A Blog About My Western Colorado Daylily Adventure
Grand Daylily Mesa, Colorado
What an interesting year! Not only have I reached semi-retirement age, I am having an amazing daylily bloom year. The drip systems with miracle grow soil replacement paid off in spades. It is honestly overwhelming because it takes an hour just to photograph them. I spend about 5 hours a day (not counting the painting) on daylilies right now.
I would not call this a peak – because on 7/3 we hit 60. It has been in the 50s and 60s each day since. And . . . drumroll . . . today I had 63. Last year, I charted the peak and it was clearly one day at 40, the other days were 20s at best. Granted, I was on vacation the last 2 years this week, but I think the numbers are an accurate reflection of a short, less intense peak. This isn’t a peak, it is a Southwest Mesa – and a grand one, at that.
I had 6 premiers today. Laudy. Here they are:
Quilt Patch 7.9 – I am headlining this one because I got her on the auction at the same time I got Kokopelli. The start of being a serious hobbiest. I put her in a different pilot garden and she almost died – she became a seedling in size. I moved her to a pot out front after a year out there and put her in the front garden. Each year, she gets a little stronger. Today, the first ever bloom came. Now I see why I had to have her!Blue Beat 7.9 – One of my early near blues. I must say it is my near blues that need repotting once we get over the Grand Mesa and things settle down. They are not at their best this year. Cherokee Star 7.9 – A pretty velvet cultivator that fits with my Southwest collection. She is from the local nursery.Iktomi – This is a classic Robert’s spider. I see his DNA in so many of his hybrids. Reminds me of Chaco Canyon but I also see Apache Bandana and Black Arrowhead.Rocky Mountain Pals 7.9 – Another Roberts cultivator. I understand it was named for his cancer treatment team in Denver.Rosie’s Red – Another cool bonus bloomer who is usually one of the later bloomers in the front garden. This year, she is at the top of the Mesa with everyone else.
That’s all folks! Off to paint some daylilies in the basement while the temps reach 100 today.
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Colorado Kid Daylilies 