It’s The Peak – Sunday Roll Call

July 9, 2018July 9, 2018Leave a comment

Well, I tried to post on Friday night, but no internet. Saturday, some internet, but my phone is crashing all of the apps since the last android update. Yes, right in the middle of peak season.

So, here are the new faces from Friday

Skinwalker 7.6.18

Echo Canyon 7.6

Iktomi 7.6

Chorus Line

Blue Beat 7.6

Bella Lugosi 7.6

And here are Sunday’s additions:

Lacy Doily 7.8

Nosferatu 7.8

Red Hot Returns 7.8

South Seas 7.8

So, that is 10 new additions since my last post – and I missed a couple of new faces while camping yesterday, but they will have another chance. For now, let me finish roll call. All daylilies that bloomed between 7/2 and today – here we go. Which is your favorite?

Alabama Jubilee 7.3

Aztec Firebird 7.8

Black Arrowhead 7.2

Black Eyed Susan 7.6

Black Ice 7.5

Bluegrass Music 7.3

Canyon Colors 7.5

Catherine Irene 7.6

Chaco Canyon 7.5

Cheyenne Eyes 7.6

Chokecherry Mountain 7.3

Comanche Princess 7.6

Dark Mystery 7.5

Dream Catcher 7.5

Early Bird Cardinal 7.3

Electric Lizard 7.6

Funny Valentine 7.8

Happy Hopi 7.6

Happy Returns 7.3

Heron’s Cove 7.5

Holy Sombrero 7.5

Hopi Jewel 7.3

Indian Giver 7.3

Inwood 7.6

Isaac 7.5

Jungle Queen 7.8

Just Plum Happy 7.3

Lady Fingers 7.5

Laughing Feather 7.2

Longlesson Show-off 7.6

Lullaby Baby 7.8

Mellon Balls 7.5

Mesa Verde 7.4

Mildred Mitchell 7.5

Mini Pearl 7.5

Navajo Rodeo 7.8

Nurse’s Stethoscope 7.8

PaPa Longlegs 7.6

Passionate Returns 7.6

Petite Petticoats 7.3

Pick of the Litter 7.5

Pink and Cream 7.6

Pink Raindance 7.4

Prairie Blue Eyes 7.5

Prairie Wildfire 7.6

Prelude to Love 7.5

Primal Scream 7.4

Purple de Oro 7.6

Purple Grasshopper 7.4

Purple Many Faces 7.5

Purple Mystique 7.5

Raven Woodsong 7.4

Red Riddle 7.5

Return a Smile 7.6

Route 66 7.4

Ruby Spider 7.8

Ruby Stella 7.5

Shape Shifter 7.6

Soco Gap 7.5

Stella 7.5

Stephanie Returns 7.5

Strutter’s Ball 7.5

Taco Twister 7.6

Talon 7.8

The Colorado Kid 7.6

Thin Man 7.5

Treasure of the Southwest 7.4

Wild Horses 7.5

Wild Rose Fandango 7.4

Wineberry Candy 7.4

Yellow Punch 7.6

Zuni Thunderbird 7.4

The Company They Keep

July 6, 2018July 6, 2018Leave a comment

Today brought 40+ blooming cultivators to the yard. The interesting thing is that only two of these were new faces for 2018. It is safe to say it is the peak! One of the things I love about looking at photos of the peak is that there are lots of other flowers in the background of a lot of the photos. It isn’t always other daylilies, either. The daisies and bluebells add interest. (I hate how invasive the bluebells are – the pots are helping.)

So, new blooms are Heron’s Cove. She was added Fall of 2016 and bloomed last year. I had her in the Near Blue section of the Walkway Garden, but she didn’t look that blue. So, I up-potted her and moved her to the NW corner of the house with Mesa Verde, Canyon Colors, and El Desperado. I’ve decided to call it the Garden at Pooh Corner. She looks way bluer to me this year. Maybe it is she gets less sun here. Or, maybe she looks bluer away from the other near blue daylilies.

Heron’s Cove 7/5

There was also another tiny bloom from Pooh Corner . . . Purple de Oro. She is such a generic looking mini. I have considered getting rid of her . . . and I had 2 for awhile. But, there is something cute about her petite purple smile.

