Hi Amy! Welcome to the wonderful world of DLs! I'm still considered a 'greenie' too, but can tell you my own experiences:

Mom had orange ditch lilies. Nice, but hmmm...what else is out there?
I go looking on eBay one day a couple years ago...find Brocaded gown (yellow creped), Sea Gold, Suzy Wong, and Lavender Illusion. I buy these in 'lots' (SW was to fill an area and was 20 fans), and the others were I think triple fans to start a new bed.

Then I discover the DL farm down the street. I'm hooked.

My purchases now are mostly 'lots' again to fill up a larger DL bed I just made, but I want them to be named. Maybe they're single fans, maybe doubles, but they'll eventually increase, so I consider anything under $2 per fan a good deal in these kinds of purchases.

I search for 'clumps' and often find great deals from people clearing out their own beds. Some have 5, 7 or even up to 15 fans. Most of these have been under a buck a fan- EXCELLENT deal in my book.

I've bought from the 'starter' places like Gilbert Wild- made a good-sized purchase there of all double-fans.

My purchases at the local farm are usually double or more blooming fans (I think probably the best deal is your local farm cuz shipping doesn't kill a deal), plus bonus plants.

I've bought from the hybridizer directly- on a 50% moving sale, and have also paid (UGH!) full retail just recently for a new intro.

I've honed in on comments made by some here on the boards that they sell DLs, and have made purchases there.

I've traded away some that I have for other names. Costs me postage only. I've gotten some from neighbors (unnamed), or plant swaps.

So I've run the gammit of all types of acquisitions.

I know that most of my smaller-fan purchases may not put on a good show (if any) this season, but I'm willing to wait. No sense (for me) to purchase multiple doubles or triples of a fan for a show this year when they'll increase for free to that next year. The few purchases I'll make locally will be enough show for this year, as well as the few I've gotten established over the last 2 years.

Get them from whatever source you can, in whatever qty you like! Just GET THEM!!! LOL!

Hello Amy and welcome! There are people here with less experience than you, there are those who are near or at the 'expert' level, and there are those of us in between, but we all love our daylilies. I've been growning them for about 5 years and my small subdivision lot is full of daylilies. I have even 'borrowed' an 8' X 25' section of my son's back yard for seedlings. Yeah, I've got it bad too!
My opinion on how many you buy of a single kind is based on how patient (or impatient) you are. I have bought double fans that turn into 4-6 fans the next year. With that kind of math, buying 6 fans could give you 12-15 fans next year - - of course that depends on the cultivar as some reproduce faster than others as well as on the temperature and growing conditions. Since you are in zone 6, your increase will likely be less than mine in zone 8. Someone from farther north can me can probably give you information that is more suited to where you live.
What colors were the flowers when before you moved them from NY? Did they get different amounts of sunlight there? Do they all get the same amount of sun where they are now, or are some in part shade? Is it much warmer/colder where you are now? It is possible that they were all the same but flowered in various shades from yellow to orange based on soil, sun, etc. I really don't have an answer, but am just making a guess. Also, many daylilies take a year or two to adjust to new conditions and to show their true color.
Again, welcome to the Forum, and good luck with all you new ones!
Larry

Hi Amy! I am a former "lurker" myself, and a novice at the "hands on" of Daylilies.I read all that I can find on them, so I got me some "book smarts".lol Read up on the ones you want,if they are fast increasers,buy a few fans, if they are slow, buy a clump. Figure out how you want your garden to look,and go from there.Just leave room for more!
Betsy

Hi Amy and welcome!

Everyone has different reasons for how and why they buy their daylilies. Some of us have the "I want one of everything" affliction. In those cases we usually just order one plant of what we want. Others have more of a desire to plant in larger, more eye-impacting areas. Those folks may buy 3-5 plants of each cultivar. Or maybe more. I have people that come to the gardens that do both. My suggestion is that you do what pleases you. You're the only one that counts.

Don't worry about "flying by the seat of your pants." Most of us here do that on a regular basis. The good thing about daylilies is that they usually forgive you!

Janet

Welcome, Amy -- As Janet describes, I'm one of those "must have one of everything" daylily people (as long as it's a daylily I like). I always buy no more than a double fan of a cultivar and, with generous sellers, I often receive more than that. By the following year, most double fans have increased and you have a clump in the works.

Even buying just double fans of individual cultivars, I still group by color for the impact.

