Pueblo Dancer

May 18, 2020May 24, 2020Leave a comment

“My mom just painted a mural on the neighbor’s garage,” my daughter told the friend she was chatting with on the phone. The year was 1998 and I had just purchased my home, which came with murals on the garage. I live on a split lot, so the side of my neighbor’s garage is also my back fence. It never occurred to me that was wrong to paint it. In fact, I am likely helping preserve the old wood building by keeping it painted.

The murals in 2016 (and a few daylilies)

I knew I wanted a Southwest feel, so I took a Native American pot off my fireplace (BTW, five moves and 22 years later it is back on the mantel) and painted the Monument Valley design that was on the pot across the top of the mural.

Mural 2018 – still looks pretty good. The year I added the orchids.

I moved away in 1998, but came back in 2006. The mural was still there, although weathered – so I revitalized it then.

The mural in 2020 after stripping loose paint off.

It wasn’t until 2011 that I revitalized it, again. This time, I added a Native American Pueblo off some artwork on my wall. Now, anyone who knows the Southwest knows I am mixing my metaphors on that mural. Monument Valley does not have Native America pueblos. But, oh well, the original mural on the garage is the Senora desert. It is like a collage of my spring road trip right in my own back yard.

The mural site with primer – 2020 (yesterday)

The paint was curling bad this spring. It looked as bad as I have seen it. Maybe it’s cause I have my orchids under the shade sail against part of the wall, so it stays more humid.

Mural looks as good as new today!

Another section of the mural now has my dogs added.

Anyway, I stripped it down to wood where the paint was peeling and used primer to help hold the paint down better. It was a project that took all weekend. Well, I added my dogs, and that took time. And, I am working on a new Native American powwow dancer for the other wall.

Next week, I will finish the dancer and add some hoodoos from Goblin Valley to the area that has the dogs. Hopefully, it won’t take all weekend.

New painting will be a likeness of this young dancer

Pueblo Dancer is the name of a daylily in my Southwest garden. I have had her several years, she came with a bunch of Ned Roberts daylilies. The only thing is, I think she is mislabeled because she was suppose to be a tall daylily, and she is not.

“Pueblo Dancer” in my yard – 2018

She doesn’t look like that much the pictures of the cultivator, Pueblo Dancer. I would love anyone’s input on who she really is – or is she herself? Maybe she just isn’t happy in my yard? At any rate, next weekend, I will be adding this Native American dancer to the mural near the pueblo. A new pueblo dancer to replace the peeled one.

Picture of Pueblo Dancer from Shady Rest Gardens

I have to thank the stay-at home (and COVID-19) for helping me to find my creative side. I do better with a schedule I can flex. It is just how creatives are.

Tigers, Skinwalkers, Apaches, and Princes. Oh My!

August 10, 2016August 10, 20163 Comments

Yesterday was my first no bloom day since early June. Today brought several blooms, including my very first Tiger Kitten.

Tiger Kitten – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

And, after a few weeks of deformed Skinwalkers, today comes a picture perfect bloom. I think the early blooms were premature. What a great Ned Roberts bloom!

Skinwalker – Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Apache Uprising made a huge show with three blooms.

Apache Uprising – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

And, how awesome it is to see my last two Royal Palace Princes in full bloom.

Royal Palace Prince – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Stella also showed up to meet this crowd in the garden – both my golden and yella Stella.

Yella Stella – Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Golden Stella – Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

And, calm little Orange Flurry was present in the background.

Orange Stella – Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

That leaves only two unbloomed cultivators . . . Heirloom Heaven and Red Hot Returns. However, that is not bad for mid-August. And, nine total have unbloomed buds. Will I make it until freeze?

This weekend, I start the work of fall mulching. I’m learning more about promoting my rebloomers. And, so more improvements in store for the future.

The Monarch Has Landed!

July 20, 2016July 20, 2016Leave a comment

Today, I continue the wait for news. I worry some, and know that my daylilies will pull me back into the moment. I step outside, with camera in hand (and a queezy stomach) to admire my days blooms. I work it from the porch to the west edge of the walkway garden. Then out to check some of my pots and the xeriscaped area before going out to check on my Southwest named Ned Roberts garden. I am almost done, but decide to stop for one more shot of South Seas next to Primal Scream. Routine.