Purple de Oro 7/5

OK – so it is late and tomorrow is my early work day. And, I leave to camp tomorrow so need to finish packing. There was no internet there last year, so I may not be able to post until Sunday. There will, no doubt, be new faces by then. I am beat . . . need shut-eye. Adding daylilies to my beat-the-clock schedule is rough right now . . . but, I feel it is a positive, too.

Southwest Garden at Peak

Other blooms today were: Purple Many Faces, Comanche Princess, Navajo Rodeo, Papa LongLegs, Holy Sombrero, Soco Gap, Black Ice, Hopi Jewel, Dream Catcher, Aztec Firebird, Happy Hopi, Prairie Blue Eyes, Purple Mystique, Red Riddle, Lady Fingers, Canyon Colors, The Colorado Kid, Mildred Mitchell, Jungle Queen, Pick of the Litter, Prelude to Love, Catherine Irene, Mini Pearl, Isaac, Stephanie Returns, Happy Returns, Ruby Spider, Thin Man, Passionate Returns, Mellow Balls, Route 66, Ruby Stella, Yellow Punch, Black-eyed Susan, Stella de Oro, Nurse’s Stethoscope, Strutter’s Ball, Chaco Canyon, Wild Horses, Return a Smile, Funny Valentine. I think that is it.

Yanky Doodle Daylilies

July 5, 2018July 5, 2018Leave a comment

Blooming on the 4th of July . . . four more cultivators! That means we have already had the same number different daylilies bloom that we did all season last year. Those buried pots help . . . this is an extreme drought and we had a better bloom rate. Still, in adding 2018 photos to my daylily software, there are a lot we have not seen yet this year. I don’t know if some are slow or some are recuperating from the move to the pots. I am about to tag the non-bloomers for more bloom boost fertilizer this fall. Still . . . this is a marked improvement because we have many, many with scapes that have not bloomed yet. The fireworks have just begun! Any guesses on final bloom rate? I am going to say around 80%. That

So, new today for the first time ever in my yard are a couple more Ned Roberts spiders. My bloom rate with those babies is making a huge difference in the overall bloom rate. Anyway, I mentioned earlier that Zuni Thunderbird is my all-around favorite. She has disappointed some this year. She got off to a bad start but rebounded after bug spray. I think it affected her buds. That said, one of the newbies today reminds me of her – Raven Woodsong. She has the dark colors and amazing curls that I miss in Zuni Thunderbird this year (so far).

The other new Roberts spider is Wild Rose Fandango. Now, she has some crazy curls and had a double bloom day one. I like her, too. Welcome to the yard, finally . . . year 3 for both the spiders.

Just Plum Happy was one of my first daylilies. She was in a planter box with Ruby Spider and Return a Smile. She was little and she struggled. This is first year in several that she has bloomed. I gave her a pot of her own last year, and she even hangs from my front porch . . . sort of a special place for her now.

Last, but not least, is Longlesson Showoff. This was a bonus flower that bloomed for the first time last year. She is a big daylily and brightens the Walkway Garden for several weeks.

That is it . . . mellow 4th. Not a ton of energy. Was late to the parade. Didn’t take photos. Did go for lunch on the brewery. Then home to water and do the blog. Now, maybe a walk for ice cream after my sandwich leftovers. I dreamt of my Southwest Garden – it was about huge, colorful blooms. Actually, they really do stand out.

Here are the Yankee Doodle Daylilies of today: Talon, Black Ice, Chokecherry Mountain, Pink Rain Dance, Zuni Thunderbird, Purple Grasshopper, Aztec Firebird, Dream Catcher, Chaco Canyon, Treasure of the Southwest, Dark Mystery, Prairie Blue Eyes, Bluegrass Music, The Colorado Kid, Mesa Verde, Mildred Mitchell, Jungle Queen, Prelude to Love, Stephanie Returns, Ruby Spider, Return a Smile, Funny Valentine, Petite Petticoats, Nurse’s Stethoscope, Passionate Returns, Primal Scream.

Tis the Season!

