2019 Region One Meeting Open Garden—Mary Baker’s Garden

Fireworks in the Gardens

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

Hosted by the Nebraska Daylily Society

Garden Judges Workshop 2 • 9 a.m. Sunday, July 11, 2021
Open Garden • noon to 2:00 p.m. Sunday, July 11, 2021

Mary Baker’s Garden—Mary and Rich Baker

Mary Baker’s Garden is a state-licensed and inspected urban daylily, allium, and daffodil nursery. Mary Baker’s Garden is .2 acres in size. Garden layout and design plus spacious grass paths maximize efficient use of available space and provide the illusion of much larger size. 

Welcome to Mary Baker's Garden—pic taken during late midseason by the Sarpy County Assessor's office

Terraced backyard beds of graduated height with stairs in the middle transformed a formerly steep back yard into usable multi-level gardening space. 

Backyard terraced beds shortly after collapsed steps and side walls were replaced during early to early midseason daylily bloom—this pic and all subsequent pics courtesy of Mary Baker

Backyard terraced beds from the southwest looking northeast

Mary Baker’s Garden was a 2002 ADS Region One Meeting tour garden and an International Garden of the Week 13^th Winter Series 2018-2019 on February 2 on Charlotte Chamitoff’s Daylily Diary.  

 A portion of the backyard terraced beds accented by Spigelia marilandica (Indian pink; front) and Lysimachia punctata (back left)

About 200 registered daylily cultivars grow in Mary Baker’s garden. Almost all are tetraploids, and 140 are newer daylily cultivars registered during the past ten years. Daylilies created by many hybridizers are featured, including several from Daylily World (David Kirchhoff and Mort Morss), Michael Bouman, Bryan Culver, Judy Davisson, Karol Emmerich, Dan Hansen, Kathy Lamb (registered cultivars plus Kathy’s selected tetraploid seedlings), and Guy Pierce. 

David's Gift' (David Kirchhoff/Mary Baker, 2018) 

'Joseph Christopher' (Mary Baker, 2013)

'Picasso's Dream' (Mary Baker, 2013)

You will also see Mary’s favorite cultivars from retired hybridizers Bob Schwarz and Nan Wilkerson as well as the late Oscie Whatley.

'Isaiah James' (Nan Wilkerson/Mary Baker, 2016) 

'Nan Wilkerson' (Nan Wilkerson/Mary Baker, 2017) 

'Sharyn Jones DVM' (Nan Wilkerson/Mary Baker, 2016)

Mary started hybridizing daylilies in the early 1990s before joining the American Daylily Society in 1992. Mary served as Region One President for five consecutive years from 2000 to 2004. She has registered several daylily cultivars so far. Mary’s training as a Garden Judge since 2000 and a Garden Judge Instructor since 2004 helped formulate her approach toward seedling selection. 

First batch of daylily seedlings planted in the garden on July 3, 2018 (others were planted later in July). 

Mary’s creations include MARY BARBARA (Mary Baker, 2020, tet), an unusual form cascade named for Mary’s mother. Parents are DRAGON NATION (Bryan Culver/Dave Mussar, 2014, tet) X BUSY BEING FABULOUS (Nan Wilkerson, 2013, tet). MARY BARBARA has pronounced fragrance and is an early midseason bloomer. Graceful lemon yellow blooms have feathered red, darker-edged eyes and measure from 8 inches to 9 inches as naturally standing on 30 inch scapes with three-way branching and 14 buds.

 'Mary Barbara' (Mary Baker, 2020, tet)

'Mary Barbara' (Mary Baker, 2020, tet)

FRACTURED HEART (David Kirchhoff/Mary Baker, 2020, tet) was a generous gift from David Kirchhoff and is registered with his permission. Parents are (UNIVERSAL SOLDIER x seedling) X seedling. FRACTURED HEART’s distinctive blooms feature darted bright green throats and corduroy texture. Blooms measure 5.5 inches on 30 inch scapes with three-way branching and 15 buds. FRACTURED HEART is an early midseason bloomer. 

'Fractured Heart' (David Kirchhoff/Mary Baker, 2020, tet)

You will also see ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM (Mary Baker, 2019, tet), introduced in 2020. Parents are ALIENS IN THE GARDEN X WAVES OF JOY. Dramatic 7 inch near white blooms are edged in dark purple and feature contrasting feathered dark purple eyes. Scapes are 33 inches tall with two-way branching and 14 buds. ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM begins blooming in early season and continues through midseason. It sometimes forms proliferations on the lower portion of the bloom scapes, making baby elephants in the room. 

