Tag: Bare root daylilies

My Experience Online Daylily Shopping at Shady Rest Gardens

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Happy Trails, Shady Rest Daylily Nursery

Last week, I got news that my favorite online daylily grower was closing. I absolutely adore Doris at Shady Rest Gardens and I am still adapting to the idea that this summer is her last ever sale. She and her husband are on to the next chapter, as I was a couple years ago. I knew I had to be one of her last customers and order something, despite my pots being pretty full currently. So, last night she posted the sale daylilies for this fall. It was like midnight-thirty and I was shopping for daylilies from my couch.

Comanche Princess in bloom today came from Shady Rest

How did I get started shopping for daylilies online? It was 2015 when I returned to school for my doctorate and somehow daylilies became my healthy escape from studies (I loved my program but needed stress management breaks). I had a few daylilies around the yard for years and found them pretty hardy here, but they weren’t really a hobby until I went back to school at age 60.

Online Doctorates and Daylilies

Before becoming a serious hobbyist, I picked up a daylily or two at the local nursery here and there. I don’t remember what spurred me to try online, but I did. I mean, if you can get a doctorate online then why not a daylily? It was a lesson that bare roots are not the same as blooming plants and I had to be patient. But the varieties were endless and they were less expensive. Because of my love of the Southwest US, I was especially attracted to the ones with names that were also Southwestern. That helped me hone in on my favorite hybridizer – Ned Roberts. He lived in the Southwest and his daylily names showed it.

Ruby Spider is originally from a local nursery and in bloom today.

It was a web search for his daylilies that led me to Doris and Shady Rest. It was like striking gold – she had so many of his daylilies for sale. Way more than I could afford. So, every year, I added a few. Now I have 74 Ned Roberts registered daylilies and a grand total of 198 different daylilies. They aren’t all from Shady Rest, but I loved getting my packages from her and they were a substantial contribution. More than a grower, Doris became my garden mentor. Fortunately, we are still friends on social media, but I will miss those packages.

What is your favorite place to shop for daylilies???

Prairie Wildfire originally came from a local nursery and is in bloom today.

So, What Daylilies Did I Choose?

Last night, I decided on one Ned Roberts daylily called Green Warrior and two for my Oz collection – If Only I Had A Brain and Oz’s Cowardly Lion. I had Green Warrior before but lost it to spring freeze-thaw before it ever bloomed. (Fall is my favorite time to plant bare roots here because then they will usually bloom the following season, but freeze-thaw is problematic before they get established.) If Only I Had A Brain reminds me of Dr Doom a little. And Oz’s Cowardly Lion has a similarity to Chaco Canyon. They arrive in August. (Photos from garden.org)

Green Warrior
If Only I Had A Brain
Oz’s Cowardly Lion

Aloha Mauna Loa

Mauna Loa daylily – a little beat up from recent thunderstorms.

Today’s only first bloom for the season was Mauna Loa. This is a different Roberts hybridizer than Ned but a luscious neon orange color in the yard.

Until the Last Daylily Blooms Sale on Etsy

Speaking of my beautiful Ned Robert’s spider daylily collection with Southwestern names – this original wood panel painting of Skinwalker is on sale until my last daylily blooms in 2024. The original wood panel is only $26.25 during the sale. And, I have signed prints of the painting that are only $9 with free shipping. If you miss daylilies in the winter, then now is the time to hang one on the wall! Click here or on the photo below to go to listing.

Skinwalker daylily – original painting or signed print

Bluegrass Blues

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Today, at long last, I get to tell the story of Bluegrass Music because she bloomed!  When I first started getting savvy about buying bare root daylilies, I learned that there were no true blue ones.  This made me want blue ones!!!  We always want what we can’t have.  So, I found this one on a website and tried to order . . . it was a weird process, but I finally called them.  They had one small fan of this one left, but it would be $50.  Well, I had to have my addiction fix, so I bought the one small fan as the first of a handful of near blue daylilies.  PS – I have not ordered from that place since – you can get these on the Lily Auction for $25 for 2 fans.

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Other newcomers – This one is Heron’s Cove.  It has a story of being a wanna be near blue.  I lost a near blue and this one was an economical one.  BTW a much more ethical grower told me to expect it not to look blue except in exceptional circumstances.  I want to get out to see it before the sun hits it next time.

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Prairie Blue Eyes (I am pretty sure) showed up in my yard today . . . in an unexpected place.  It is in one of my driveway pots, but it did not put up scapes this year.  Interestingly, I had some daylilies in my back garden, but it was too shady and the daylilies there were slowly dying back.  So, two years ago, I fixed it so they had more sun, water and better soil.  This one, I moved to the front garden last year not having a clue what it was.  (I did not always know names or label them).  So, it was stunning to see this little one open in the front garden.  Makes me think I need to move the others to a sunnier spot.

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Zuni Thunderbird is one of my favorites, but the thrips like it and the first blooms are always a little beat up.  Need to spray it today.  Think I will take a nap first, though.

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Honey, I Planted My Family

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Today, Stephanie Returned to my yard.  Stephanie Returns, that is.  She is a sweet light pink girl who bears the same name as my daughter.  And, she was added the year my daughter returned to Colorado.  Hard to get good lighting today.  She was unbloomed, and then the sun hit full force.  She looks a little dry and I upped her water.  (I have daylilies that bear the names of my grandmother, mom, and both grandkids.  I want to get a Santa Clause for in memory of my dad).

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The other first-timer for the year was Inwood.  I love the contrast on the blooms.

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I believe my back porch has now reached peak bloom with this addition.  Sadly, Electric Lizard is still not looking like it will produce much despite the addition of some more fans last fall.  Maybe it needs a larger pot.  Nosferatu, Cheddar Cheese, and Canyon Colors all have big fans but no scapes.  Guessing not enough sun, too much fertilizer or some other imbalance.  I am still hoping . . . but would have expected scapes by now.  Generally, my pots grow bigger, healthier blooms than this basic clay soil.  But, sometimes the mix is off.  (Below is Jungle Queen, quite happy in the same pot for 2 years).

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As for the Southwest garden – it looks like I’ll have some new blooms tomorrow.  Soco Gap is about to give birth.  I think I’ll see my first Pink Enchilada tomorrow.  Papa Long Legs and Kokopelli, perhaps.  Maybe Indian Love Call.  I was hoping for 50% bloom out there, but I am guessing it may be 30% now.  I am erring on the side of fertilizer this year to get the plants big.  I think I need to do more soil amendments in the fall, too.  Most the plants are blooming size.  A few have died back.   I have to remember that some of mine had spring in the South last year, so may not bloom this year.  Bare root daylilies are not instant gratification.

The flowers are so pretty, they are worth the amazing time and energy to make them thrive.  Tomorrow also holds the promise of our first The Colorado Kid (our mascot) of the year.  Can’t wait to see what happens next.