July 4, 2018Leave a comment

Oh, man, I jinxed myself. Last night, I said that we only needed 12 more cultivators to bloom to match last year’s total bloom rate. We need 79 cultivators total to tie! My count says we are now at 75. Last night, we were at 67. Do the math – we had 8 new cultivators today. Oh, help. And, I went and had my labs drawn before work and still got everything photographed. All we need is 4 more tomorrow – and judging from buds, we will surpass last year’s bloom rate on July 4th! Last year, we did not have this many different cultivators until November!

So, away we go with new intros. I had two new Ned Roberts spiders today. The first one is Taco Twister. She reminds me of Happy Hopi – guessing they are related. It is her first bloom ever in my yard. The Southwest Garden upgrades last year are primarily responsible for the better bloom rate – and Taco Twister is one of the helpers!

Taco Twister 7/3

Shape Shifter also made her first-ever visit today to the Southwest Garden. She lives up to her name.

Shape Shifter 7/3

The Walkway Garden is starting to pop – so that was where the newest blooms came from. Most of those are old, familiar faces. The first one is Mellon Balls. I have had her a couple years – she was a bonus mini.

Mellon Balls 7/3

Prairie Wildfire is one of my older daylilies that got moved to the Walkway garden a couple years ago and she is so much happier. Love her red!

Prairie Wildfire

Then there is my sweet little pastel Lullaby Baby. I have had her several years, too. Her blooms are much healthier looking now that she is in a pot.

Lullabye Baby 7/3

Pick of the Litter was a bonus daylily a couple years ago – she has been a reliable bloomer even before the pots. She will do even better this year, I think.

Pick of the Litter 7/3

Black Eyed Susan is in a planter out in the front yard with Stella and Candy Cane Dreams. She put on quite a show last year, so I can hardly wait.

Black Eyed Susan 7/3

Mildred Mitchell is over in the Blues section of the Walkway Garden. She is an older cultivator that I added a 2-3 years ago – at the same time as my other near blues. I like her flair.

Mildred Mitchell 7/3

Other blooms today were Talon, Comanche Princess. Navajo Rodeo, Chokecherry Mountain, Hopi Jewel, Happy Hopi, Zuni Thunderbird, Aztec Firebird, Catherine Irene, Happy Returns, Stephanie Returns, Alabama Jubilee, Stella, Route 66, Ruby Stella, The Colorado Kid, Bluegrass Music, Canyon Colors, Passionate Returns, Early Bird Cardinal, Red Riddle, Lady Fingers, Ruby Spider, Return a Smile, Funny Valentine, Petite Petticoats, Indian Giver, Yellow Punch, Wineberry Candy, Wild Horses,

Exponential!

July 3, 2018Leave a comment

Daylily peak is just around the corner . . . many ripe buds in the Walkway Garden now. Honestly, it is a bit daunting to photograph them all and do this job when I worked 12 hours today. First of the month is busy, especially when there is a holiday involved.

I noticed My Memories on Facebook today with some interest. Last year, I posted 19 cultivators in bloom this day. In 2016, it was three. In 2015 and 2014, it was one. 2014 was the first year that I posted photos daily to Facebook. Today, it was 35! It is like an exponential deal, a little. I think this year is enough to let me know I have enough! I have had 67 cultivators this year – 38% bloom rate. The total bloom rate for all of 2017 was 47%. To get to that number we need 79 cultivators. That is 12 more. I guestimated it would happen on July 4th. That’s 12 more in 2 days. Might happen . . . let’s see.

So, today we added 3 to our total. The first one is my biggest daylily of all – Dream Catcher. She was one of my 3 pilot daylilies in the Southwest Garden. I am not sure why she loves her spot so much, but she is big and puts on quite a show. She is another Ned Roberts spider – and related to Dream Keeper!

The Walkway Garden is my oldest daylily garden – and some of the faces have been around for several years. Prelude to Love is one of them. I know exactly where her spot is and what she looks like.

The last one for this July 2nd is Isaac. He is in the family garden – for my grandson, Isaac. A pretty yellow flower that is a bit different shape than the standard trumpet – and bigger. I was hoping for more than one scape. Oh well, last year I only had one bud. This flower brings hope that someday Isaac might be part of my life. It will take more than hope alone to make this dream come true. For today, I have a special flower.

