Tag: cats

Pink Spiders, Red Flags, and Things that Go Bump in the Night

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Today was another red flag day with a fair amount of wind. Nothing like we have had a few times this spring – but decidedly dry and breezy. And, as the clouds do so often in drought years, the grey clouds seem to tease as they drift by, only leaving a few drops of moisture behind.

Mauna Loa and friend, 6.29.20

The premiers today were mostly pink spiders. And, pink Ned Roberts spiders, at that. Now, trying to photograph a spider daylily with wind gusts up to 30 MPH is interesting. I am like a dentist trying to tell the wind to hold it’s breath until I snap the picture. My patient is non-compliant.

Rocky Mountain Pals 6.29.20

First premier pink spider was Rocky Mountain Pals. This daylily has a sweet story of being dedicated to the hybridizer’s cancer treatment team. I told the story to a co-worker today because she is battling cancer.

Pink Rain Dance 6.29.20

Next, big old Pink Rain Dance catches my eye. She is a huge bloom and such a great pastel pink. I can only guess Ned Roberts named her during a drought year in the Southwest.

Pink Enchilada 6.29.20

Funky named Pink Enchilada was also in my pack of pink premier spiders. Another big. floppy spider from my Roberts collection. I suppose they are all cousins, or something.

Prairie Blue Eyes 6.29.20

My last premier is an older daylily that deserves some credit for a bit of near blue – which didn’t happen much during the time she was hybridized. Prairie Blue Eyes opened her eyes for the first time in 2020 today.

All American Chief 6.29.20

I recounted scapes tonight and I think it is about 130 now. So, potentially a decent bloom rate. I can’t believe I’ll miss 6 days of it – but I will savor coming home to see the color.

Purple Many Faces 6.29.20

As for things that go bump in the night – it is probably just my cats playing with their toys at 2 AM.

Finales

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The summer wears on, the peak starts to decline a little (only 40 some daylilies today).  It was scape cutting day.  It is always a little sad to me to cut off a scape – like cleaning up wrapping paper after Christmas.  Less flowers mean more are having finales than births.  I think of fireworks . . . that last big blast.  Now that we are down to way less new blooms every day (we have had 108 so far – 62% bloom rate), I thought I might feature some finale blooms from around the yard, too.  One last chance to savor the colors until winter washes into summer, again.

So, let’s start with the new one.  Lime Frost bloomed.  She is a fairly large flower with the pretty green/yellow tint.  She was one of my early online nursery purchases.  I remember wanting a green one.

LimeFrost7.14.2.jpg

Lime Frost 7.14

OK – and finales go to Mesa Verde (she may have one bud left).  She has been an excellent performer, starting on 6/16.  She is one of my favorite ruffly ones . . . and one that lives in my back porch in the winter.  A couple years ago, my cat dug up her roots in the winter and I feared she was a gonner.  I guess not.  Now, I have chicken wire covers for the porch daylilies.

MesaVerde7.14.1.jpg

Mesa Verde 7.14

The other finale is Kachina Firecracker.  This was the one I thought was Echo Canyon when I first posted about her.  The year I put her (and Kachina Dancer) in the garden, I adopted a dog.  It was just a day or two after putting in the lilies.  The rescue pup’s name was Tina, so I renamed her Kachina because the name seemed to fit.

KachinaFirecracker7.14.1.jpg

Kachina Firecracker 7.14

Today, I moved Blackthorne and Autumn Jewels to the Border Garden.  I hooked them up to the drip system that I have out there.  I put a tad of fertilizer on them and the SW garden.  I hope the monsoons come soon – it almost sprinkled twice today, so maybe soon.  Oh, and sweet news – it looks like Indian Love Call is sending up a re-bloom spike!!!

OK – Other bloomers today were Comanche Princess, Papa Longlegs, Taco Twister, Dream Catcher, Soco Gap, Purple Grasshopper, Aztec Firebird, Adios Albuquerque, Nosferatu, Red Riddle, Cheddar Cheese, Heron’s Cove, Purple de Oro, Bluegrass Music, Mildred Mitchell, South Seas, Classy Lady, Mellon Balls, Lullabye Baby, Ruby Spider, Return a Smile, Bela Lugosi, Pick of the Litter, Raspberry Propeller, Lady Fingers, Black-Eyed Susan, Indian Sky, Stephanie Returns, Mini Pearl, Pink and Cream, Prelude to Love, Hesperus, Ruby Stella, Nurse’s Stethoscope, and Fox Ears.

PS – I will keep better track of finales starting tomorrow.  🙂