Hemerocallis 'Fragrant Returns'

Hemerocallis 'Fragrant Returns': A Sweet-Scented Sunshine Reprise
Sunny, cheerful, and softly scented, Hemerocallis 'Fragrant Returns' is a beloved reblooming daylily that brightens the garden from early summer into fall. Its lemon-yellow blooms are not only luminous in the landscape but also carry a light, sweet fragrance—a rarity among daylilies. Compact and consistently floriferous, this cultivar delivers wave after wave of cheerful blossoms with little maintenance, making it a reliable favourite for borders, walkways, and containers.

Plant Characteristics:

• Height: 40–50 cm
• Spread: 45–60 cm, forming a compact, mounded clump
• Flower Colour: Soft lemon yellow with a light green throat; lightly ruffled petals
• Flowering Period: Early summer to fall; strong rebloomer
• Foliage: Arching, bright green, strappy leaves; deciduous
• Sunlight Requirements: Full sun to part shade
• Soil Requirements: Moist, well-drained soil; highly adaptable, tolerating clay, loam, or sandy soils

Uses and Benefits: Fragrant Returns is perfect for adding low-maintenance, long-lasting colour and fragrance to the front of borders, along paths, or in containers. Its modest size and repeat bloom habit make it especially useful in smaller gardens or formal layouts that benefit from reliable rhythm and scent. Pollinator-friendly and deer-resistant, it provides enduring appeal from early summer well into fall.

Companion Plants: Pair with Coreopsis 'Red Hot Vanilla', whose creamy blooms and red centres add warmth and contrast to the soft yellow flowers. Add Salvia 'Bumblesnow' to bring in white accents and attract pollinators, creating a cooling balance to the golden tones. Finish the planting with Lavandula 'Munstead', whose grey-green foliage and purple flowers offer texture, fragrance, and a complementary Mediterranean flair.

Care Instructions: Plant in full sun for optimal blooming; light shade is tolerated in hotter climates. Water regularly during the first growing season; once established, it is drought-tolerant. Deadhead for tidiness, though not required for continued flowering. Cut back foliage in fall. Divide clumps every 3–4 years to maintain vigour and promote reblooming.

History: Hemerocallis 'Fragrant Returns' is part of the Returns series—bred as a fragrant, reblooming counterpart to the immensely popular Happy Returns. With improved scent and bloom frequency, it was quickly embraced as a staple for long-season colour and sweet sensory appeal.

Final Thoughts: Joyful and dependable, Hemerocallis 'Fragrant Returns' brings more than just colour to the garden—it adds a subtle, summery perfume that makes each bloom all the more delightful. Whether planted en masse or as a sunny accent, it’s a golden gift that keeps on giving, season after season.