Tomorrow, I am off to the lab early for a bunch of tests. But, first, I will try to photograph a whole bunch of blooms that I am pretty sure will be waiting for me.

Today’s other blooms were Happy Hopi, Hopi Jewel, Black Arrowhead, Black Ice, Comanche Princess, Papa Long Legs, Canyon Colors, Bluegrass Music, The Colorado Kid, Primal Scream, Red Riddle, Purple Mystique, Prairie Blue Eyes, Lady Fingers, Route 66, Pink and Cream, Yellow Punch, Ruby Stella, Jungle Queen, Nurse’s Stethoscope, Inwood, Strutter’s Ball, Return a Smile, Ruby Spider, Funny Valentine, Chaco Canyon, Wild Horses, Soco Gap, Dark Mystery, Happy Returns, Apache Bandana, Laughing Feather, Pueblo Dancer, Cheyenne Eyes, Wineberry Candy, Mini Pearl. I think that is it. Too many to keep track of. And, tomorrow could be worse!

July 1: Daylily Roll Call!

July 1, 2018Leave a comment

It is Sunday and the peak is starting. It will probably take me an hour to get this bog with all the photos for the week published. I am doing it this way so that each daylily comes up on a couple searches of the blog. My job entails creating about 20 template emails a day for the following day – it is a lot of looking up progress and pasting from my last note. Not a creative’s dream. So, when I save my drafts for the day, I have a blank email to note that it is a new day – and that email is always named after a daylily. The most creative 5 minutes/day of my job is picking this daylily. The collages just don’t work.

So – We will start with the newbies. Primal Scream is in bloom for the 3rd year. Last year, the blooms were small and anemic. She is now in an above ground put inside the Walkway Garden. I hoped for more scapes, but 2 is OK for this year, gives the fall transplant. Nothing beats her vibrant color.

Primal Scream 7/1

Indian Giver was a newbie in the Southwest Garden. She is a small daylily and was a bonus plant 3 years ago. She only gets a couple buds every year. She needs to be dug up and put in a buried pot, but the yucca is close, so not sure how I will get this done. I would like to have more blooms. She is adorable.

Indian Giver 7/1

Last but not least, from my Family Garden is Stephanie Returns. This flower makes my heart sad. Losing a family member who is still alive is horrid. Losing several is bitter and cruel. Please don’t tell people you understand or offer advise while you are surrounded with family. Please don’t tell people God is giving you this lesson for some reason or other. Do bookmark this page and come back here and look at this flower and help send positive vibes to anyone in the universe who had ever known the heartbreak such a loss can bring.

Stephanie Returns 7/1

OK – Enough heavy stuff. Onward to the roll call. Here go the A-Z blooms from 6/25 through today. Enjoy.

Alabama Jubilee 6/27

Apache Bandana 6/29

Aztec Firebird 7/1

Black Arrowhead 6/30

Black Ice 6/27

Bluegrass Music 6/27

Canyon Colors 6/30

Catherine Irene 6/30

Chaco Canyon 6/30

Cheyenne Eyes 6/29

Chokecherry Mountain 6/26

Comanche Princess 6/26

Dark Mystery (noid) 6/29

Dream Keeper 6/25

Early Bird Cardinal 7/1

Electric Lizard 6/30

Funny Valentine 6/30

Happy Hopi 6/30

Happy Returns 6/29

Holy Sombrero 6/28

Hopi Jewel 6/27

Indian Love Call 6/28

Inwood 6/30

Jungle Queen 6/29

Lady Fingers 7/1

Laughing Feather 6/27

Mesa Verde 6/29

Mini Pearl 6/30

Navajo Rodeo 7/1

Nurse’s Stethoscope 7/1

Papa Longlegs 6/30

Passionate Returns 6/29

Petite Petticoats 6/29

Pink and Cream 6/26

Pink Rain Dance 6/26

Prairie Blue Eyes 6/25

Pueblo Dancer 6/30

Purple Many Faces 6/29

Purple Mystique 6/30

Red Riddle 6/30

Return a Smile 7/1

Rocky Mountain Pals 6/29

Route 66 6/27

Ruby Spider 6/29

Ruby Stella 6/30

Saratoga Springtime 6/28

Soco Gap 7/1

Stella de Oro 6/26

Strutter’s Ball 6/29

Talon 6/29

The Colorado Kid 6/29

Thin Man 7/1

Treasure of the Southwest 7/1

Wild Horses 6/29

Wineberry Candy 6/26

Yellow Punch 6/26

Zuni Eye 6/26

Zuni Thunderbird 6/30

Overload!

