Hemerocallis ‘Eenie Fanfare’ is fairly new to my upper Midwest garden. Purchased in August of 2019 after it had already bloomed, she found a place gracing the edge of a little strip of full-sun garden nestled alongside our backyard’s flagstone pathway. She’s a tough girl, having survived a crazy winter and a 2020 attempt on her life by a hungry rabbit. Standing a demure 10-12 inches tall, I may purchase two more to flank either side of her to create a little short-stuff trio. A few years down the road (barring further late-night snacking by the rabbits), I hope to be able to divide these little beauties and create a grouping in another flowerbed.
Her thick grass-like leaves are a lush green and will provide visual interest long after the flowers fade. Her plant tag says she’s supposed to be “velvety red,” but I would describe ‘Eenie Fanfare’s’ flower as a very dark pink (almost red) with a lovely chartreuse throat, and a thin white pencil-edge outlining each slightly crimped petal. She may be getting a little too much sun. In my gardening experience, red-petaled daylilies stay truer in color if given a bit of shade and protection from late afternoon sun. I’d like to experiment with this plant beneath the dappled light of my locust tree.
I would encourage my daylily-loving friends to give her a whirl in your garden. She’s a charmer, so be sure to give her a front-row seat.
“God writes the gospel not in the Bible alone, but on trees and flowers and clouds and stars.”
Martin Luther
Barefoot Lily Lady 