Daylily Who’s Who????

July 25, 2019Leave a comment

Another amazing day with over 60 cultivators in bloom. I blogged the other day about knowing my flowers by name tags, mapping, and photographic surroundings. Well, I blew it on one of my Roberts spiders. It all feels so rushed with being at work most of the day – I have been home with my daylilies for the last 4 summers. That is when my collection grew. Now, I rush around in the morning to get pictures and that is really the only time I see these beauties. Hopefully, in a couple years, I can reduce my summer hours.

Until then, my flub was stellar. That is, both daylilies referred to the sky. Seriously, looking at them, they totally look like their names. I don’t know how I got them mixed up other than taking 80-100 photos off my camera, editing and organizing in the evening . . . and travel, and two special needs dogs, and work. Well, stellar flubs happen. Here they are both in bloom the same day (today), which helped.

Star over Milagro 7/24

Truchas Sunrise 7/24

So, now that I have confessed, here are today’s Premiers:

Mama Cuna is another Roberts daylily – it is good to see her, again! She resembles Star over Milagro – I need to look up and see if they share genes in common.

Indian Sky is probably not the real Indian Sky, although it was sold as such. It was one of my early online purchases – it fit my Southwest theme. I think it is still really pretty.

Rosie’s Red was another bonus daylily – and one I really like. The deep red color is beautiful and I like the shape.

Mama Cuna 7/24

Indian Sky 7/24

Rosie’s Red

Route 66

July 24, 2019Leave a comment

Route 66 is, of course, a famous highway that runs partially through the Southwest. We usually pass over it going and coming from our spring road trip to the desert. Route 66 is also the name of one of my favorite daylilies. It was the first place name daylily that I got and after that, I was hooked. My daylily names are like points on a road trip a lot of the time.

Route 66, Flagstaff, Arizona

Today, I had 66 cultivators blooming in my yard. I was thinking about Route 66 (she was in bloom and is the lead photo) and my own route to having 66 daylilies in bloom in one day. In 2015, I had 7. I now have 10X the number of daylilies. How did I get here? . . . well, I started at local nurseries. Then I tried one online site, then another. Eventually, I got attached to my Ned Roberts spiders and found a couple growers with good supplies of those. (I now have around 70 of his cultivators.) I also found the lily auction – which was fun but I get into trouble on that site. LOL.

Some of the daylilies I got in 2015/16 are having their first bloom this year. I think it takes them time to adapt to the desert – and last year, we had the exceptional drought. The year before that, I transplanted them into buried pots – so that was another adjustment. Anyway – it is cool to finally see some of these after tending them for a few years.

A couple of our Premiers today have been around that long and finally blooming. One is Navajo Grey Hills and another is Fringe Benefit. Navajo Grey Hills was a sought after Ned Roberts Southwest named daylily. Fringe Benefit, on the other hand, was a bonus plant that looks nothing like the Fringe Benefit I see online. But, oh well. I honestly had no idea what it looked like until today. I like both of them a lot!

So, without further ado, here are the Premiers (it’s not slowing down – So far, 133 blooms or about 74% bloom rate. Last year this date we were at 123 – and I have a lot more scapes left this year.):

“Fringe Benefit” bonus plant 7/23

Navajo Grey Hills 7/23

Fol da Rol 7/23

Lime Frost 7/23

Glen Eyrie 7/23

Adios Albuquerque 7/23

Bold Tiger 7/23

The Company They Keep!

July 23, 2019July 23, 2019Leave a comment

Sorting photos of daylilies . . . People ask me how I keep them straight. Well, I don’t always but I generally do OK because I have some systems to help. First, I have a garden map that I created a couple years ago. It is awesome, it has circles for each daylily in my Southwest Garden with the color of each daylily. And, they have letters/numbers. You can look up the letter/number and see the daylily name with a photo.

The other system is metal markers that have paint pen on them. Want to know a little secret – if you spray them with engine spray after you paint the name on it stays on for years!!!

So, if one system fails, I have the other. As I go through old photos, though, there is a system that works even if it has been a while since you took the photo. Well, look at the company it keeps. I look for landscaping or other plants. I look for other daylilies – what is the backdrop. Usually, I can figure it out. I did make a couple mistakes on Treasure of the Southwest (confused with Soco Gap) that I need to go back and fix.

It feels good to be sort of caught up. But, I realize how different this year is as far as photography. Previous years, I took my phone photos to post on Facebook or if I didn’t have time to download from the camera. I used the camera to get multiple shots of each bloom – especially new blooms and last blooms. This year, both the cell and camera only have one photo of each cultivator/day except in a few cases. That means if the daylily was blooming during my trip, I may only have a photo or two of it for the whole year – half a dozen max.

Perhaps I can enjoy snapping a few more photos now that the trips are done and I have my photosystem for the year up and running. I had 65 total, today. The peak is still with us. Anyway – not quite so many Premiers today. Here they are:

Apache Uprising 7/22

Marque Moon

Red Hot Returns 7/22

Zuni Eye 7/22

Oh, and my amazing Easter Lily Cactus bloomed today. Like daylilies, the blooms only last one day. Enjoy each moment for it will never return.