June 30, 2018June 30, 2018Leave a comment

Here comes the peak. Thirty-seven bloomers today – Six new ones. Well, five, but I am going to highlight Papa Long Legs, again. Because his first bloom was not his best. So, here he is today. He totally lives up to his name!

Papa Long Legs 6/30

And, as I said yesterday, Happy Hopi was in the blooming process. She ended up with some awesome blooms today – I have never seen her before in my yard. Another first. I am now up to 21 Ned Roberts spiders that have bloomed. I hope to double that. But, I only had like 12 all of last year. So, those buried pots matter.

Happy Hopi 6/30

The other new Roberts spider (another very first bloom) is Black Arrowhead. She reminds me of Apache Bandana. Somewhere I have all the genetics for this family of daylily – I need to look to see who is related to who. But, probably not until the peak slows some.

Black Arrowhead 6/30

The next two are family flowers. In the Walkway Garden, I have a small Family Garden section. It is inspiring, spiritual, and sad to me . . . all at once. Many of my family have passed (I am the baby of the family whose mom was nearly 40 when she gave birth). Others and just estranged or distant. I wish it was different, but I have always been the resilient one. Sometimes that means aging solo. But the garden brings me to a place of remembering the positives I got from my family.

So, today a first bloom of Catherine Irene. My mom’s name was Catherine Irene. This flower has done so much better in a buried container . . . first bloom after 3 summers here. She is a pretty little mini!

Catherine Irene 6/30

And, speaking of minis, Mini Pearl showed up today. My mom’s mom (my grandma) was named Mini Pearl. She is a reliable bloomer and I am sure I will need to divide her come fall.

Mini Pearl 6/30

I also had my first Electric Lizard for the year. This plant struggles in my yard. Only 2 buds this year. None last year, I don’t think. One the year prior. I love this bloom and wish it liked me better. Maybe more miracle grow this fall?

Electric Lizard 6/30

Last, but not least, is cute little Early Bird Cardinal. She has been a reliable bloomer over the years, although only gave me a couple blooms last year. Many buds this year. I was thinking the one I named Red Riddle might be an Early Bird Cardinal – but I don’t think so now. Look at the side-by-side of today’s blooms. I think Early Bird is smaller, rounder, and rufflier. I don’t know for sure, thought.

Early Bird Cardinal 6/30

Red Riddle 6/30

OK – other bloomers (are you ready?) – Purple Many Faces, Indian Love Call, Pink Rain Dance, Cheyenne Eyes, Navajo Rodeo, Chokecherry Mountain, Cherokee Princess, Hopi Jewel, Holy Sombrero, Pueblo Dancer, Black Ice, Soco Gap, Aztec Firebird, Zuni Thunderbird, Prairie Blue Eyes, Red Riddle, Purple Mystique, Mesa Verde, Canyon Colors, Bluegrass Music, The Colorado Kid, Happy Returns, Lady Fingers, Yellow Punch, Jungle Queen, Route 66, Ruby Stella, Nurse’s Stethoscope, Strutter’s Ball, Wild Horses, Inwood, Chaco Canyon, Funny Valentine, and Return a Smile.

Tomorrow, it will be quite a roll-call for the week. But next week will be even crazier. And fitting in medical appointments . . . But, I would not miss the peak bloom for the world. Tomorrow, we will hear from Primal Scream!

So, that is 62 of 175 (ish) – 35% bloom rate so far. Man . . . we have a ways to go!

Friday’s Flowers!

June 30, 2018Leave a comment

Friday in the garden. My early to work, early to get off day. That means running around trying to get as many photos early as possible . . . because the UV cooks the blooms my noon. We were in the 90s with single digit humidity, again. Smoke in the air from several fires in the area. And, still there are blooms.

