Getting To Know Us
Welcome to Delano Daylilies, home to Steve and Karen Newman and around 1,400 varieties of daylilies. A lot of people have a difficult time pronouncing Delano. It’s pronounced (Del’-a-no)—just like Franklin Delano Roosevelt. There’s a story behind the name, dating back to the 1920s, of how FDR was instrumental in the naming of our community. We’ll save that story for another time.
Our nephew, Kevin, who has been a part of our summer operation since the beginning, is history! He graduated college, got married and is teaching Biology at McMinn County High School. And since he married into a Polk County farming family, he is learning the farming operation in his spare time. There’s no time left to dig daylilies!
Fortunately, two of our long-time customers decided they wanted to work on Fridays and Saturdays during bloom season in Kevin’s place. I don’t know if they just felt sorry for us or not, but they were the answer to prayers! What a joy they were to be around. They’re both serious gardeners with years of experience. They’re hard workers with excellent people skills. They made work fun and we couldn’t help smiling when we were around them. They took the pressure off on busy days and we couldn’t have done it without them. Thank you Betty and Heather! I’m glad you put your “application” in for next year and hope you don’t change your mind! We loved having you around and appreciate your hard work!
Steve is giving Brother Harold (the cat) final instructions before visitors arrive. Bro. Harold is available for supervision and moral support.
Little Sister is now our official garden greeter. It was just too hot for Brother Harold and he spent most of his time inside with the air conditioning! Little Sister is old (15 years old) and temperamental, but she puts her best paw forward when visitors arrive.
We took a break in 2010 to attend the National Daylily Convention in Valdosta, Georgia. Steve found some shade during the tour of Tim Bell’s garden in Sycamore, Georgia.
This year, we had over a dozen groups to visit during bloom season. They ranged from The Etowah Friendly Garden Club (they hold their June meeting in the garden every year)
to the Maryville Mazda Miata Car Club—now, that’s a unique way to fill the parking area!
I’m glad to see parents and grandparents passing on their love of gardening to youngsters. Maleah has already figured out that daylilies can be a lot of work and she’ll need to take an occasional break!
You’re welcome to visit any time during bloom season. If our business hours don’t accommodate your schedule, just call us and we’ll work around your schedule.
Our job is done, but this customer has plenty of work to do when he gets his purchases home!
The shovel is silent for now, but in a very short time, it will see action again!