Eye-70

July 22, 2019July 22, 2019Leave a comment

Oh, perhaps more like aye yi yi. I woke up to 70 cultivars in bloom today. Let’s see, I had 13 the day I left on vacation on 7/5. I’ve slept in my own bed 5 going on 6 nights since then.

Thirteen is a good number of blooms. Interesting but not overwhelming. But now, just 5 days at home later, I’m at 118/180 daylilies that have bloomed. We went from 7% to 66%.

The problem is that I had trips and conferences to prepare for along with two sick dogs . . . And, work. So, I’ve been using my cellphone for daily shots. I use my Powershot, too, but haven’t edited or organized anything since June 25 or something.

Today, I got 2 days organized and played a bit with my daylily software. Here it is midnight thirty but I am more caught up. I just know that I’ve been so distracted this year that the blog in mediocre because my passion is not here yet.

Next weekend, I stay home. Hopefully, I can keep catching up. Aye yi yi, I need to stay on the Interstate of progress after I get some sleep. The daylilies are already blooming. Can you hear them?

Fine Time Lucille 7/21

Heron’s Cove 7/21

Truchas Sunrise 7/21

Best Seller 7/21

Taco Twister 7/21

Fox Ears 7/21

We will see what the dawn brings.

Dusky Daylilies: (when your plane lands at 7:50 PM)

July 21, 2019Leave a comment

What a long day. I started at 6:30 AM ET and it’s now tomorrow ET. But, I’m back on MT. And, I’ve been home since 8 PM MT. It’s the time of year where there is still a little light. So, of course, I raced to take daylily photos. Not the best photography AND the poor flowers have had a long day, too. I had 72 cultivators today – it’s another record breaker.

I’m just do Premiers because I’m fading, too.

Ruby Stella 7/20

Wild Horses 7/20

Mayan Poppy 7/20

Chorus Line 7/20

Nosferatu 7/20

Red Bird Mary

Star over Milgro 7/20

Skinwalker 7/20

Lobo Lucy 7/20

Santa Fe Christmas 7/20

Dream Catcher 7/20

Spirit of the Morning 7/20

Shape Shifter 7/20

Desert Icicle 7/20

Counting Flowers on the Wall; That Don’t Bother Me At All!

July 20, 2019July 20, 20193 Comments

So, I had a record number of cultivators in bloom the day before my trip, but no time to blog. Tomorrow, I’m home but too late to see any blooms. So, here is the 7/16 batch. Honestly, I don’t remember which were new bloom, but I’ll try. It’ll be good to see what’s new on Sunday!

Premiers:

Apache Beacon 7/16

Inwood 7/17

Wild Rose Fandango 7/16

Coral Taco 7/16

Little Cadet 7/16

Winds of Love 7/16

Lacey Doily 7/16

Royal Palace Prince 7/16

Black Eyed Susan 7/16

Anasazi 7/16

Reruns – lots and lots of reruns:

Purple de Oro 7/16

Mauna Loa 7/16

Longlesson Show-off 7/16

South Seas 7/16

Isaac 7/16

Stephanie Returns 7/16

Passionate Returns 7/16

Prairie Wildfire 7/16

Catherine Irene 7/16

Strutter’s Ball 7/16

Prairie Blue Eyes 7/16

Red Riddle 7/16

Indian Love Call 7/16

Purple Many Faces 7/16

Iktomi 7/16

Indian Love Call 7/16

Chief Four Fingers 7/16

Zuni Thunderbird 7/16

Rocky Mountain Friends 7/16

Soco Gap 7/16

Black Ice 7/16

Maya Cha Cha 7/16

Purple Mystery 7/16

Ruby Spider 7/16

Comanche Princess 7/16

Mildred Mitchell 7/16

Thin Man 7/16

Lady Fingers 7/16

Papa Long Legs 7/16

Purple Grasshopper 7/16

Chaco Canyon 7/16

Happy Hopi 7/16

Feather Woman 7/16

Ojo de Dios 7/16

Canyon Colors 7/16

Cheddar Cheese 7/16

Mesa Verde 7/16

Primal Scream 7/16

The Colorado Kid 7/16

Melon Balls 7/16

Pardon Me 7/16

Cricket Call 7/16

Wineberry Candy 7/16

Raspberry Propeller 7/16

Route 66 7/16

Golden Stella 7/16

Yellow Punch 7/16

Early Bird Cardinal 7/16

Pink and Cream 7/16

Mini Pearl 7/16

Orange Flurry 7/16

Golden Stella 7/16

Cheyenne Eyes 7/16

Pink Enchilada 7/16

Apache Bandana 7/16

Here Come the Monsoons!

July 16, 2019Leave a comment

Today, I had 63 in bloom. It’s a record. Despite the wet, cold spring that did in a couple of my cultivars, my blooms so far are numerous. For a late start season, we are catching up! And, now, our monsoon rains are assisting with hydration.