When all your new purchases start blooming, you'll probably take a look and decide then what pleases you most. Just be prepared for the addiction -- I started with 25 once ;o)

Chris

Hi Amy, it's good to have you joining the rest of us dl addicts!!! ;o) Like Chris, I want them all....if I like them of course. I only buy dbl fans unless there's a "can't resist" clump sale somewhere. Then I usually divide them up, keep two fans and line out the rest to sell. I've accumulated so many that I am having to start selling to make room for the new ones that find their way to my home every year!! LOL
Have fun with your dl's and keep posting...be sure to make and post photos when you get blooms.
Jan

You all are soooo welcoming, thank you so much.

I've planted all of my new purchases, except for two groups that I purchased (and I have a feeling the person did not get my order because it's been over a month, and I've even called and left a message - hmmmm). One came in with buds on it (Molino Pink Loveliness) and the others are all little things that need quite a bit of growing yet.

As for the transplanted ones, to answer the question ... back at my old house they were purples and burgundy and some orange as well. I can't imagine that I only grabbed orange ones, as I made sure to get some from all different parts of the landscaping, but either way I was so happy they survived the move that I didn't really care, was more perplexed at the situation than anything. This will be their third summer blooming, so if they're orange again we'll see. I've heard about the soil conditions affecting the color of the flower - if that's the case - do you think all of my new purchases will be orange as well regardless of their supposed color? I did buy topsoil with compost and added plant food to all of my new beds, maybe that will do the trick.

I guess time will tell!

Thanks again, all. You've been great.

Amy, the soil and growing conditions would not change a purple or burgandy dl to orange. Is it possible that your orange dl's are the "ditch lilies" that spread underground by runners, and that they planted themselves all over your former garden?
Have fun with your new ones. :)
Jan

Hi Amy,
Due to limited space and an exceptionaly large wishlist ( way, way too many pretty ones out there) I am a double fan of everything also. I wish I had DL beds big enough to buy multiple fans of everything! Thats almost like instant gratification! Don't have to wait long to see lots of the flowers you really like when ya buy a lot of them! Its all personal preferance, but if you start hanging out with us on the GW, you will need more flower beds cause you will be discovering some amazing DL's you just can't live with out! Oh-Boy your in trouble now! I could not be satisfied with just a couple favorites, there's too many pretties out there to be had! Enjoy your new DL's hope they are a wonderful addition to your home.

Hi My name is Edie and I'm a new Daylily Addict...

When I was young and foolish, the first house we bought had a border of the orange DL's around the back parking area. I thought they were ugly and tried to dig them out. I hereby apologize to them and have learned the error of my ways. I am starting a new DL bed in our back yard. I have a regular Stella that I hope will come back (I have another thread posted about Stella's misadventure) and a couple of pinkish/peachish ones I picked up at a yardsale, so have no idea what kind they are, but they are very pretty. I have ordered some more - 2 Wineberries and 1 Hush Little Baby. Why do I get the feeling that that won't be the end of it... LOL

Hi Edie,
Have you been introduced to the Lily Auction yet? Oops, sorry hope I didn't just empty your piggy bank.

Hi Edie -- Love your introduction! Don't apologize for trying to get rid of the ditch lilies. They are very invasive and will happily encroach on other nearby plantings if you let them. I have some I have to live with that a previous gardener planted among very heavy rocks. I just try to dig up as many strays as I can and leave the bulk of them alone. They're pretty in their own right.

Welcome!

Chris

Hi and Thank you! Glad I found this forum. What's the Lily Auction??

Hi Edie,
This is The Lily Auction. It is like EBAY, but Daylilies.
Betsy

http://daylily.com/cgi-bin/auction.cgi

Here is a link that might be useful: The Lily Auction

Oh, wow, those are some gorgeous DL's there. Thanks for the link! Now to see where I have room... !! :^)

look what we started!

Another one bites the dust!!!! :) Welcome in Edie...hope you enjoy the LA, if you're like lots of us "addicts", it'll be your new hangout!!! LOL
Have a good day....
Jan

*Groan* yeah, I needed to find a group of enablers LOL LOL! I couldn't believe some of those prices, though. My goodness, I could spend an entire house payment and only have a handful of plants to show for it. EEEK! But I'm so glad to find a good resource, thank you all so much. I'll be playing outside all weekend, so everyone have a great one!