And, then, I spot it . . . a large Monarch butterfly on Thin Man. I quickly take my PowerShot out of close-up mode and attempt to focus on the distant flower. The Monarch was flower-hopping. From one to the next. I got a few good shots . . . in others, she seemed intent in hiding from me. Here are my favorites.

Monarch on an old Orange Vols bloom – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Monarch in the South Seas – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Monarch on the Orange Vols – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

The only new bloom for 2016 today is Baja. For some reason, this is one of my favorites each year.

Baja – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C Hartt

Of note, my other Primal Scream bloomed. The one that was labeled Primal Scream (and not Desert Flame). This was one of my <$5 fall sale daylilies. It struggled with insects when I planted it. I was unsure if it would come back in the spring, let alone bloom. But, her it is. The bloom is smaller than on the new nursery-bought plant that I thought was Desert Flame. But it is a different location and year one for a smaller fan. What do you think, same flower? (Today’s bloom is on the left.)

Today’s collage is by garden area. The top blooms are in my walkway garden. The middle ones are in the xeriscaped area of my front lawn. And, the last ones are in my Southwest named daylily (mostly Ned Roberts) to the West of my house. Sadly, I believe we have seen the last Ruby Spider for the year 😦

From L to R: Top Row: Mini Pearl, Chorus Line, Prelude to Love, Primal Scream. Second Row – Baja, South Seas, Thin Man. Third Row – Indian Love Call, Lady Fingers, Fooled Me. Bottom Row – Dream Catcher, Zuni Thunderbird, Aztec Firebird.

I wonder what blooms today’s monsoon will bring tomorrow? Hopefully blooms of news!

Twin Firebirds

July 16, 2016July 16, 2016Leave a comment

Today was much less overwhelming than peak day yesterday. Every bloom was a return. However, the bloom(s) that caught my eye were twin Aztec Firebirds. There is something about two blooms together, facing the same direction. They look like dancers.

Aztec Firebird – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

The name brings to mind Aztec Ruins, an Anasazi site close by in the Four Corners. I need to superimpose these blooms on the ruins picture from my spring Southwest road trip this spring. They are awesome ruins, just like the blooms.

Aztec Ruins National Monument – Photo by C. Hartt

Since I have no new blooms, I will highlight a couple of other Ned Roberts spiders in bloom today. Desert Icicle is a beautiful bloom.

Desert Icicle – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

And, poor Zuni Thunderbird was invaded by thrips and looks like it has reverse measles. I did some photo touching with it to make it presentable. One thing about having over a hundred cultivators – you begin to learn the work of farming daylilies.

Zuni Thunderbird in enamel – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

So, here is the collage for today. Some really nice blooms, all in all.

Left to Right: Top Row – Just Plum Happy, South Seas, Desert Icicle, Lady Fingers. Row Two: Chorus Line, Ruby Spider, Soco Gap, Lullaby Baby. Bottom Row: Purple de Oro, Aztec Firebird, Zuni Thunderbird.

Not Southwestern, but Native American

July 7, 2016July 7, 2016Leave a comment

I sit in a hotel so that I can attend a clinical conference the next few days. It’s going to be good, I think. Still, I hate missing daylily blooms.

Today’s featured bloom is Soco Gap. It was sent as a gift plant last fall. I had no clue what the name meant so I Googled it and found out that it does link to Native Americans. Soco Gap was a place in North Carolina where the Shawnee were defeated by the Cherokee. Therefore, it is in my Southwestern (mostly) Ned Roberts garden. It is a pretty bloom amongst the yucca plants. I like the red-orange color.

Soco Gap – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

The other new face today is Mildred Mitchell. The name reminds me a bit of Watergate, but it is really named for the hybridizers family member. It is a near blue, which was clear to my eye. It was too bright by the time I got out and it does not look blue to the camera under the sun. It is a pretty flower, just the same.

Mildred Mitchell – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

The other bloom that I will mention in the text is Return A Smile. She had blooms in her container on the porch and in the front garden. It is a division of the same plant. I am amazed by the difference that the sun exposure makes to color. It makes identification much more interesting because these guys are not color stable in bright sun.

And, my collage for today. Best day yet – that is nine blooms if you count both Return a Smile blooms. (Flowers moving clockwise from top left – Mesa Verde, Early Bird Cardinal, Primal Scream, Ruby Spider, and Lady Fingers (center).

