It was the year I was working on my doctorate degree (2015) that The View had the controversy because they complained that a nurse was wearing a “doctor’s stethoscope.” There was an uprising of nurses in what was known as the “show me your stethoscope” response.
Nurse’s Stethoscope 7.1
So, I was on the AHS Facebook page at that time and suggested someone name a daylily “Nurse’s Stethoscope.) And so they did. (McCutcheon, 2016.) I smile every year when she blooms. And, so today, she did.
Buttered Popcorn 7.1
My other premiers today were Buttered Popcorn, another giant sized flower, and Hopi Jewel. Such different shapes and colors today.
Here we are month 2 of daylily season and I’ve had 35 cultivators bloom. That’s 20% of my collection. By the end of July, 80% ish will likely bloom. That’s about 112 more than current. We could get there with 3-4 new ones a day. It’s not a bad pace but it will likely accelerate as all hell breaks loose in the garden. Let’s see what tomorrow brings.
And, decidedly into the fire. Several new blooms for 2022 doesn’t sound like many. It really isn’t too bad. Going from less than a dozen in bloom/day to almost 2 dozen today felt like daylily season.
Chaco Canyon 6.29
I have 72 cultivators with scapea and or bloomed in the Southwest Visions garden. I don’t have more than a handful with nothing. It’s the same everywhere in my yard this year.
Purple Moonrise 6.29
I had 2 premiere Ned Roberts spiders. Chaco Canyon and Orchid Moonrise.
Other premiers are Jungle Queen, Early Bird Cardinal, Thin Man, Primal Scream, and Mesa Verde.
Kokopelli is one of the most intriguing and widespread images surviving from ancient Anasazi Indian culture. He is depicted as a humpbacked flute player, and is widely believed to bring well-being to the people. He was the one who would change the seasons and bring about a good harvest. Allie Prater
Kokopelli 6.21
Kokopelli came today, bringing with him the change of seasons. Kokopelli, my Ned Roberts spider daylily that is. This cultivator is my gateway to my collection of Neds. Spied at the lily auction back when I was first considering a Southwestern Visions garden.
Apache Bandana 6.21
My other premier today is Apache Bandana. Another Ned Roberts spider.
I have 120+ in bloom or scapes. Two days left until retirement starts and 20% cell battery. See you tomorrow. My others are still blooming, BTW.
Photo of Creeping Bellflower in my walkway garden last year.
The worst part is their roots look like pale daylily roots, and they grow right into the daylily root structure so it looks like daylily root. They grow tall and smother the daylilies.
This year, I’d had enough but was hesitant about herbicides. So, I decided to smother them back. I put down thick landscape fabric (including under each pot) and mulched over that. I bought about $200 in the round pot disks made of coir. Most my pots have those. My other invader is grass, so this should help that, too.
The walkway garden today. Creeping Bellflower 90% gone.
I’ve been intrigued by the show Hoarders this year. IDK why, because I hate reality TV. Maybe it is because I have a 1st degree family member who struggles with this. Maybe because I needed to feel something with human emotions. Maybe my own home needed some cleaning and decluttering. Maybe just to kill time.
What is the difference between hoarding daylilies and collecting daylilies – that is my question. I guess that if your garden has labels, is watered and weeded, and you take photos everyday – that is probably a collection. Hoarding would probably be a back yard full of disorganized pots with some live and dead plants – and you can’t move anywhere because the pots are everywhere. Bugs . . . well, I have a few of those but my guess it isn’t like a hoard. Some of my daylilies are named after bugs, though. Is there such thing as a daylily hoard?
I have collections within my collection. My favorite collection is my Ned Roberts cultivators. I have ordered these from far and wide to form my collection. The other, overlapping, collection is my Southwest names collection. Some of these were bonuses sent with my Roberts collection because the names were Southwestern – so they go with my Ned Roberts collection. My original collection was those available at local nurseries. I have a collection with family names for my grandma, mom, dad, daughters and grandkids. The list goes on. If I kept adding, I think it could become a hoard. Daylilies are too much work to have too many!
I have had 94 bloom so far this year and 7 more premiers today. Here they are:
Baby Blue Eyes – 7.6- added to my near blues collection (yes, I have one of those, too) a couple years ago.Black Arrowhead – 7.6 – A distinctive Ned Roberts Southwestern spider.Blackthorne – 7.6 – This cultivator is from my original local nurseries collection and this is the first bloom in many years.Cheyenne Eyes – 7.6 – A big, lanky Roberts spider.Chorus Line – 7.6 – A pretty pastel from a local nursery.Classy Lady – 7.6 – IDK, maybe she came from the auction?Melon Balls – 7.6.1 – A sweet little bonus from my early collecting years.
Finales – Yesterday was the finale of Purple Moonrise.
Purple Moonrise 7.5
I counted about 50 with scapes that haven’t bloomed. I think we will hit at least 80% this year. I need to move my daylily software over to my other computer to be sure, though.
Today, I woke-up late because I worked until midnight on a supply list for one of our new programs. It is busy on top of COVID-19 – the world of nursing academics is and will stay upside-down.