So, the first one I want to talk about is Rocky Mountain Pals. I ended up with only one good bud and today was a first every bloom for this cultivator. This is another Ned Roberts spider and has a special story. I don’t claim to know it well, but I believe the hybridizer named it after the staff of cancer specialists toward the end of his life. What a cool gratitude gift.

Rocky Mountain Pals 6/29

This story touches me know as I deal with my first ever cancer . . . a fairly easy to remove skin cancer. Still, mortality somehow seems a little more real now. Especially since I have been fighting fatigue for almost 2 years. I think it is my work hours, but it is time for a work-up. And, so, today this flower holds special meaning. Can’t wait to get to the surgeon!

The other first time Ned Roberts spider is Purple Grasshopper. Sometimes, I would look at the names of these flowers and try to figure out if they were southwestern enough for my theme. I decided we had enough grasshoppers out here that it counted. Still, I didn’t realize today that this bloom looks like you are looking a purple grasshopper right in the face. Do you see it?

Purple Grasshopper 6/29

Lastly, one of my minis did bloom. This is another first ever in my yard. Petite Petticoats. I think this came as a bonus with Santa’s Pants late last summer. I decided to put a bucket of minis together in the Mural Garden. So, she is the first bloom in the bucket. I like the color mix.

Petite Petticoats 6/29

So, all day I have been watching Happy Hopi and Papa Longlegs. These spiders start blooming the day before they actually bloom. They were open by this evening and a little saggy from the heat of today. I hope they revive a little in the cool night air, because tomorrow is their bloom day. I want some good photos. I need to get up early. Oh, yea, exhaustion. Well, sort of early.

Other bloomers today were Purple Many Faces, Cheyenne Eyes, Laughing Feather, Indian Love Call, Navajo Rodeo, Canyon Colors, Comanche Princess, Talon, Apache Bandana, Prairie Blue Eyes, Dark Mystery, Red Riddle (who I am starting to suspect is a second Early Bird Cardinal – I will compare when my labeled one opens – maybe tomorrow), Stella, Wineberry Candy, The Colorado Kid, Mesa Verde, Happy Returns, Alabama Jubilee, Pink and Cream, Yellow Punch, Jungle Queen, Nurse’s Stethoscope, Wild Horses, Ruby Spider, Return a Smile, Lady Fingers, Funny Valentine and Passionate Returns.

And, the Walkway Garden is barely starting to bloom. The Southwestern Garden is maybe 1/3 done. The Mural and Driveway Garden are pretty much peaking now. Fifty-seven of 175 have bloomed. We are at 31% bloom rate and it is not even July yet. This time last year, we were at 27. So far, we have more than doubled our bloom rate! And, the odd part is that the Walkway Garden is later to bloom this year. I think better buds and more flowers this time.

Colorful Big Birds Land in My Garden

June 29, 20181 Comment

Wow! Thirty bloomers today. And, yet, the scapes are still everywhere. I think the Walkway Garden is about to start popping. And the Southwest and Mural Gardens are close to peak. It is going to get busier very soon.

Today’s new blooms include two of my favorite Ned Roberts spiders out in the Southwest Garden. Of all my daylilies, Zuni Thunderbird is my favorite. Let me say that again – My favorite daylily of all the 170+ in my yard had its first bloom today. Zuni Thunderbird was one of my original 4 pilot flowers in the Southwest Garden (AKA Yucca Garden). I had Kokopelli first – but quickly added Dream Catcher and Zuni Thunderbird. Of all the Southwest named daylilies I was discovering, those names caught my eye.

Zuni’s first blooms are never her best – but this year, they are better than I have ever seen them. I think the bug spray helps. No one nibbled her buds and sucked her color out. Why is she my favorite – I like the deep color and she gets some of the most amazing curls you have ever seen. I just love her.

The other big bird is Aztec Firebird. Aztec Firebird likes where she is planted and puts on a great show every year. She was added the spring after the pilot, yet she is bigger than most the plants added at that time. I love her bright colors . . . she is a firebird!

The other newbie for 2018 today is Strutter’s Ball. She is in the mural garden. Added a few years ago and a pretty reliable bloomer. I like her with my solar flower.