Mesa Verde, Early Bird Cardinal, Primal Scream, Ruby Spider, and Lady Fingers – Photos by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Can’t wait to see what is up next when I return home! I am considering finding high country flowers as I walk around this area and blogging a bit about those. I am at 9,000+ feet above sea level. And, I have empty nest for my own garden already. 🙂

Where have all my daylilies gone?

July 2, 2016July 2, 2016Leave a comment

Hey, it is the 4th of July weekend. Normal daylily peak bloom in my yard is the next couple of weeks. I look at my posts to Facebook the past two years, and those blooms are behind. After cool, rainy weather for the last couple of days, I only had three blooms today. Look, I’ve got over 100 varieties in my yard . . . so three? Really?

What can you do but sit and wait? And, take photos of your new hostas. Yes, that is how I decided to balance my yard a little . . . with shade foliage plants. My yard has sunny spots where the daylilies flourish. It also had a lot of established trees and, therefore, shade. Those areas just aren’t good for daylily blooms. So, this year I have found some great online hosta sites and I am trying a few out to see how they do. I love that the color is permanent, whereas the daylilies bloom for one day. It seems like yin and yang. The hot colors of the sun-loving daylilies and the cool colors of the shade-loving hosta.

Before I share my (still very much) baby hosta photos, let’s visit the daylilies. Since it is red, white, and blue weekend, let’s start with Ruby Spider. As always, stunning.

Then that mystery daylily that is, most likely Primal Scream and not Desert Flame. Very eye-catching, even in the muted light.

Lastly, poor little Black Ice who did not want to bloom in the rain. I had to go out after lunchtime to finally find it fully open for the day. With a name like Black Ice, you would think it would appreciate the cooler weather. No, wait, it’s a daylily.

OK, so here are my baby hosta plants. I love the blues, yellows and variegated ones. The adult plants are much showier. I can’t wait to see them in a year! But, starting with roots is economical beyond belief. And, they can grow into their space in a few years. Like daylily roots, buying this way means you wait a bit longer. And, it’s usually worth the wait.

Tomorrow, it looks like there is a possibility of more blossoms. Maybe even some new faces. And, more sun. I sure hope so. My dogs are in hoodies and I want to crawl under my blanket. Happy 4th of July weekend from the Colorado Plateau.

After the Rain

June 30, 2016June 30, 2016Leave a comment

Rain is not a common thing on the Colorado Plateau. But, early this morning, the rain came. I could smell it from my bedroom window. It always looks like pearls on the petals to me.

It’s also interesting how much the backdrop for photos can change its emotional tone. When I got Ruby Spider a few years ago, it was to hide the timer for the drip system. And, I have always thought it looked majestic with the rock masonry from my house in the background. Last fall, I divided it into three Rubys because it had outgrown the planter that it shares with Return a Smile and Just Plum Happy. So, the two extra Rubys were relocated to my front walkway garden (which I converted to more of a daylily theme last summer).

Ruby Spider – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Today, I had the first Ruby bloom in the new setting. I was taken back by the contrast with the clematis in the background. It looks a little like Christmas. I also like the one with the bluebells.

Ruby and Friends – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

No new faces today, but another mystery. When I divided up Ruby and her planter-mates last fall, the tags for Return a Smile and Just Plum Happy got (perhaps) mixed up. These two look just enough alike, that I decided I would have to wait for blooms this year to decide which was which. So, I think the photo taken today (below) is Return a Smile (although, I have changed my mind a few times).

Return a Smile – Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Here are web photos of Just Plum Happy . . .

And, Return a Smile.

Any votes?

Other visitors today are Chief Four (Three) Fingers,

Chief Four (Three) Fingers – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Hopi Jewel,

Hopi Jewel – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

and Wild Horses.

Wild Horses – Photos by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

I also went out and snapped a couple more of Chama Valley last night, in less intense sun. Much better.

Chama Valley – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Enjoy your pictorial visit to my Colorado Western Slope garden. I think we will see peak bloom in a week or so. Hopefully, I won’t miss too much when I am at the National Nurse Practitioner Symposium next week. I wish my cats could take pictures.

Southwest Spiders in the Garden

June 28, 2016June 28, 2016Leave a comment

I find spider daylilies mesmerizing. Something about the shape, the twists. Each bloom is so unique. Not that I don’t love the traditional shapes. But, there is something about a spider in the garden. And, I don’t mean the insect kind that live in my rock garden this time of year.

