About Us and Our Daylilies
Strictly Daylilies is owned and run by Paula and Chris Dyason in the village of Histon, just north of Cambridge in the UK. What began as a passion for gardening has grown into a specialist daylily nursery with over 25,000 plants in stock and around 2,000 different varieties. Today, Strictly Daylilies is recognised as one of the leading daylily growers in the country, supplying plants across mainland UK by mail order.
Paula became a dentist, practicing in South Carolina, but was an avid gardener in her spare time and studied horticulture to achieve the Master Gardener qualification. Not surprisingly, her garden included a lot of daylilies!
When Paula married Chris, a Brit, in 2008, she left dentistry and moved to England where she wanted to cultivate a typical English country garden but to populate it with daylilies.
The garden collection rapidly expanded with daylily plants coming from many sources and it wasn’t long before the opportunity to turn a hobby into a business became obvious. In 2012 a large collection of daylilies was purchased and Strictly Daylilies Ltd was born.
Staying true to ‘doing what it says on the can’, Strictly sells only daylilies and will not be reducing its focus by adding other species. The phrase 'Specialist' is used with abandon nowadays but Strictly is just that. We don't just claim to be specialists in hemerocallis, we are.
Since then Paula has roped in Chris to help in the daylily business and the number of plants in stock has risen to over 25,000 with approximately 2000 different varieties. The nursery now has 5 acres of land and the business has become one of the largest growers of daylilies in the UK. Meanwhile Paula has begun significant breeding programs producing 7,000 to 10,000 seedlings each year. Her hybridising is focused on clear bright colours and small bloom unusual forms with excellent plant habits suited for the UK climate.
Paula is the International Chair of the American Hemerocallis Society and has qualified as an American Hemerocallis Society Garden Judge, the only one outside North America. She is a regular attendee at AHS Conventions in the US. She is also one of the members of the Royal Horticultural Society Forum for evaluating hemerocallis for AGMs in the UK.
The typical English country garden that Paula wanted to create is an accredited AHS Display Garden, the only one in the UK and one of only four in ‘the rest of the World’. She has also just completed an official American Hemerocallis Historic Display Garden and has a British National Collection of modern daylilies through Plant Heritage.
Above all, Paula’s business is focused on providing a high quality service backed by a no-quibble guarantee of success. Paula is one of those people who can only do 100%; phrases like “that’ll do” are not in her vocabulary. She’s on a mission to convince the World that daylilies should be in every garden.
Strictly Daylilies is based just north of Cambridge and sells hemerocallis on a mail order basis to mainland UK. Although not a garden centre open to the public, they do open the gates to all during 'Open Garden Days' in July which is usually peak bloom season. Check our news blog yearly for exact dates.
A Family-Run Daylily Nursery in the Heart of Cambridgeshire
Strictly Daylilies is owned and run by Paula and Chris Dyason in the village of Histon, just north of Cambridge in the UK. What began as a passion for gardening has grown into a specialist daylily nursery with over 25,000 plants in stock and around 2,000 different varieties. Today, Strictly Daylilies is recognised as one of the leading daylily growers in the country, supplying plants across mainland UK by mail order.
Paula's Early Roots in Gardening and Daylilies
Paula grew up in California before her family moved to South Carolina. Her mother was an enthusiastic collector with over 200 varieties of daylilies at their 30-acre homestead. Each year she bought the latest introductions, passing on both her knowledge and her passion to her daughter.
Although Paula trained and worked as a dentist in South Carolina, she was always an avid gardener in her spare time. She studied horticulture and achieved the Master Gardener qualification, developing practical skills and plant knowledge that shaped her future career. Not surprisingly, her own garden quickly filled with daylilies of all kinds.
From Hobby Gardener to Dedicated Daylily Grower
When Paula married Chris, a Brit, in 2008, she moved to England and set about creating a traditional English country garden. Her vision was to fill it with daylilies. The collection grew rapidly as plants arrived from multiple sources, and it was soon clear that a hobby could become something more.
In 2012, Paula and Chris purchased a large collection of daylilies. That year, Strictly Daylilies Ltd was founded. From the beginning, the business has remained true to its purpose: to be a specialist daylily nursery. Unlike many growers who diversify into other species, Strictly sells only daylilies. The commitment is total. Strictly Daylilies does not just claim to be a specialist daylily grower, it truly is one.
