Sounds like a great deal you got. I don't want to put a damper on your selection but the only one of those I had was PIRATE KING which I sold off 2 years ago. Unfortunately it did not like my zone. I do wish it performs good for you. It is a lovely bloom.

Julia

Pirate King did not do well for me until I moved it. I had threatened to shovel prune it. After moving it to the back, it is a different plant. It bloomed really well, then it rebloomed.

Red Slippers has a very pretty bloom, not huge, but frilly and pretty and it also rebloomed .

Walter Kennedy is also a lovely bloom, and I moved it this year, and it has improved rather dramatically.

The others, I haven't grown, but Bill is always super generous with his plants, and they always seem to do well here.
kay

I realize you're using hyperbole, but he stays in business because he found a perfect formula for success:

- Grow plants in a California micro-climate where every day is roughly the same temperature, 365 days a year.
- Buy the most popular new plants from current hybridizers for resale.
- Keep customers happy by providing excellent friendly service and low prices.
- Advertise by Internet word of mouth instead of spending money on print catalogs.

He actually starts all the plants for sale as single fans at the beginning of the growing period, and the giant double/triple/clumps that you get are the result of great care and the great climate.

The whole thing is extremely streamlined, and when you combine that with friendly service, competitive prices, and great bonus plants, you have a winning formula.

I'm on my third consecutive year of ordering from him, and I haven't ordered from anyone else in that time.

Nate

He is also a very friendly person. I have a sporadic email relationship with him even though I have never met him. He is very nice, and so is Marilyn.
kay

I've been wanting Walter Kennedy for a long time, but was waiting for the price to go down. The price he offered it at along with the BOGO was the final incentive. Red Slippers was a bonus and Pirate king because I was trying to find some true purples (not red purple) and hoping this one will bloom the way it's photos look. In the three years I have been ordering from him, I have only lost one bonus plant. I haven't decided yet if I like Cameo Lustre-but it just got here last year and this year wasn't a good year to judge.

Hello,
Has any one from a northern climate have success with his daylillies?

Thanks,
Gale

Gale, I don't know how north you are, but I'm in NW Ohio.

Lisa, Pirate King does not bloom a true pure purple here in my zone. The only true rich purple that I have obtained is Vatican City. Strutter's Ball comes close. I hope you have better luck with it. Here in our climate it is very rusty.

Nancy

Gale,
I live in New Hampshire zone 4b and I have never lost any plant from Maryott's and that includes his intros as well.
I have even taken advantage of his fall sales and planted them out in the fall (Sept.-Oct.) when it's risky in zone 4 but everything did fine. Some of my best daylilies came from Maryott's. I was a little leary about buying plants from California for my northern garden but they settle in like they've always been here. Some have even bloomed in October after I got them, thinking they were still on west coast time...LOL.
Lisa,
I feel the same way as you! I always feel a little guilty, actually, that he is so generous because I usually order the cheaper ones (since I'm on a budget) and he sends me bonuses worth double or triple the ones I paid for. And I agree with Kay too. He is so friendly to communicate with and goes out of his way to make sure his customers are happy. He knows we'll be back!

Celeste

On a related note, I think the weekly specials, BOGOs, and bonuses are generally plants that increase faster than he can sell them, so not only are you getting a good deal, but you're also getting a vigorous plant.

Nate

Thank you Lisa and Celeste, I may have to try a few.

Gale

Celeste,
Thank you for posting about how Maryott's plants do for you in your zone 4 garden. I just got my first order from him and the plants look fabulous but I was a little concerned about how the bonus plants might do here. I ordered: Amber Rhum, Buddy Hudson, Lighter than Air, Off Beat (BOGO), and Tropical Nights (BOGO). I received the following bonus plants: Bluegrass Memories, Oktoberfest, Prickly Sensation, Choral Fantasy and Corralitos Rose. I will be putting in some mulch after I get everything planted and can't wait to see how they look next year.
Samantha

Samantha,
I wish I had some experience with the bonus plants you listed so I could tell you how they fare in cold climates but I don't grow any on your list. You got some great ones, though! I just love opening the package to see what goodies Bill has sent me...it's like opening a Christmas present. You are getting them into the ground in plenty of time for them to settle in. I have planted mine much later than this and had no problems. Once the ground freezes up I would advise mounding a little bit of the mulch on top of the crown...that's what I did their first winter. Make sure that the temps are going below freezing because if you mound the mulch too early you could get rot.
I am getting ready to place another order with Maryott once the weekly special is one that appeals to me. I think I am addicted to Maryott's...LOL. Best of luck!

