H. 'Swim Bike Run'. I had seeds from it in the crisper for 3 to 8 weeks. Soaked the seeds in cups of water/hydrogen peroxide for seven days. I had 100% germination/seed sprouting in the cups. Planted all the seeds directly in the ground today.

Single Fans... $100.00    limited availability spring 2013

Additional images... click to enlarge