The NDSU plant sciences department has scheduled an open house to celebrate its historic daylily collection on July 29 from 9 a.m. to noon.

The NDSU daylily garden is an official display garden of the American Hemerocallis Society and features more than 1,200 pre-1980 cultivars.

"This is the largest daylily planting at any land-grant university in the nation," says Esther McGinnis, Extension Service horticulturist and assistant professor. "The daylily often is called the perfect perennial for gardeners because of its wide range of colors and forms, ability to tolerate drought and is relatively pest free."

The garden is at the corner of 12th Ave. N. and 18th St.

A brief presentation will take place at 10 a.m. to honor Mary Baker, former regional vice president of the American Hemerocallis Society.

Light refreshments will be provided during the open house.

For more information, contact McGinnis at 701-231-7406 or esther.mcginnis@ndsu.edu.

NDSU is recognized as one of the nation’s top 108 public and private universities by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education.