Today, another new Ned Roberts bloom: Winds of Love. It was a bonus plant that came with some others that I bought from the Lily Auction from a seller named Floota. At first, I thought it didn’t belong with the Southwestern named ones. But, then, I remembered those spring desert windstorms that blow the warmer weather in each year. You know, the ones that formed the Grand Canyon? Well, they can be serious show stoppers if you are on a road trip. But, what about reframing them to mean something more positive? Cognitive behavioral therapy for weather. So, Winds of Love is in with the other Southwestern named blooms.

Winds of Love – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

I also played with the macros feature on my camera more today. I got some cool close-ups of today’s blooms – all are Ned’s daylilies. So, sit back, relax, and enjoy. PS – I am writing this as I wait for a 5PM job interview. It’s a bit too early to start preparing. It’s weird to interview via the web, so I need to vacuum 🙂 Blogging about daylilies is the BEST way to stay focused in the moment. Well, next to taking photographs and painting them, that is.

Here are my three beautiful spiders of today up close and personal:

Winds of Love – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Kokopelli – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Black Ice – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

OK, and one more of Kokopelli from a little further back. The first bloom had some issues with color, but this one is gorgeous! So perfect. Can’t wait to paint it. I love the colors! It almost has a hint of blue between the yellow and pink . . . OK, light purple.

Anyway, about time to prep for that interview. I need a job after graduation so I can pay for my daylily habit 🙂 Well, actually, it is a really cool job.

That’s all folks!

The Colorado Kid: Our Mascot in Bloom

June 28, 2016June 28, 2016Leave a comment

It was odd how daylily fever gripped me last summer. I was just coming off a rough spot in my career and headed back to school for my doctorate. The more I figured out online ordering, the more I got into looking for specialty daylilies. And, for a few weeks, the near blues intrigued me deeply. I ordered a few . . . (3/5 I lost in the spring). But, I had ordered a couple more later on, because I thought they had nice blue. The Colorado Kid is in my yard both because of color and name. I am infatuated by my first near blue bloom. Do not ask how many photos I took of it this AM. This is that one that is the mascot of this blog! Check out our logo. The Colorado Kid is prettier than I imagined it.

The Colorado Kid in shade – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

The color is more purple in direct sunlight, but still an stunning color combination.

Colorado Kid in the sun – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Other bloomers today include Ruby Spider. I love those huge red peddles. I have painted them on so many Christmas gifts!

Ruby Spider – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

And Hopi Jewel.

Hopi Jewel – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

And, last but not least, Early Bird Cardinal. His eyes were not quite open yet when I snapped this before work.

Early Bird Cardinal just waking up – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Tomorrow, I am not sure. I think Desert Flame. I guess that gives me a reason to get out of bed in the morning!

Kokopelli: Changing Winter to Spring

June 25, 20161 Comment

I have always found the legend of the kokopelli inspirational. Flute players who bring bags of seeds to change winter to spring. I think one of the most inspiring depictions of kokopelli are the benches in the kivas at Lowry Anasazi Ruins just south of where I live in Colorado. The ruins are always stunning because of these kokopelli benches.

Kokopelli – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

So, is it any wonder that on one of my first trips to the Lily Auction last fall that a bloomer named Kokopelli caught my eye. I blogged a couple weeks ago about my first auction experience . . . and my goal was to bring Kokopelli to my yard. Another bonus was that the grower was in Santa Barbara, my mom’s adulthood hometown. It seemed right. So right, as a matter of fact, that I began collecting the Ned Roberts southwestern named daylilies with that purchase. And, today, my first Kokopelli bloom arrives.

Another bloom that drew me in last fall, as I began to hone in on my southwest themed daylilies, was Wild Horses. This bloom just kept drawing me back, over and over. In the end, I purchased this one at an end of the year sale (from a San Francisco area grower – my dad’s childhood home region). There is something about the shapes and colors that makes me want to visit the wild mustangs.

Wild Horses – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Today’s other blooms include Black Ice, Chama Valley (named for a place in New Mexico), and little Happy Returns. So from here out sit back and relax. The daylily popcorn is popping. There should be more new ones tomorrow. I am hoping for Mesa Verde!

Black Ice – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Chama Valley – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Happy Returns – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Ta ta until tomorrow!

Colorado Kid Daylilies

A Blog About My Western Colorado Daylily Adventure

Tag: daylily