The Beausejour Daylily Gardens, is the coldest American Hemerocallis Society Display Garden on the planet, and the 2nd AHS Display Garden on the Canadian Prairies.

This amazing community garden carved from canola fields in the R.M. of Brokenhead, is just 30 minutes east of Winnipeg at the north entrance to Beausejour (20 Km. N. on Hwy 59 and 24 km. E. on Hwy. 44). Beausejour is a vibrant rural community, and justly proud of the two-acre Eden that contains 400 daylily cultivars, in 11,000 sq. ft. of raised beds.

The purpose of an AHS Display Garden is to - show all kinds, and colours of daylilies, representing different hybridizers, and demonstrate how they can be used in today’s low maintenance, eco friendly, landscaping. A display garden must be open to the public, identify each daylily cultivar, and be well maintained.

The BGD is more than daylilies. Image a picnic site with dozens of prairie hardy fruit trees, ornamental shrubs, 150 iris cultivars, 40 different peonies, over 50 varieties of lilies, and thousands of other perennials. This unsheltered Zone 2b garden is a perfect test garden for new daylilies and other plants, such as the U of SK. dwarf cherries. Plants that thrive here are tough!

The BDG are a demonstration site environmental responsibility. Crushed glass is used to control weeds between the shrubs on the berm and on the walkway. It conserves water, remains inert, does not pack down, or deplete nitrogen; rodents, and slugs hate it. It makes attractive pathways, but must be mixed with sand and then packed.

More than 3000 aluminum drink tins, and metal coat hangers have been recycled into the permanent daylily markers.

Perhaps the greatest benefit has been the “Garden Angel Program”. Although the “Friends” of the BDG are responsible for the plants that go into the park, and the Town provides some maintenance, it is the ” Garden Angels” who maintain it to AHS Display Garden standards. Each section has a folk art sign with its number and the name of the “Angel” looking after it. Some angels provide special services such as the 249 Beausejour Squadron Air Cadets. They have since been joined by individuals, families, Prairie Roots Garden Club, the Beautification Committee, and St. Mary Catholic Women’s League. The BDG has about thirty “angels” now, and still needs a few more. The benefits include fresh air, sunshine, and friendship. All angels receive free horticulture therapy. If you are looking for wings, please call (204) 268-3950.