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

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

Horses, Canyons, Rodeos, and Our Blooms for the Week!

June 25, 2018Leave a comment

Summer is here! I got home from camping 6 hours ago and am still trying to get everything done for the weekend! When I don’t take photos in the morning, the blooms are pretty sunburned by noon. And we had wind today. And single digit humidity. So, for today there were 5 new blooms.

Wild Horses is a favorite, dependable bloomer. I have had her 3 years and she puts on quite a show. Can you see the wild horses in her pattern?

Wild Horses 6/24

So, Chaco Canyon bloomed when we returned from this same camping adventure last year. I love her stripes!

Chaco Canyon 6/24

A brand new face for this year is Navajo Rodeo. Waiting 3 years to see some of these has taken patience. She reminds me of Talon, but redder. I am sure they are related.

Navajo Rodeo 6/24

Ruby Spider is one of my oldest blooms, and always a favorite. She is huge, and oh so red!

Ruby Spider 6/24

And little Happy Returns is back. She is such a delicate little yellow trumpet.

Happy Returns 6/24

And there is the long roster (with photos) of all or our blooms from 6/18 through today:

Bluegrass Music 6/21

Canyon Colors 6/21

Comanche Princess 6/22

Dark Mystery 6/20

Dream Keeper 6/22

Funny Valentine 6/19

Holy Sombrero 6/22

Hopi Jewel 6/20

Indian Love Call 6/20

Jungle Queen 6/20

Kokopelli 6/19

Laughing Feather 6/19

Mesa Verde 6/22

Nurse’s Stethoscope 6/21

Painted Petroglyph 6.21

Pink Rain Dance 6/22

Platinum Palate Pink Whispers 6/22

Prairie Blue Eyes 6/19

Pueblo Dancer 6/22

Purple Many Faces 6/22

Purple Mystic 6/20

Red Riddle 6/21

Return a Smile 6/19

Saratoga Springtime 6/21

Stella de Oro 6/19

Talon 6/21

The Colorado Kid 6/22

Treasure of the Southwest 6/21

Wineberry Candy 6/24

Yellow Punch 6/22

Zuni Eye 6/20

So far, that makes 36 that have bloomed in the yard. Of 170-something. 21% or so of my cultivators have bloomed so far. Tomorrow, it looks like more new faces will join the count!

Many Faces!

June 16, 2018June 16, 2018Leave a comment

TGIF! And, what a Friday it was in the garden. Things are starting to pop all over. However, I only got two out of three correct on the trifecta guess – bifecta. So, let’s start there. Today was a first-ever bloom for Purple Many Faces – another Ned Roberts Southwestern name spider daylily. It is a big bloom!

Purple Many Faces 6/15

Indian Love Call is one I got 3 years ago for a pot someone gave me for the front yard. It languished in the pot, so I put it in the Southwest Garden that fall. She seems happy there – one of my few bloomers last year.

Indian Love Call 6/15

Also in the Southwest Garden was Canyon Colors. She bloomed her first full summer here but did not bloom last year. I divided her and put one fan in the Southwest Garden. And, so she bloomed this year!

Canyon Colors 6/15

Another new bloom is a no-ID that I am naming Dark Mystery. Several years ago, I tried putting daylilies in this little corner garden. They were not happy, slowly dying back. I tried amendments, but they stayed pretty small and never bloomed. So, last fall, I took them all and put them in a big pot. I bet I have 4 or 5 different cultivators in there – and Dark Mystery was the first to bloom. It is striking, I think.

Dark Mystery 6/15

And, my first near-blue daylily bloom opened for the year – Bluegrass Music. She has a story! I was new with ordering bare-root daylilies and was taken with the near blues. You see, daylilies can’t make true blue. The long story short is that I way overpaid for a very small fan – but she is thriving a few years later.

Bluegrass Music 6/15

And, a few repeats today:

Dream Keeper 6/15

Saratoga Springtime 6/15

Stella de Oro 6/15

Wineberry Candy 6/15

Tomorrow, it looks like rain and a busy day of blooms. We need the rain. I like the daylilies with the drops on the pedals. I want to get to bed soon so I have some energy tomorrow for all the action! I am going to have more photos than I can handle soon – I think I will go with new blooms and a list of all the blooms for the week on Saturday and Sunday once there are more than 10 a day. Many faces are coming!

Where is the Rain?

July 20, 2017July 20, 2017Leave a comment

Today, we were supposed to get a lot of rain. Maybe flash floods. I wasn’t sure I would get any work done in the yard on split-shift, but I worked outside the whole afternoon. More on that in a minute.

Today brought 2 new blooms. Royal Palace Prince was a bonus plant a couple years ago. It has done better than some of the purchased plants. It reminds me of Pick of the Litter.

The second new face for the year is Apache Uprising. It is the second year for this one. I like the red. It reminds me of Baja a little.

I also like this photo of some of my last near blues today – Blue Beat, The Colorado Kid, and Bluegrass Music.

I don’t know about a later peak this year. Bud counts down and buds dropping. March was warmer than April. And, we had the late May snow storm . . . then no rain. Last year was better in the front garden.

I feel like I am freeing hostages. Daylilies that are not flourishing, but could under different circumstances. Buried pots in order for several in the front garden. Today, Catherine Irene and Happy Happy. Neither has ever bloomed here, and this is going on 3 years. Others that need a transplant include Alabama Jubilee, Coburg Fright Wig, Navajo Blanket, Primal Scream, Lacy Doily, and Heavenly Curls. All have had either extremely low bloom this year or have never bloomed.