'Elephant in the Room' (Mary Baker, 2019)

Following are some of Mary’s favorite daylily registrations. 

'Bryce Farnsworth' (Mary Baker, 2013)

'Driving through Des Moines' (Mary Baker, 2013)

'Sean Michael' (Mary Baker, 2013)

'Tripping through Tekamah' (Mary Baker, 2013, tet)

Click HERE to see Mary Baker’s Garden’s website, where you will find pictures and complete descriptions of her registered cultivars. 

In addition to Mary’s registered daylily cultivars, several of her selected daylily seedlings grow in her garden. Mary’s garden has very little shade, so she breeds for tetraploid daylilies with good sun resistance. Her primary goals are full-formed flowers and unusual forms of all sizes with good green throats and clear, clean colors. 

'Lojza' (Mary Baker, 2025, tet)

'One Hot Dragon' (Mary Baker, 2022, tet)

'Omaha Beach' (Mary Baker, 2022, tet)

Mary Baker tet seedling 1503-4: 'Blackthorne' X 'Black and White Ball'

Mary’s late mentor and friend, Oscie Whatley, often said a green throat makes a daylily stand out from a distance, especially if the daylily is red. Mary is especially interested in hybridizing red and near-white daylilies. 

'Pent-up Passion' (Mary Baker, 2022, tet)

'Bonfire of the Beatniks' (Mary Baker, 2022, tet)

'Beatnik' (Mary Baker, 2022, tet)

'David Hugh Adams' (Mary Baker, 2023, tet)

'Bison Blizzard' (Mary Baker, 2020, tet) out of 'Sparkling Snow' X 'Tripping through Tekamah'

Mary is also working on a promising purple line. 

'Kathleen M. Lamb' (Mary Baker, 2022, tet)

Mary Baker tet seedling 1533W: 'Mount Ararat' X 'The Ultimate Sacrifice'

Mary Baker tet seedling 1533E: 'Mount Ararat' X 'The Ultimate Sacrifice'

A wide variety of Mary’s favorite companion plants are interspersed throughout the garden, including Spigelia marilandica (Indian pink); Baptisia (false indigo); clematis; and lysimachia. 

Spigelia marilandica (Indian pink) 

Lysimachia punctata (or is it another Lysimachia species? Foliage is soft and felted.)

Tiger lilies, iris, blue flax, and peonies from Mary’s grandmother plus modern iris and peonies; Oriental and Orienpet lilies; and many other types of companion plants complement the daylilies, alliums, and daffodils.

Eastern black swallowtail butterfly enjoying tiger lilies in Mary's garden

Mary grows dill and varieties of milkweed throughout her garden for monarch, swallowtail, and other butterflies to enjoy. 

Wildflowers can be majestic—goldfinches love munching on Verbascum thapsis (common roadside mullein) seeds and butterflies love Knautia macedonica, which blooms from spring until stopped by frost in the fall

If you missed Mary and Rich's beautiful urban oasis during the 2019 ADS Region One Meeting on July 5-7, or if you want to see it again, visit their open garden on Sunday, July 11, 2021 from noon to 2:00 p.m. Don't let the only thing missing be you!

 'Shakin' All Over' (Mary Baker, 2023, tet)

2019 Region One Meeting Open Garden—Hansen’s Daylily Haven—David & Val Jean Hansen

Fireworks in the Gardens

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

Hosted by the Nebraska Daylily Society

Charles and Heidi Douglas of Browns Ferry Gardens, Guest Speakers

Hansen’s Daylily Haven–David and Val Jean Hansen

Hansen’s Daylily Haven is a suburban American Daylily Society (ADS) Display Garden featuring clumps of over 230 registered tetraploid daylily cultivars from a variety of hybridizers.

Welcome to Hansen's Daylily Haven—unless otherwise indicated, all pics courtesy of David and Val Jean Hansen

Dave and Val Jean Hansen, July 2019—pic courtesy of Joan Zettel

A beautifully blooming backyard daylily border

Dave and Val Jean grow daylilies that are hardy with good height. Dave and Val Jean’s friend, the late Bob Smith, introduced them to hardy hibiscus, which adds lots of color and different form to their garden.

Hibiscus seedling and garden art

Hosta grow here, too, as do colorful annuals such as small red begonias. Large pots of dragon wing begonias, vinca, and Asparagus densiflorus ‘Sprengeri’ (Sprengeri fern) accentuate the garden.

