2019 Region One Meeting Open Garden—Bob and Joanne Langabee’s Garden

Fireworks in the Gardens

2019 ADS Region One Meeting • Omaha, Nebraska • July 5-7, 2019

Hosted by the Nebraska Daylily Society—click HERE for registration form

Charles and Heidi Douglas of Browns Ferry Gardens, Guest Speakers

Bob & Joanne Langabee’s Garden—Bob and Joanne Langabee

Bob and Joanne Langabee’s Garden has been a work in progress for 46 years. Joanne is a Master Gardener, Master Naturalist and former rose consultant for the Midwest. Bob is a rare plant enthusiast and daylily hybridizer.

The front yard is shady and features 13 Japanese maple trees and four rare small trees plus various types of shade-loving plants including hosta, ferns, heucheras, epimediums, dwarf iris, and spring-flowering bulbs. Over 27 different ornamental grass varieties grow here, and many tolerate shade. A few sunny areas contain daylilies but mostly showcase plants that attract butterflies and pollinators. A water feature highlights the front yard. 

Front yard water feature—all pics courtesy of Bob and Joanne Langabee

The Langabees live near Fontenelle Forest and have a herd of eight to 16 deer that think they run a free supermarket.

Side garden bed displays shade-loving plants such as hosta

A deer fence completely surrounds the sloped back yard and pasture area. Here you will find over 175 registered daylily cultivars and over 500 of Bob’s seedlings. 

A blooming sea of backyard daylilies

The many interspersed smaller garden beds contain dwarf conifers, cacti, succulents, roses, plants for butterflies, vegetables, and plants for xeriscapes. 

Companion plants punctuated with garden art accentuate the back yard

A small waterfall and stream flows into a tranquil pond bordering the patio.

 This lovely backyard oasis is a nature lover's dream

Bob and Joanne love to sit on the patio, relax, and enjoy watching birds flock to their feeders; numerous butterfly visitors; and all too often, deer playing in the pasture.

Close-up view of Bob and Joanne's lovely pond

Bob started hybridizing diploid and tetraploid daylilies eight years ago. Bob’s hybridizing program includes diploids and tetraploids. 

 Bob Langabee tetraploid seedling 'Broadway Player' X 'Lil' Red Wagon'

Bob Langabee tetraploid seedling 'Broadway Elf' X 'Spacecoast Shiner'

Bob’s first efforts focused on small and miniature daylilies, and recently expanded to patterns. 

 Diploid seedling (unknown Bob Faulkner cross)

 Bob Langabee seedling 'Miss Piggy's Wedding' X a Bob Faulkner seedling

Bob Langabee seedling 'Spacecoast Behavior Pattern' X 'Dr Jules Michael Vinkman'

Bob incorporates Tim Herrington's miniatures with some of Grace Stamile’s. He works with Bob Faulkner's patterned daylilies and some from Jamie Gossard such as Chaotic Design and Wild Chicken. Bob also has a pink program, because Joanne likes pink daylilies, with some really nice results. 

 Bob Langabee diploid seedling 'Ghost Whispers' X unknown

Bob Langabee tetraploid seedling 'Miss Piggy' X 'Dr Jules Michael Vinkman'

Bob hybridizes for orange daylilies, too. 

 Bob Langabee diploid seedling 'Halloween Green' X unknown

Bob Langabee tetraploid seedling 'Tequila Mockingbird' X 'Orange Grove'

Bob likes daylilies with clear color combinations. He does not intentionally hybridize for doubles, teeth, spiders, or ruffles, but they occasionally show up here and there.

Bob and Joanne look forward to showing you their piece of paradise.

Daylilies illuminate the edge of the back yard