When I dug up the two today, I was amazed at the other roots that were woven in with theirs. And, in one case, an ant hill. The whole front garden looks so dry. I have the sprinkler on daily. I need to get a sprinkler hose or something. I wonder if eventually, all 100 plus of my in-ground daylilies will be in buried pots. That makes me tired to think about it . . . but it worked well for the veggies. Come on monsoons. Where are you?

Bluegrass Blues

July 2, 2017July 2, 2017Leave a comment

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.

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.

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.

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.

Bless the Beasts and the Daylilies

July 1, 2017July 1, 2017Leave a comment

I wonder what life would be like without my puppies and my flowers . . . they add so much that would otherwise be lacking. If I live to be 100, it will be to experience another daylily season.

Today, there were lots of new faces. Interestingly enough, Bluegrass Music is still unbloomed.

Aztec Firebird is a favorite. It is one that has taken off in the Southwestern garden. Very happy, and the blooms are more reddish this year. I have a painting of this one somewhere, I think. First blooms are often a little less showy than the follow-ups, but still pretty cool.

Primal Scream is another favorite – and today I feel a little like a primal scream! It looks a little weathered from the sprinkler and the heat. It was very busy at work today, so I did not get out to take a photo at peak.

I have two that bloomed today that were bonus plants. If you know about buying bare root daylilies, you know about bonus plants. They are fun in the garden. The first one is Longlesson Showoff – it is a first bloom ever in my yard. The second is Pick of the Litter in its second year.

And little Purple de Oro. I have one in a pot and one in the front yard. I was going to give the potted one to my daughter, but it is sort of growing on my where it is. People can see it from the sidewalk when they walk past the house.

I’m not sure about new blooms tomorrow . . . I didn’t get much of a chance to bud count this evening. I did put in a little solar drip system for the two daylilies in pots by the driveway. Hoping for some blooms, but think they may not perform that well this year. It is getting a little late to resuscitate in time for 2017 blooms. But, that’s why I have to hang around until next year . . . every year.

Near Birth Experience

June 30, 2017June 30, 20174 Comments

Today, Bluegrass music sort of bloomed. Well, it started what looks like a two-day process. It will be the first bloom. And as soon as it does, I will share its story.

This is what is should look like (hopefully):

No new blooms today. I did go out and take photos of my garden at intermittent moments. The sun may be an issue. I would give it a C. I don’t know if it is 5 hours – much of it is dappled through the trees much of the day. I called the tree trimmer that was recommended, his machine was full. Maybe just start with a trim, but I would love to have the elm tree gone, gone in the next couple of years. Any experts out there think the sun is an issue? I think it is soil and water, too – which I can do myself.

Here is the link to the animated version https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bz6dnrksmzSNdUZ5Tmo3bkplZVE/view?usp=sharing

Today, Our Mascot Bloomed!!!

June 29, 2017June 29, 2017Leave a comment

The Colorado Kid. I found her on some site and ordered her from far away. Near-blue, Colorado in the name . . . This is her second year in my yard. And, her blooms make me smile. They are so pretty in the morning before the sun hits and turns the near blue to a deeper, more lavender color. Still pretty, but the UV by mid day makes all the blooms frump a little.

Other first blooms today – the much awaited Pink Enchilada. This flower gives me hope that it just takes time for the bare roots to bloom in the new garden. It is year 2 in the garden, but a first bloom today.

The Southwest Garden also welcomed Indian Love Call. This flower seems happier here than in the pot I had it in last year . . . so that is a positive sign, too.

Soco Gap is a huge daylily in that garden. It was a bonus plant that I stuck between 2 yuccas before I enlarged the garden. It thrives, also a positive sign.

Those positives said, I only have 12 plants with scapes out of 76 plants in the Southwest Garden. Yard-wide (including the porch pots, front garden and Southwestern Garden, I have had 28 cultivators bloom so far (most in the front now have scapes). I have around 160 cultivators total. So, it’s under 20% still. Should be interesting to see what happens in July. (6 of 9 of my back porch pots have bloomed already – interesting on sun and drip systems).

In hindsight, I don’t think I did enough spring watering in the Southwest Garden. The new sprinkler hose also seems to give better coverage. I have also leaned on over fertilizing this year to get the plants some size before they invest in blooms. The soil will need more work – but it is decent for year 2. I wonder about the trees giving too much shade. I think I will go out and snap a cell photo every hour some day soon to see if each area gets 5 -6 hours. I think it is close, but I may invest in some tree trimming this fall. LOL – Who says skiing is the most expensive hobby in Colorado???

Up for tomorrow . . . maybe Bluegrass Music. Maybe Primal Scream or even Aztec Firebird. And, Indian Sky has some baby scapes, finally. The daylily garden is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get.

The Wild Horses of Mesa Verde are in My Garden

June 27, 2017Leave a comment

Today, three newcomers!!! The two mentioned in the title of this post are two of my all-time favorites. And, believe it or not, neither resides in my Southwest garden. But they sound like they should.

Wild Horses is a breath-taking bloom because of the striking pattern. I see the horse in it. Do you?

And, Mesa Verde is striking for her ruffles. This daylily is amazing to watch bloom. It takes until nearly noon . . . like waiting for a baby to be born. Also, notice how the color turns from pink to bright orange. (4 photos, below)

Lastly, an old friend, Early Bird Cardinal. It is a sweet red ruffled bloom.

And, for tomorrow . . . I think Stephanie Returns, Pink Enchilada, Inwood. A couple of my near blues are getting close . . . Bluegrass Music. Now, there is a story to tell about that one!

Colorado Kid Daylilies

A Blog About My Western Colorado Daylily Adventure

Tag: Bluegrass Music