Collecting the daylily cultivars of Dr. Tomas Tamberg
Famed German hybridizer Dr. Tomas Tamberg (b. 1938) has been working since the late 1970s to breed daylilies that will deliver under Central European conditions.
Most modern daylilies originate from breeding programs in Florida and other warm regions of the United States. Their flower color, size, and intensity are highly dependent on temperature and humidity — they typically reach peak beauty after warm tropical nights (≥20°C/68°F) followed by humid, warm, overcast days. These conditions are common in Florida but rare in Central Europe. As a result, many American cultivars often appear less vibrant, with smaller centers and narrower petals after our cooler nights. That said, a number of American cultivars perform very well in European and Swedish gardens.
Lilla Frescati Koloniförening, an allotment garden in Stockholm founded in 1918, first came into contact with Dr. Tomas Tamberg through his cultivars of beardless irises. To us, their beauty could easily be described as Scandinavian—in elegant restraint and subtlety, in contrast to the much more flamboyant American iris hybridizations.
After starting in 2017 with a display of Tamberg beardless irises, more ground became available over the years, opening the possibility of acquiring and planting his daylilies as well.
Planted in a public display, the 'Tamberg in Stockholm' collection now hosts nearly one hundred of Dr. Tamberg's registered daylilies. In Stockholm, daylilies typically bloom in the second half of July. This website was created to showcase their beauty while providing visitors with more information about daylily cultivation.
Lilla Frescati Koloniförening extends a warm and heartfelt thank you to Dr. Tomas and Christina Tamberg for their invaluable help and kindness.
Directions and contact information
Svensk text: Tomas Tambergs dagliljor på Lilla Frescati Koloniförening
Image: 'Aragons Sohn' by Dr. Tomas Tamberg. Photographed in Stockholm.
