I had 3 “first of 2024” cultivators in bloom today. Fried Green Tomatoes had her first-ever bloom (in my yard) today. I really like the color combo. Of course, with the drenching rain and wind, everything is a little waterlogged.
I am a little uneasy with the slow state year and the number of scapes. Perhaps Alberto will do some magic! I didn’t go out and count today – but I will tomorrow when the sun returns to duty. Daylilies require an inch of rain/week. Montrose gets less than an inch a month. So, Alberto reigns.
It is summer, again. I have had 3 daylilies bloom this season: Saratoga Springtime on 6.6, Burgundy Crab on 6.10, and Mesa Verde today. I have about 60-70 scapes. My bloom rate may be down this year because we didn’t get much local snow/groundwater last year. The mountains got a lot, but that doesn’t help my pots if I don’t turn on the hose.
Saratoga SpringtimeBurgundy CrabMesa Verde
I feel that selling my beautiful begonias at Country Flair in Montrose, CO is creating some gardening burnout for me. A few of my daylilies are really struggling – I mean I may lose them. Others have grass or weeds in the pots and I didn’t repot this spring. I’m an artist first and foremost (after being a retired nurse/nurse-midwife and a wellbeing practitioner.) Oh, and rescue dog mom. Time flies and plants take time. Looking forward to the daylily blooms has always been a joy – but now that the begonias are a year-around job, I just don’t get the same dopamine fix.
Camping with my rescue dogs last weekend – Kachina, Cimarron, and Kokopelli
That creates a quandary about what to do with the blog this summer. I only posted for a month last year. Really? Why? Because I needed my time back for my business – plus camping, hiking, my travel blog, etc. I will try the Instagram reels, again, because that seemed to work OK. I always say I can keep going until the last bloom – I’ll try, again!
The good news is that I’m also going to be plugging some of my stunning daylily artwork that I sell in my Etsy shop. I am running a 25% off sale “until the last daylily blooms” – so come check that out! I have cards, wall art, clocks, and pots with daylily designs – all handmade!
Sorry, no blog for a few days. Had some evening social events. I’ve had several mid-late and late cultivators join the collection of 2023 blooms. Here we go.
Nice couple of days in the garden! Rain and much cooler weather – closer to average for us. And, today is Colorado Day. I had a beautiful The Colorado Kid in bloom today, too!
I’m having a Dog Days of Summer Sale at my store this month, so I still didn’t have much time in the garden but hopefully tomorrow. Check it out at my shop link at the bottom of the page. The items are or will be available on Etsy and 20% goes to Colorado rescue organizations.
I’ve had 4 with first blooms for 2023 the last two days. Mama Cuna has really short scapes this year and some bug 🐛 damage. Autumn Jewels, on the other hand, has a lot more buds than usual. In fact, she doesn’t bloom that often. Strange year, for sure.
Please enjoy my reel. In order of appearance: (7.31) Mama Cuna, (8.1) Royal Palace Prince, Autumn Jewels, and Indian Sky.
The last couple of days have been filled with several of my Ned Roberts spiders blooming for the first time this year. One side of my Southwest Garden has been so quiet because the early bloomers ghosted us. But, it’s filling up with mid-late bloomers!
Montrose County Rodeo
I went to the Rodeo yesterday so didn’t post. It rained afterwards and again this afternoon. Finally, a break in the heat.
I combined yesterday and today into one reel. Names in order: (7/29) Desert Icicle, BlackArrowhead, (7/30 Skinwalker, KachinaFirecracker, Dancing Maiden, Cricket Call, Aztec Firebird, and GoldenEclipse.
Another warm (hot with UV of 9) in the desert daylily garden. Four new mif-late season cultivators. Winds of Love is suck a cool daylily because she always looks like a painting to me. Like an illusion of perfection in my imperfect garden.
The rains still have not come. They seem more a forecaster’s illusion than science at the moment. Looks like maybe some cooling and rain next week. I’ve said that before.
Today, mid-late season arrived in my yard with a bang. Eight new cultivators. Of note, this was Oh, Erica’s first healthy bloom after three years in my yard. She only has 2 buds, though. The desert if hard.
Titan Sky had the first bloom ever and I’m in love with the colors! My second Ghost Ranch plant bloomed for the first time – the first one died about 3 years ago. I got the new one 2 years ago. If you live in the tropics, it’s different here.
Today, saw 55 cultivators in bloom and nearly 100 degrees. It’s too hot to enjoy them before the fizzle in the dry heat. I savor my picture taking time because it forces me to pay attention. I’m done with the endless heat and no rain.
My Instagram reel for today has 4 cultivators, but only 3 were new. Previously, I misidentified Wild Rose Fandango as Chokecherry Mountain. I realized today when Chokecherry Mountain bloomed. In order: Prelude to Love, Chokecherry Mountain, Santa Fe Christmas and Wild Rose Fandango.
It’s daylily season, so I spend a fairly significant amount of time photographing and posting about my daylilies. I love my daylilies but I admit to getting a but burned out on all the posting chores during the peak. Still, my blooms only look good for a couple hours in this dry heat. The photos give me something to savor for a long time to come. PS if you have noticed shorter blogs and reels vs photos that’s why.
The peak continues to pop, but only 4 had first blooms for ’23 today. I have a several mid bloomers with young scapes and I keep wondering how this weird season will end.
Here is my reel. Daylilies in order: Baby Blue Eyes, Apache Bandana, Ruby Stella and Red Hot Returns.
Colorado Kid Daylilies 