Growth of the Nursery and Hybridising Work
Since the nursery was founded, stock numbers have risen to more than 25,000 plants with around 2,000 different cultivars available. Five acres of land are now dedicated to the nursery, making Strictly Daylilies one of the largest daylily growers in the UK.
Alongside the growing operation, Paula has developed a significant breeding programme, producing between 7,000 and 10,000 seedlings each year. Her hybridising focuses on clear, bright colours and small unusual forms, all with excellent plant habits suited to the UK climate. These new introductions contribute to the diversity of daylilies available to gardeners and collectors.
Roles in National and International Societies
Paula’s expertise is widely recognised. She serves as the International Chair of the American Hemerocallis Society and is the only American Hemerocallis Society Garden Judge based outside North America. She attends AHS Conventions regularly, contributing to the global exchange of ideas and experience among growers and breeders.
In the UK, Paula is a member of the Royal Horticultural Society Forum for evaluating hemerocallis for Awards of Garden Merit. These roles demonstrate not only her personal expertise but also the standing of Strictly Daylilies as a respected voice in the horticultural community.
Accredited Display Gardens and National Collections
The English country garden that Paula set out to create has since become an accredited AHS Display Garden, the only one in the UK and one of just four outside North America. More recently, she has completed an official American Hemerocallis Historic Display Garden. In addition, Strictly Daylilies holds a British National Collection of modern daylilies through Plant Heritage.
These recognitions underline the nursery’s dedication to maintaining living collections that are valuable not just for customers, but also for horticultural heritage and education.
A Mission to Put Daylilies in Every Garden
For Paula, the business is more than just plants. It is a mission. She believes that every garden should have daylilies and is determined to spread that message. Customers benefit from a high-quality service, backed by a no-quibble guarantee of success. Paula approaches everything with the same mindset: if something is worth doing, it is worth doing properly. "That'll do" is not part of her vocabulary.
This commitment to quality and service means gardeners can buy with confidence. Whether you are purchasing daylilies for landscaping, for pots and containers, or as collector’s specimens, you can be assured that every plant has been grown carefully, proven in the UK climate, and supplied in prime condition.
Open Garden Days in July
Although Strictly Daylilies is a mail-order nursery and not a garden centre, Paula and Chris open their gates to the public during peak bloom season. The annual Open Garden Days in July give visitors the chance to stroll through the display gardens, view thousands of different cultivars, and see the breeding programmes in action. It is an opportunity to appreciate the beauty of daylilies first-hand, and to understand the scale of work involved in being a specialist daylily grower.
Dates for Open Garden Days are published each year on the news blog. Visitors can enjoy the gardens, browse plants for sale, and meet the team behind Strictly Daylilies.
Why Choose Strictly Daylilies?
- A family-run daylily nursery with over 25,000 plants in stock.
- More than 2,000 varieties proven in the UK climate.
- Accredited AHS Display and Historic Gardens, plus a National Collection.
- International recognition and leadership within the American Hemerocallis Society.
- Plants backed by a no-quibble guarantee of success
Looking Ahead
From a childhood passion passed down through generations to an established nursery supplying daylilies nationwide, Strictly Daylilies has grown with dedication and expertise. The future promises new cultivars, further breeding programmes, and continued recognition as a leading daylily grower.
What remains unchanged is the mission: to show that daylilies belong in every garden, and to provide the very best plants to gardeners across the UK.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is your daylily nursery based?
Strictly Daylilies is based in Histon, just north of Cambridge in the UK. We operate as a mail-order nursery, sending plants across mainland Britain.
Do you only sell daylilies?
Yes. We are a specialist daylily nursery and sell only hemerocallis. This focus allows us to provide a wider range of cultivars and expert guidance.
Can I visit your daylily nursery in person?
We are not open to the public year-round. However, our Open Garden Days in July welcome visitors to explore the display gardens at peak bloom.
Do you ship daylilies across the UK?
Yes. All orders are prepared and dispatched on a mail-order basis to mainland UK addresses. Plants are lifted and packed fresh to ensure they arrive in excellent condition.
What makes Strictly Daylilies different from other daylily growers?
We combine a large and diverse collection with international recognition and breeding expertise. Our plants are backed by a no-quibble guarantee and proven under UK growing conditions.