I have several that are first blooms ever this year.

For time’s sake, I’m just doing Premiers tonight:

Lullaby Baby 7/15

Bluegrass Music 7/15

Blue Beet 7/15

Mildred Mitchell 7/15

Heavenly Curls 7/15

Medicine Feather 7/15

Black Ice 7/15

Maya Cha Cha 7/15

Indian Giver 7/15

Platinum Pink 7/15

Hesperus 7/15

Jungle Queen 7/15

Mauna Loa 7/15

Chaco Canyon 7/15

My lesson – water early and often. And, with any luck, the monsoons show up like they have this year.

I’m Back and Overwhelmed by Daylilies

July 14, 2019July 14, 20191 Comment

Life changes. This summer is so different from last year. Jobs, schedules, weather. So, I returned from Utah yesterday afternoon to an overwhelming thunderstorm that wiped out a lot of yesterday’s blooms. I decided to start fresh today, kind of. I leave for a work conference in Atlanta on Wednesday. Next Sunday, I can start my regular routine for daylily season. Lol.

So, a lot of Premier blooms (to me) today. Let’s start with my Ned Roberts spider collection:

Apache Bandana 7/14

Black Arrowhead 7/14

Chokecherry Mountain 7/14

Mount Echo Sunrise 7/14

Feather Woman 7/14

Navajo Rodeo 7/14

Rocky Mountain Pals 7/14

Talon 7/14

Zuni Thunderbird 7/14

Echo Canyon 7/14

Chief Four Fingers 7/14

Happy Hopi 7/14

Aztec Firebird 7/14

Laughing Feather 7/14

Iktomi 7/14

Pink Enchilada 7/14

Pink Rain Dance 7/14

Raspberry Propeller 7/14

And, the other Premier blooms:

Holy Sombrero 7/13

Isaac 7/14

Stephanie Returns 7/14

Catherine Irene 7/14

Pink and Cream 7/14

Early Bird Cardinal 7/14

Blue Beat 7/14

Primal Scream 7/14

Ruby Spider 7/14

Passionate Returns 7/14

Purple de Oro 7/14

Santa’s Pants 7/14

Lady Fingers 7/14

Red Riddle 7/14

Pardon Me 7/14

Prairie Blue Eyes 7/14

Route 66 7/14

Orange Flurry 7/14

Strutter’s Ball 7/14

Mini Pearl 7/14

Purple Mystery (hmmmmmm- Strutter’s Ball, perhaps?) 7/14

Wineberry Candy 7/14

Prairie Wildfire 7/14

That’s like almost 40 new cultivars since I left 9 days ago! Overwhelmed doesn’t say it with another trip coming up. I have no clue on bloom rate, but the cold, wet spring mostly seems to have helped.

Reruns:

Yellow Punch 7/14

Comanche Princess 7/14

Return a Smile 7/14

The Colorado Kid 7/14

Papa Long Legs 7/14

Land of Enchantment 7/14

Canyon Colors 7/14

Hopi Jewel 7/14

Ojo de Dios 7/14

Echo Canyon 7/14

Indian Love Call 7/14

Treasure of the Southwest 7/14

Yellow Stella 7/14

Funny Valentine 7/14

Petite Petticoats 7/14

Purple Many Faces 7/14

All American Chief 7/14

Ok, that’s enough. Battery is dead. Several Finales while gone: Saratoga Springtime, Dream Keeper, Chama Valley.

If you are going to miss the start of peak bloom, Utah is a great place to do it. Also amazing colors.

Vaca Day Lilies

July 6, 2019Leave a comment

Today, we started our weeklong camping road trip through southern Utah. So, I’ll miss 5 days of blooms. But, I think there will be plenty left when I return next week.

Premieres:

Prairie Blue Eyes 7/5

Cheyenne Eyes 7/5

Papa Long Legs 7/5

Treasure of the Southwest 7/5

Reruns:

Indian Love Call 7/5

Petite Petticoats 7/5

Yellow Punch 7/5

Saratoga Springtime 7/5

Yellow Stella 7/5

Echo Canyon 7/5

Purple Many Faces 7/5

Mesa Verde 7/5

The Colorado Kid 7/5

Finales: While Dream Keeper has a few buds left (my first bloom this season), she will likely be done before I get home.

Dream Keeper 7/5

The Independence Thirteen

July 4, 2019July 4, 2019Leave a comment

Wow . . . It was slow on Solstice and I have only thirteen on the 4th of July. Last year, I had 40 something. And, for the last several years, I’ve had white daisies, blue bells, and Ruby Spider all in close enough proximity for a July 4th shot. Not this year.

Today isn’t only the 4th, but also the day before my trip. It was my dad’s birthday and my due date with my youngest daughter. My family have been a bit like daylilies in my life . . . Enjoy them when they last and consider each day a new beginning. Still, the 4th is both a community day and a time PTSD can rear its ugly head.