About Carol's Daylily Gardens

Carol's Daylily Gardens is the garden of Carol Sarginger. She and her husband Dave relocated to Virginia from north-western Pennsylvania 11 years ago. Their picturesque garden is located just north of historic Charlottesville in Ruckersville, Virginia.

Carol's Daylily Gardens has been seen on various local garden tours and the 2006 AHS Region 3 tour. The following is an excerpt from Region 3's Fanfare fall 2005 issue describing Carol's garden. The article was written by a friend and admirer of Carol's garden, Alex Carrier. Alex is the Editor of the Virginia Greene online magazine.

Charlottesville, Virginia is located in west-central Virginia, at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Nestled in rolling Piedmont terrain, the Charlottesville area is verdantly scenic and full of horse farms as well as country estates. Rich in history, it is the home to the University of Virginia, founded by Thomas Jefferson, and his mountain-top home, Monticello. About two hours south of Washington, DC, and one and a half hours west of Richmond, it remains a country jewel not far from bigger cities. Like Roanoke, it is reputed to be one of the best places to live and/or retire.

Follow Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains to Ruckersville and you will find Carol's Daylily Gardens. Nestled among the natural beauty, this two acre treasure beckons visitors to discover all its delights.

Fronting the property is an expansive oval of green lawn and flower beds featuring decades of daylily varieties introduced from the late 1960's to the newest introductions.

A total of seven daylily beds hold over 700 registered varieties, the majority being bagel type daylilies along with a selection of doubles,spiders, and unusual forms. Seven angel garden statues peek from among the blooms, each representing one of Carol and Dave's grandchildren.

The sound of water draws visitors to three waterfalls in a 6,000 gallon pond. A G-guage railroad circles the pond, its steam engines pulling their chains of box cars, log carriers, passenger and circus cars across the trestle and along the shoreline planted with hostas, grasses, and perennials. Carol's husband, Dave, collected the 125 plus varieties of hosta.

Pools of sunlight shine through the many mature oak trees that offer welcoming shade. Pause for a moment of serenity on the cedar glider atop a small, brick patio. Then take time to search through the three seedling beds where Carol's own hybridized plants are being grown. Carol's hybridizing program focuses on big, round, ruffled daylillies and doubles.

Since this article, Carol and Dave have expanded the garden and her offerings to the daylily community. Since, 1998, Carol has made the yearly trek to "daylily mecca" to see the latest and greatest offerings from the Florida hybridizers. She always brings some goodies back to work into her hybridizing program and to offer for sale to her customers.

Carol has been hybrizing daylillies since 2001 and for the first time, in Spring of 2008, Carol will be offering 4 of her very own introductions. They can be seen on the Spring 2008 page. Finally, friends and customers have the opportunity to get at those special seedlings from her hybridizing beds. Carol hybridizes for doubles and large, round, ruffled daylilies with edges and/or teeth that excel in her local area. You can see all of the Stardreamer introductions and possible futures she's evaluating on the introductions & futures photo gallery.

Carol welcomes garden visitors. Every year she opens her gardens to daylily clubs from all over the surrounding areas. She has been very involved with the Charlottesville Daylily Club since its organization, serving many functions within the club. She is also very active with the Blue Ridge Area Daylily Society, based in Roanoke, Virginia and the Richmond Area Daylily Society. Carol would love to have you visit, just be sure to call first to make sure she will be there to meet you and give you the grand tour. She can even dig you orders while you wait most of the time. Carol loves talking daylilies, hosta and begonias to everyone. A visit is time well spent, surrounded by such an inspirational garden. For hours and contact info, please see the Contact/Order Information page.