Merrymeeting Daylilies
Cathy and Amanda Turner
603-534-1371
80 Tash Road
New Durham, NH, 03855
MerrymeetingDaylilies@gmail.com
The Merrymeeting Daylilies collection began with two gift classic daylilies (about 50 years ago) and has grown into the current collection, mostly "the best of the best" added from other New England and Florida collections.
All daylilies sold by Merrymeeting Daylilies have grown in the collection for at least two years in our Zone 4 conditions, many for more than 20 years. Cultivars which demonstrated poor growth or insufficient blossoming potential for our rugged New Hampshire weather quickly found a new home in our compost heap.
A man (Les Turner) "out standing" in his field...
We also continue to raise and sell a few "Les Turner unregistered hybrids", included in the Merrymeeting daylily collection with the prefix "Merrymeeting".
Les Turner was a retired college dean. Sales from his daylily collection help to support his hobby of finding the newest and best daylilies. He liked to grow them for a few years and, IF they passed his requirements for hardiness and beauty, he enjoyed sharing them with other gardeners. He believed that such terrific plants should be in gardens everywhere. Educating new gardeners, and exposing them to the amazing variety found in daylilies also made it all worthwhile. So many people new to the hobby do not realize that daylilies come in so many forms and colors.
Hours of Operation for 2023
From MAY 1 to September 1
Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday 10 am to 5 pm
Other hours can be arranged, but please call ahead!
If you are coming from a distance, please call first to be sure we are open. Our hours vary sometimes, depending on the weather and other commitments.
We will no longer be digging for immediate sale. (Neither of us are spring chickens, and digging in the sun is hard work.)
If we do not have the plant you want in a pot already, but do have it in the ground, we will gladly take your name and phone number and dig it later (in the morning, when it is cooler). We will call you when it is ready for pick-up.
Les at the Alton Home Show, 2019
Les's hands, and adult plants of two very different varieties of hosta.
Peony with FIVE bees!
Creature of the Night
As you may have already heard, Les Turner passed away at his home in October of 2020.
After a little reflection, and a large number of conversations (both before and after his passing), his daughters decided that the daylily show must go on...and Merrymeeting Daylilies was open for 2021, pandemic be darned.
And it was a heck of a year! We would like to thank the MANY returning customers who spoke so kindly of our Dad. He will continue to be deeply missed.
For 2023, we will be opening on MAY 1. Both both of us are fully vaccinated, and the business is run entirely outdoors. We will be observing social distancing, and will also cheerfully put on masks if you would be more comfortable with that while visiting us.
There will be a new catalog and locator list this year, since our inventory has increased dramatically! Not only did we find new sources for new plants, but several of Dad's "daylily friends" gifted us with large numbers of his old favorites. We will need a few years to grow some of them on, but we will have a very nice selection of many others for 2023!
The price for MOST of our daylily plants is $15.00, potted/rooted/garden-ready...
but some varieties WILL VARY based on rarity, pot-size, and availability.
You will be seeing some changes in our website for 2023!
We will be replacing many of the images that have been in use for a bit too long, and adding a new section on basic perennial care.