So, tomorrow is my early day. And, I am dealing with some minor health issues now, so I do need to sleep. Depending on the Walkway Garden, we should have around the same number of blooms . . . maybe more. Several of my minis look almost ready. I am sure I will have at least one in bloom tomorrow.

Other bloomers today: Treasure of the Southwest, Mesa Verde, Pink Rain Dance, Purple Many Faces, Comanche Princess, Black Ice, Pueblo Dancer, Soco Gap, Prairie Blue Eyes, Red Riddle, Wineberry Candy, Jungle Queen, Saratoga Springtime, Colorado Kid, Canyon Colors, Pink and Cream, Yellow Punch, Wild Horses, Funny Valentine, Ruby Spider, Return a Smile, Indian Love Call, Holy Sombrero, Dream Keeper, Ruby Stella, Route 66, and Nurse’s Stethoscope. I think that is it. Goodnight, Big Bird!

Watch Your Step

June 28, 2018Leave a comment

My day starts a little early this time of year. My camera says I was out shooting photos before 7 AM. Not all of the lilies open early, so some are in the process of blooming, so I usually go for a short run and come back to finish. Today, in my clumsiness, I managed to step on my only Orchid Moonrise scape. It broke off the scape and two leaves. That poor plant nearly died last summer and has done better in the buried pot. I was surprised it put out a scape. I felt sick that I broke it . . . I am trying it in a vase with water, but the buds and young so I don’t think I will get a bloom.

I felt sad about that off and on all morning. Then, I began to think of my successes this year. Last year I had 16 or 72 (ish) cultivators bloom out there. That is 22%. This year, I have had 21 so far – and probably at least 30 more in scape (well, 29 now that big-foot visited). That is 30% so far. If I get 50 to bloom, it will be 70%. I still have some water issues in one area of the back row. And, I have a few that really died back in the year or so with no buried pot, so they need to grow this year. I will take that, and fall will bring a few more improvements (but nothing like burying 60 pots in clay mud and tree roots).

So, speaking of the Southwest Garden, today Black Ice bloomed. She has not bloomed since her very first year. She died back, but not as bad as some of the others. She has a fair number of bulbs. I love her dark bloom. So cool.

The other newbie in the Southwest Garden was Papa LongLegs. I added him last spring and got a bloom. I find the first blooms on the spiders are sometimes kind of deformed, and such is the case with this first bloom. I will share a better shot (hopefully) with the weekend listing.

And, another yellow spider, Lady Fingers, bloomed for the first time in 2018. She is one I got when I xeriscaped my front yard during the last drought – maybe 6 years ago. I divided her and so this one is growing in the Border Garden with the new drip system.

Last, but not least, is Alabama Jubilee. I ordered her my first year of roots specifically because my daughter lived in Alabama at the time. She had my granddaughter while living there – and I called myself the Bama Grandma. Those years were both special and troubling. Sometimes things happen that we would never dream would happen a few years earlier. Such is life. This bright orange bloom reminds me of hope and the beauty of the relationship I had with my granddaughter when she was little. This one is for you, Maia!

Ok, man, it is 11 PM and I am beat. I need to put a wrap on this. Quickly, other blooms today were Treasure of the Southwest, Zuni Eye, Apache Bandana, Comanche Princess, Hopi Jewell, Laughing Feather, Soco Gap, Holy Sombrero, Funny Valentine, Return a Smile, Nurse’s Stethoscope, Route 66, Ruby Spider, Jungle Queen, Stella, Happy Returns, Bluegrass Music, Canyon Colors, Prairie Blue Eyes, Purple Mystique, Red Riddle, Yellow Punch, and Wineberry Candy. Phew – and it isn’t peak yet. Tomorrow starts early.

PS – I have had 50 different blooms so far this year, so we are at about 29% total bloom rate – and it isn’t peak yet . . . then come the later bloomers. Last year, we had 83 total bloomers all season. That is a total bloom rate of 47% bloom rate. Any guesses when we will surpass that? My guess is that we will pull ahead by July 4th.

Colorado Kid Daylilies

A Blog About My Western Colorado Daylily Adventure