No, $28 is not high. Go hang out on the DL forum, and you'll see new hybrids going for upwards of $200. Have you looked at Daylily World (dot com)? How about Lambertson's?

I shelled out $80 for Michael Bouman's "Peppermint Wind" 2 years ago, but I'm not sorry I did. Looks exactly like the hybridizer's pic in my garden:

{{gwi:204244}}

By the way, there are other reputable daylily sellers online, as well, and less expensive. I have used QBdaylilies with no problems, and Gilbert Wild (who is having a huge sale right now, btw). GW is a good place to start if you're getting into DLs. If you go to their site, be sure to look in each of the sale areas, as sometimes the same plant is in 2 diff't sales, sometimes at diff't prices.

The reason that Marietta is high is because they are both reputable, and send big, healthy divisions vs. some sellers that send lower quality plants.

Marietta Gardens has changed in the past couple of years. I have their catalog and noticed that they have discontinued many of their modestly priced daylilies - say in the $6 to $10 range - in favor of more expensive ones. I used to visit their site frequently to look at the pictures and read about daylilies that I was interested in. I had a nice list of their plants that were in the above range that I had considered purchasing. Many of these plants are no longer available, and the prices in this year's catalog were quite a surprise.

That being said, many of the spider and UFO daylilies seem to hold their price for many years. I have Lake Norman Spider, and have had it for eight years. I am always suprised to see how it has never gone way down in price even though it is an 1981 intro.

I don't grow Primal Scream so I can't help you out with a trade. It is a lovely plant though. I just did a search on Google and did not find it at other places for a better price than Marietta has it listed for.

I hope you have good luck finding Primal Scream for a better price.

Linda

I won Primal Scream on the LA this winter for $23 total including shipping...I was thrilled to get it at that price.

Paid $40 for Forestlake Ragamuffin and $85 for Heavenly Angel Ice directly from the hybridizer. I could have bought it somewhere else for $50!

Select daylily cultivars always go for premium pricing, even from wholesalers. When I was buying for a retail nursery, the newer, more desirable cultivars were easily 2-300% higher priced than the more common offerings. And brand new introductions, especially those that offer distinct or unique features, are often offered at very high prices. I've seen as much as $3000 attached to a new daylily introduction (although who would pay such a price is a bit of a mystery to me......I don't think Bill Gates is into daylilies :-))

FWIW, I don't see 'Primal Scream' offered for much different pricing than you've found from any vendor, online or not.

That Peppermint Wind is a pretty daylily, but anything over about $1 would be too steep for me. ;)

The previous owner bought a couple of those assortments of Hemerocallis from White Flower Farm, and planted the small starts everywhere. They are still coming up, surprising me and blooming for the first time. Some of them are quite pretty, but I've started composting others, especially common ones and Hemerocallis fulva.

One of my favorites is good old 'Hyperion'. Nice fragrance.

Nope, thats not that high! I read last year that someone bought a daylily for $500, and it didn't even survive the winter!

I know this comment would get me booed and hissed off the Daylily Forum, but I really can't tell the difference between the hundred dollar cultivars and the dollar ones. I know they are collectables, but seriously? With the millions of kinds available, how can you REALLY tell which are which? A new colored daylily isn't a huge garden breakthrough, I mean its not like cultivating a true blue rose or a something that is nearly impossible.
I say just get to the Gilbert Wild dollar sale! ;-)
CMK

I was thinking the exact same thing, christinmk. And that's not just because I am not overly fond of the plants, uh, but... new color? Haven't I seen a zillion orange ones planted in commercial areas? Unless it is truly a new color or combination, or has another outstanding feature like reliable, constant re blooms or... interestingly attractive foliage, I don't understand why new ones are so highly priced. I hear about these new and unique daylilies but honestly, I can't tell what's so amazing and different about the higer priced ones 90% of the time, and I know somebody who is really into their daylily collection so I have seen my fair share.

Daylilies have changed quite a bit since the Stella de Oro, Happy Returns days in my opinion. I got hooked about 4 years ago when I saw Clothed in Glory in a Wayside Catalog. The ruffles, bubbles, chicken fat, eyes, curls etc. add more to the varietal selection then just color...... I do not know when charging such outrageous amounts for new introductions came into being. An unbloomed seedling for instance sold on the Lily Auction for $1,300.00. And no, neither the buyer or the seller knew how it would turn out once it did bloom. From the parentage the buyer just hoped it would be really great. Considering I can buy the newest rose variety around for under $25.00, it does seem a bit much for a flower that you can't even cut for the vase. But hey, each to their own. As long as it's not my money they are spending, I wish the daylily collectors the best of luck. I suggest anyone wanting to see more check out the daylily forum when the blooms start popping in a month or less. Some of their pictures are real show stoppers. You may end up willing to spend more then $1.00 for a daylily. I saved up for 4 years to get a $50.00 daylily called Shores of Time. It's supposed to be a true pink. If it blooms this year I guess we will see if I end up being the subject of the old adage: " A fool and his money are soon parted."