Celeste

I got Buddy Hudson last year and it made it through the winter. I wouldn't say it bloomed great this year-but it was new and the weather was awful, so many older plants didn't bloom great either. My dad has Off Beat and it did well in NW Ohio

Samantha: I have LIGHTER THAN AIR and it is not very good here with increasing, budcount or blooms. It survives and that is about it. It is what happens here but perhaps you'll have better luck.
I bought it a couple of years ago just for hybridizing with and now I think it is time to send it someplace warmer.

Julia

I received my first order from Mayott's today. Wow! To tell you the truth I was starting to get a little tweaked. I had ordered on August 7th, received an acknowledgement on the 13th and was waiting,, waiting, waiting. I'm all about instant gratification. I want to order and have the daylilies magically appear, already properly placed in the garden! Ha! Ha! Ha! Patience isn't my thing!

So I received my order today. Wow! It was worth the wait. I received 5 bonuses / gifts that equal twice what I spent on the order itself! Some of the ones I ordered were triples and one of the bonuses was on the short list to order the next time!

Kudos to Maryott's!

I received my order from them a couple of weeks ago (actually my second order this season from them because I was so happy with the first)...great seller! I put down a few suggestions for what I would like as bonus, and received all of them...absolutely wonderful!

Here's what I got between the two orders (I went for a couple of collections as well:
Annabelle's Blush
Answering Angels
Blue Mountains
Bluegrass Music "special bonus:"
Calming Effect
Cape Coral
Coffee House "special bonus"
Dilemma
Exotic Design
Extravagant - bonus
Fashion Police - bonus
Fiesta Flirt - bonus
Incendiary
Lucky Streak
Mineral Springs - bonus
North Wind Dancer
Off Beat - bonus
Party Pinwheel - bonus
Pumpkin Bandit
Purple Maze
Raspberries In Cream - bonus
Southwestern Memories
Texas Heat Wave - bonus
Visionary - bonus
Walter Kennedy

Tammy

I just put in my 2013 order. I was waiting for his price reduction (which happened near the end of July last year), but since he just added a bunch of BOGO deals, I don't know if he is even doing a price reduction this year. My impression is that he's having no problem making lots of sales this year and he doesn't need to drop prices.

Nate

This is also my third year ordering from Maryott's Daylilies. everything has done well in my garden. This year I placed a smaller order than in the past as I am trying to contain myself. I ordered COBRASKIN NECKTIE, BERRY DELICIOUS (bogo) and RED FRIDAY and the special bonus is HOT SEAT. I will report what bonus plants he included once they arrive. I usually pot up the plants I receive at this time of the year and let the pot heat up for several weeks to promote root growth and then I sink the pots in the ground and cover with leaves around Thanksgiving and have never lost a one doing this.

David

i just placed an order with them for the first time, the other day. im actually really glad to see this post with such positive comments about them...because its always a little scary buying from someone for the first time. we bought: KEYS TO THE KINGDOM, PANDORAS TREASURE, BIT OF BLUE, EXTRAVAGANT, KENNESAW MOUNTAIN HAYRIDE, PURPLE MAZE, WILD CHERRY ROUND UP and the free bonus this week was SIGN LANGUAGE.

I live in Florida 9b. Do you think his California climate might be a lot more moderate than my Florida climate? Your descriptions of his prices etc. make me want to check it out. I am looking for true purples, bright yellows, and maybe some pinks and and some whites. I might like to try one like blue eyed butterfly again, but that one did not do well for me.

my order just arrived today. and let me say we are very impressed with our first purchase from them. they were packaged expertly and arrived quickly. our order was correct with all the right number of BOGOs and the specific bonus plant we requested. and on top of that, we also got 5 additional cultivars as bonus gifts. and each of them were at least 4 fans. on their website when they say they are generous with their bonus gifts...you better believe it! we ordered 7 varieties and ended up getting 13.

Best of luck with your purchases! Where is Maryott's located. Should I only buy from places located in my zone? So far I have not purchased outside of Florida. Otherwise, how do I know it will do well in my hot zone?

