Albany Daylily Society reaches 40-year milestone with annual show set for Saturday

ALBANY – The varied and vibrant color of daylilies will be on display Saturday for the 40th annual Albany Daylily Society flower show and sale, with an emphasis this year on spreading the fun of growing the rugged perennials that can thrive in a wide range of environments and soil types.

The sale begins at 9 a.m. at the site of the show, the American Legion Post 30 Hall, located at 2916 Gillionville Road. Flower enthusiasts can view this year’s entrants from around the state starting at 2 p.m. and continuing to 4 p.m. There is no admission charge.

The flowers that will be on sale as long as supplies last are all donated by club members, with a cost range from about $5 to $15. Proceeds will go toward operational costs for the ADS.

“We desire to introduce the public to daylilies and educate them on this beautiful and diverse flower,” club Secretary Selena Bonner said. “Collecting, growing and showing daylilies can be an enjoyable yet addictive hobby. Each flower is more beautiful than the next, and you will want them all in your garden.

“We will have several varieties of daylilies at bargain prices. We want to make it affordable and easy for people to begin growing daylilies in their gardens.”

Participation in the annual show peaked before COVID 19 struck in 2019, but the ADS has been rebuilding and had a big turnout in 2023 and a successful sale, Bonner said.

“We have a lot of new members in the club, and this will be their first time exhibiting flowers, so we’re excited about that,” she said. “A daylily exhibition allows a grower to display their flowers for judging while sharing them with the public. We will have novice growers as well as veteran growers exhibiting their flowers in the show.”

The American Daylily Society registered its 100,000th variety of daylily this year, and the flowers grow in all sizes, forms and colors. Some have unique characteristics like unusual forms, complex patterns and detailed edges with teeth and ruffles.

While producing new hybrids can be an exciting pursuit for veteran growers, they are an easy plant for novices to embrace. They grow in all kinds of conditions, but do prefer a sunny area.

“They like the sun, so they like to get at least six hours of sunlight a day,” Bonner said. “They grow well in our climate. They’re easy to grow. It’s a great flower for a beginner gardener.”

Attendees are encouraged to take photos of the exhibits and will have the opportunity to ask questions.