Colorful blue pots filled with dragon wing begonias accentuate the garden

Dave is a hybridizer, and his gorgeous registered daylily cultivars and cutting-edge seedlings are ADS Region One’s best-kept secret. It’s time to let the cat out of the bag and introduce Dave’s cultivars to the rest of the daylily world.

David & Val Jean Hansen seedling 14-47A: 'Papio Leah Serenity' X 'Thistles and Thorns'

Dave hybridizes exclusively with tetraploids, and he’s been hybridizing for the past 20 years. His goal is to produce toothy flowers, and red toothy flowers take center stage when it’s time to select keepers from his annual seedling crop.

David & Val Jean Hansen seedling 16-19: Seedling 11-162A X 'Papio Trevor Thomas'

Dave’s first daylily registration is named for their oldest granddaughter, CAITLYN MCKENZIE (2006), a round flesh gold with a rosy mauve halo and a large yellow to deep green throat.

'Caitlyn McKenzie' (Hansen-D.V., 2006)

Eight more registrations followed for Dave and Val Jean’s other eight grandchildren, plus four for their four great-granddaughters and others. So far Dave has registered 23 daylily cultivars. Many of the 2019 ADS Region One Meeting registration gift plants are Dave’s lovely registered daylilies.

Dave’s favorite registration is a beautiful green-throated toothy rose red daylily named IN VAL’S HONOR (2016) for his wife of 61 years, Val Jean.

'In Val's Honor' (Hansen-D.V., 2016)

Another favorite from Dave is the beautiful KURT REMEMBERED (2013), a saturated rose red named for Dave’s late brother.

'Kurt Remembered' (Hansen-D.V., 2013)

Another stunning daylily from Dave is AVIANNA GRACE (2016), a rose pink with light pink eye and white teeth on all segments.

'Avianna Grace' (Hansen-D.V., 2016)

Yet another of Dave’s gorgeous toothy creations is the spectacular PAPIO KYLIE RAE (2018), with saturated bloom color and contrasting white teeth.

'Papio Kylie Rae' (Hansen-D.V., 2018)

The lovely PAPIO BRIANNA LYNNE (2018) features a frosted watermark and a pale sharky edge.

'Papio Brianna Lynne' (Hansen-D.V., 2018)

The exquisite PAPIO TWILITE BITE (2018) is breathtakingly beautiful. Its pod parent is the lovely AVIANNA GRACE (2016).

'Papio Twilite Bite' (Hansen-D.V., 2018)

But wait—there’s more! Many lovely toothy tetraploid seedlings are waiting in the wings. Following are just a few potential future registrations and introductions.

David & Val Jean Hansen seedling 15-25C: Seedling 11-17A X 'All Things to All Men' 

 David & Val Jean Hansen seedling 15-26: Seedling 11-17A X 'Larry's Twilight Bite'

 David & Val Jean Hansen seedling 15-159: 'Heartbeat of Heaven' X 'Happy Holidays to You'

 David & Val Jean Hansen seedling 15-207A: 'Oklahoma Sand Burr' X Seedling 13-159A

David & Val Jean Hansen seedling 16-69: Seedling 8-292B X Seedling 13-159A

Dave and Val Jean’s good friends Tom and Mary Keast grow several of Dave’s beautiful, toothy daylily creations at their Keast Daylily Gardens in Oakland, Iowa, where they are listed for sale. Click HERE to view pictures and descriptions of available daylily cultivars on Dave and Val Jean Hansen’s page on Keast Daylily Gardens website.

 A portion of Dave and Val Jean's colorful backyard daylily bed

Dave and Val Jean cherish the friendships they have made over the years from the many Nebraska Daylily Society (NDS) and ADS Region One meetings they attended. Their daylily friends enrich and enhance the joy of the flowers.

Conifers, Japanese maples, and garden art set off the daylilies like jewels

Dave and Val Jean have been ADS and NDS members for many years. Dave served several terms as NDS President, and he also chaired past ADS Region One meetings hosted by NDS. Dave and Val Jean’s garden (then in Bellevue, Nebraska) was a tour garden during the 2002 ADS Region One Meeting. Dave and Val Jean received the ADS Region One Service Award in 2015.

A windmill, shed, bird bath, and specimen Japanese maple frame this colorful splash of blooming daylilies

Dave and Val Jean invite you to visit Hansen’s Daylily Haven. They enjoy visitors, and welcome everyone to tour their beautiful garden. You’ll see Dave’s spectacular registered cultivars and his exciting future registrations in addition to many cutting-edge tetraploid cultivars created by other hybridizers.

A sea of colorful daylilies at Hansen's Daylily Haven