I just came in from mowing the yard. Our riding mower of 15+ years finally died an honorable death this spring, so we have to use push mowers to mow about an acre. Now of course, when you take out about half of that for daylilies and other beds, it's really not bad. My DH rescued a 20" push mower from the trash that is wonderful!!!He cleaned and rebuilt the carborator(sp?) and it runs like brand new. In fact, it looks like new too. This ethanol gas is killing mowers faster than they can build them!!! So my little mower on cost $8 and it's the easiest push mower I've used. We really don't mind, we get some much needed exercise!!! It's so light and small that I can easily mow around everything. DH also got a 22" mowers that's a bigger, heavier mower the same way. So with two mowers we can nock it out in about an hour. It's amazing that some people just throw away really good stuff rather than trying to get it fixed. I don't know if you've priced push mowers lately, but most are around $200 or higher. I'm so blessed to have a hubbie that can fix most anything. He sure has saved us loads of money through our 40 years. Thanks everyone for the responses. I really was so thankful how everything came together for saving Big Smile. It truly is a beautiful daylily and it grows like crazy. If any of ya'll would like a fan or two, next Spring give me a hoot and I'll gladly share for postage. It'll be my way to repay the kindness of everyone for so long. I'd do it now, but they really must grow before going through any more trauma right now. I figure by late Spring they should be in good shape. I love talking with ya'll and I've learned so much through the years. I sometimes disappear for a while, but I always come back. Kinda like the old saying about a bad penny, only I'm really not bad!!!! How could I be when I'm addicted to daylilies!!!! Blessing to everyone, Mona

I have one that's about 4 years old now and it sounds like the same type of thing, it's definitely a bit on the leggy side. I think that's just the nature of the plant though. I would think as it continues to age it will thicken up year after year. (Not many flowers, I'd cut most off to bring inside)

You can make all kinds of combinations between pruning and transplanting (moving). Each will have its advantages and disadvantages. For example, prune them all hard every so many years (this will last for a while, "x" years before you need to do it again); prune them to give them a haircut every year (you need to prune every year); transplant all (or some) to move them all a few feet away from the walking area (not all in one year of course; maybe take several years if you cannot do them all in one growing season); replace them all/some with smaller hydrangeas (move the big ones elsewhere or give them away to neighbors/relatives/garden clubs for their fall sales). You couold even engage landscape companies (more expen$ive). I think if you can post pictures, some people here might be able to help. But give them time though since many people go out of town at the end of the summer.

I've had the worse luck trying to overwinter my hydrangeas by putting up a circle of fencing and then putting leaves inside. I've tried with wood chips and had a little better luck. One year I tried it on a couple of small plants and I just know that I stuffed the leaves in way too much. The tops completely died and I'm sure part of the reason was that I smothered them with this tight mass of leaves. I think that was the same year that I put one in the middle of one of my leaf bins and the plant was not too happy about that. So if you go this route, I'd advise that you don't pack them in so much that you don't allow the plants to breathe. I've seen someone here rave about woodchips and they might be better as far as breathing is concerned. And I guess that has to be the reason why it's pine needles and oak leaves that are the usual suggested leaves since they're less likely to mat down. I've had my best luck when I've overwintered plants in the ground by building a fence around the bound up plant and then placing bags of dry leaves around and over it. (Placing,with some deliberate small spaces open, not stuffing, so that it can still breathe). All of this is in the "overwintering..." thread. You could wrap this whole ugly mess with burlap to make it less an eyesore, but keep reminding yourself that it has to breathe. Another layer of anything hinders that. A young small plant is going to be trickier to overwinter, no matter how you do it. If it were me, I'd dig up the plant and overwinter it in one of my mounds outside. I'm not familiar with your plant, but perhaps it is able to come through the winter all by itself and still flower for you. Blue Billow, a serrata lacecap, blooms very reliably for me every year with no protection whatsoever. I don't have Woodlander, but I've seen enough comments on this forum to suggest it behaves like Blue Billow for others in harsh climates. Maybe it would take a year or so for it to settle in. Good luck. Hay.