I love solstice because I like long days.  And, today was long with paid work and yard work.  My split shift was spent in my Southwestern garden.  I have two in bloom today, Papa Long Legs and Kokopelli. (Kokopelli is immediately below and Papa Long Legs is the second photo on this page). A spider and an Anasazi pipe player.  Funny names.

The strugglers got some attention.  In fact, turning hard adobe earth into a garden requires more attention than photographs of the fruits of the labors.  I have two brand new ones that have shrunken into small fans.  Like seedlings.  I think sometimes Southern daylilies go into shock with the soil, lack of rain, and dry air.  I lost a couple last year, and I have 4 currently in ICU, one in critical condition.

My new ICU approach is to cut the bottom out of a cheap plastic pot and use it as a buried container . . . bottomless.  Sort of a hybrid situation.  I am hoping it aids soil retention and keeps the soil more acidic, at least until they get started.  I also installed a sprinkler hose on the side that gets less water.  Boy, do I loose a lot of water with the regular sprinkler, and there are so many barriers between the sprinkler and some parts of the garden.  There is clearly one side where the plants are more anemic, and I think it is a water difference.  I guess we will see.

As for tomorrow, I think Jungle Queen will make a debut.  She came in the same order as Kokopelli – practice bidding on the auction.  It is interesting to look back and see what was in bloom this day last year.  Lots the same.  But, some of the Southern daylilies that I put in last spring bloomed pretty early due to being from another zone.  Not sure if they will bloom this year.  And, old timers like Early Bird Cardinal were putting on a show last year, but this year the scapes are still developing.  At the same time, I think I have more scapes total this year.  Bigger plants (mostly).  Lots of time and effort in making the ground more fertile in the past 12 months.