Blue Beat 6.19.20
I was foggy . . . but when consciousness returned, I realized it was Juneteenth. I knew nothing about Juneteenth until I lived in Galveston and read a book by the same name. It is a day worth remembering.
Dream Keeper 6.19.20
We live in a world that seems shaken by so much right now. But, I am free to go out in my yard and take photos of the 13 bloomers of the day. All are different colors, and I treat each the same. I am free to write the blog. I can put just about anything I want in this blog – that is freedom. I can be a crazy daylily lady – that is freedom.
Funny Valentine 6.19.20
The other cool thing about today is that my Nurse’s Stethoscope daylily bloomed her premier bloom. She is the one I suggested the name for through the Daylily Society. She is named for the Show Me Your Stethoscope episode of the View. Maybe COVID-19 has helped the world understand all of the capabilities of my profession.
Nurse’s Stethoscope 6.19.20
I had a few other premiers – I do believe the peak is beginning to build. Canyon Colors had a premier bloom today. There is so much grass in her put that she didn’t put out many scapes. I was going to replant her in March, but couldn’t get out to buy the soil before she got too big.
Canyon Colors 6.19.20
Indian Love Call had a nice first bloom. She is loaded with buds.
Indian Love Call 6.19.20
Land of Enchantment had a premier bloom that looks almost as beat-up as Kokopelli did yesterday. I think it is bud damage from the big windstorm a couple weeks ago.
Land of Enchantment 6.19.20
It is Friday, summer solstice is tomorrow. It just feels like a significant day.
Happy Returns 6.19.20
My flowers today are dedicated to those who don’t know the same freedoms that I have known. And, they are dedicated to the frontline workers during COVID-19 – my Nurse’s Stethoscope seems to say “thanks” to my colleagues.
Laughing Feather 6.19.20
It’s my home weekend tomorrow. A few things planned around the yard. Solstice . . . Summer Solstice. And, I get a little sad knowing that the days will start shrinking, again.
Mesa Verde 6.19.20
Enjoy the show below . . . almost time to limit to just premier blooms in the daily blog.
It is January. Cold, black and white, slippery January. Christmas is done and work starts Monday. And, for some reason, my mind craves the color of my daylily garden. So, I went through and made a video (pardon the length) with all nearly 200 of my cultivators from 2019. It was a crazy summer in the garden – even though I had to work most of it, I still saw a lot of blooms.
I am jazzed to see how my new camera does next summer. Come on June!!!
I had a peer who was into feng shui when I lived in Boulder, CO. I actually did my house in a feng shui color pattern for awhile. I don’t claim to know much about it, but it was a creative project. Cleaning closets, etc, to make room for more good energy is also part of it.
Cripple Creek 8.29
Currently, I am doing houseplant feng shui. I spend all winter counting the days until the plants go outside and I can have more space. And, there are some plants I am bonded with and some that I am just tired of looking at. Not that many, maybe half dozen.
Purple Corn Dancer 8.29
I found homes for them with friends on Facebook. It is kind of hard – but I still have more than I need. My problem is that new plants help me pass the winter doldrums. But, as I have said before, the orchids are kind of high needs – and they always seem fragile – ready to rot or have the leaves drop off from dryness.
Indian Sky 8.29
I’m not giving my orchids away – but there will be natural attrition and I just won’t keep buying them. The rex begonias, African violets, calathea are all staying put, too.
Frans Hals 8.29
My new theme is cool succulents and air plants. I have a good bunch of Southwest plants from my road trips – but you can always find a fun new species. And, air plants are fun to decorate with! I got my first batch of mail order ones today – all 6 in a box that is maybe 5 inches square. They are space efficient and fairly resilient to a bit of neglect if the summer gets busy. Also, pretty cost effective except the big, fancy ones.
Purple Grasshopper 8.29
I had five in bloom today – daylilies, that is. That’s a good number for the last Thursday in August. It won’t last long, though. They have been in bloom for nearly 90 days. So, I am happy for the little air plants today. Gives me something to look forward to this winter.
Oh, my – school starts tomorrow. I worked early and late. My daylilies had 12 hours between my first round of photos and my second.
I am not sure what to say tonight – my brain is mush and I crave ice cream. But, I do want to highlight three big, colorfast Ned Roberts spiders that are late bloomers. Colorfast becomes obvious when we photograph at 7 AM and 7 PM. And, my photos of these three look good both times – wide awake all day.
Purple Corn Dancer steals my heart with every bloom. I have her in two locations so I may get 3-4 weeks of blooms.
Purple Corn Dancer 8/13/1
Mama Cuna is a HUGE spider. She, also, wears make-up that lasts all day – she adds an amazing highlight to the Southwest garden late season.
Mama Cuna 8/13
Purple Thunderbird is CRAZY HUGE – and also looks great all day. Very colorfast.
Purple Tunderbird 8/12
I am guessing they are related because they all make me smile.
PS – My orchid cactus did not bloom last night – this waiting is the stuff of my midwifery days! I even got up briefly at 3 AM to check.
Colorado Kid Daylilies 