He carries a lot of plants from southern zones (if you know the hybridizer names, you can pick them out). His own climate is some kind of weird California coastal Twilight Zone where it's the same moderate temperature every day all year, so plants bloom continuously. You'll notice that anything you buy from him usually blooms a lot the first 6 months before it realizes you have actual seasons.

Nate

Thanks, Nate. We don't have 4 seasons here. We have summer which lasts from sometime in May til sometime in October. Then we have a sort of fall which is a few degrees cooler than summer during the day but can have days in the eighties and the nights are cooler, say from the 60s- low seventies. Then we have "winter" which goes from sometime in December til march. This can be anything. It can be in the eighties one day and the next it can be in the forties. At nigtht in the winter it is usually in the 60s but it can freeze. But it is almost never below 40 during the day. An average winter day is in the 70s and the nights in the 60s. Plants don't know what to do during our winter because it can be in the 80s for a long stretch and then plummet. Spring starts anytime during March, and becomes summer quickly. You know it's summer when every day is high 80s to low 90s and the nights are in the high seventies. Maybe he lives in San Diego.

This question was asked:

Otherwise, how do I know it will do well in my hot zone?

Any daylily sold as evergreen or semi-evergreen should do well in your zone (9b). They do well for us, and we're just about on the dividing line between 9a and 9b.

John

Missylin, you described my climate pretty accurately also (south side of Houston). Most of the things I've gotten from him have done well here, but I try not to buy anything that I know to be "northern" like NORTH WIND DANCER. As John said, evergreens and sevs are good bets.

By the way, Maryott's is located in Corralitos/Freedom, California, in wine country.

Nate

Thank you so much, Nate and John. I am going to check them out. I appreciate your advice!

wow, you have some gorgeous daylilies.I am wanting Bluegrass memories, so bad,, but, can not afford no new daylilies.Am hoping I can get it next year or year after.

jean

Have been looking at the Maryott catalog online. The ones I love the most are in three categories (a) sold out, (b) Dormant (so a "no go':) and c) way above my means. So now I have to decide whether to get ones I don't love as much. So I'd like opinions on these- if you have any experience with them. I don't like muddy colors, and want pretty foliage too. 1) Because of you 2) Fiji, 3, Filipina Bride, 4) Frank's Star of Bethlehem, 5) Rodelinda (not a BOGO), (I liked Michael Miller, but it said susceptible to rust and we have rust here) I saw one that I wonder who much it is when it's not sold out. Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis is a beautiful daylily. Wow.

I have Because of You and Filipina Bride - I really like both of them. I have Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and it bloomed for the first time this year. It was a paler pink than the photos - my favorite pink for the year is Gone Fishin and Blue Pink Beauty. I got Pink Aloha, it bloomed for the first time this year and is a parent to Gone Fishin but I didn't like it nearly as much as GF. I want more of that one.

Bill gives fabulous plants and gifts - I am getting ready to make my order with him today. You cant get better bang for the buck - huge plants! I got to meet him last year when he came to our regional convention and a nicer man you cant meet. Maryotts is highly recommended!
Judith

BECAUSE OF YOU was a bonus 3 years ago. It's not my favorite, but it's still in the garden, so it must not be that bad. :)

It shows more yellow and orange tones in my garden than the pink that his picture shows.

Nate

Thank you Nate and Judith. I definitely don't like Orangy or gold tones,so I don't know if I'd like Because ofYou. I'll have to look online for more pictures of it. I look up gone fishing but I didn't see that I'm on his site., I love lemony --yellow, pink, and Rosie colors. I've tried purples but they're always winding up reddish purple.

Thank you Nate and Judith. I definitely don't like Orangy or gold tones,so I don't know if I'd like Because ofYou. I'll have to look online for more pictures of it. I look up gone fishing but I didn't see that I'm on his site., I love lemony --yellow, pink, and Rosie colors. I've tried purples but they're always winding up reddish purple.

Here's a pretty typical shot of BOY in my garden. In general, pink daylilies can turn out more orange in some gardens than others. It has to do with the soil most likely.

Nate

That looks a lot like "it's a miracle" looks in my garden. L
It bloomed and re loomed more than any, but this is almost the exact color and size from the look. Thanks!