companion plants for daylilies

[mizscarlit]

I live in zone 5 and have tall daylilies that start blooming in June and last only thru July. Once they die back there's just an empty area of dried stubble. What can I plant that will fill in when the daylilies are finished? They are in full sun, and our weather here in the Chicago area goes from extremely hot in summers to well below zero in winter. I'd like to use perennials rather than annuals.

[IntrepidMeredith]

Black-eyed susans (Rudbeckia fulgida or R. hirta) would be a good choice. It grows about 2-1/2 to 3 feet tall and blooms from July until frost in my central Wisconsin garden. Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) also grows 2-3 feet tall. It blooms June through August and then displays decorative seed pods through the fall. Both these plants continue the yellow/orange coloring common to many daylillies. For a companion color, try the pink/purples of many blazingstars, also called gayfeathers (Liatris species). Most blazingstars run in the 2-4 foot range, so they would really stand out in the center of your daylillies. Also, all the plants I've mentioned can be left standing through the winter. They'll provide food for the birds and provide something of decorative interest as their heads stand up through the snow.

Other plants to look at: sedums, goldenrod (Solidago species), harebells (Campanula rotundifolia), and asters. All of these plants, in addition to the ones listed above, can take medium to dry conditions in well drained soil. Have fun picking!

[mizscarlit]

Thanks for the recommendations. How do the liatris stand up to rabbits? They have eaten nearly everything I put in the garden, including yucca.