Overload!

June 30, 2018June 30, 2018Leave a comment

Here comes the peak. Thirty-seven bloomers today – Six new ones. Well, five, but I am going to highlight Papa Long Legs, again. Because his first bloom was not his best. So, here he is today. He totally lives up to his name!

Papa Long Legs 6/30

And, as I said yesterday, Happy Hopi was in the blooming process. She ended up with some awesome blooms today – I have never seen her before in my yard. Another first. I am now up to 21 Ned Roberts spiders that have bloomed. I hope to double that. But, I only had like 12 all of last year. So, those buried pots matter.

Happy Hopi 6/30

The other new Roberts spider (another very first bloom) is Black Arrowhead. She reminds me of Apache Bandana. Somewhere I have all the genetics for this family of daylily – I need to look to see who is related to who. But, probably not until the peak slows some.

Black Arrowhead 6/30

The next two are family flowers. In the Walkway Garden, I have a small Family Garden section. It is inspiring, spiritual, and sad to me . . . all at once. Many of my family have passed (I am the baby of the family whose mom was nearly 40 when she gave birth). Others and just estranged or distant. I wish it was different, but I have always been the resilient one. Sometimes that means aging solo. But the garden brings me to a place of remembering the positives I got from my family.

So, today a first bloom of Catherine Irene. My mom’s name was Catherine Irene. This flower has done so much better in a buried container . . . first bloom after 3 summers here. She is a pretty little mini!

Catherine Irene 6/30

And, speaking of minis, Mini Pearl showed up today. My mom’s mom (my grandma) was named Mini Pearl. She is a reliable bloomer and I am sure I will need to divide her come fall.

Mini Pearl 6/30

I also had my first Electric Lizard for the year. This plant struggles in my yard. Only 2 buds this year. None last year, I don’t think. One the year prior. I love this bloom and wish it liked me better. Maybe more miracle grow this fall?

Electric Lizard 6/30

Last, but not least, is cute little Early Bird Cardinal. She has been a reliable bloomer over the years, although only gave me a couple blooms last year. Many buds this year. I was thinking the one I named Red Riddle might be an Early Bird Cardinal – but I don’t think so now. Look at the side-by-side of today’s blooms. I think Early Bird is smaller, rounder, and rufflier. I don’t know for sure, thought.

Early Bird Cardinal 6/30

Red Riddle 6/30

OK – other bloomers (are you ready?) – Purple Many Faces, Indian Love Call, Pink Rain Dance, Cheyenne Eyes, Navajo Rodeo, Chokecherry Mountain, Cherokee Princess, Hopi Jewel, Holy Sombrero, Pueblo Dancer, Black Ice, Soco Gap, Aztec Firebird, Zuni Thunderbird, Prairie Blue Eyes, Red Riddle, Purple Mystique, Mesa Verde, Canyon Colors, Bluegrass Music, The Colorado Kid, Happy Returns, Lady Fingers, Yellow Punch, Jungle Queen, Route 66, Ruby Stella, Nurse’s Stethoscope, Strutter’s Ball, Wild Horses, Inwood, Chaco Canyon, Funny Valentine, and Return a Smile.

Tomorrow, it will be quite a roll-call for the week. But next week will be even crazier. And fitting in medical appointments . . . But, I would not miss the peak bloom for the world. Tomorrow, we will hear from Primal Scream!

So, that is 62 of 175 (ish) – 35% bloom rate so far. Man . . . we have a ways to go!

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!

First bloom: The Yellow Trumpets

June 8, 2017June 8, 2017Leave a comment

Today brought my first bloom of 2017. A golden Stella de Oro. Well, more like two Stellas. Simple yellow trumpets are the early birds. Happy Returns will join, soon. So will Ruby Spider . . .the one in a container on my patio. It gets hot back there. That bunch is always a couple weeks ahead.

While Stella led the way, more scapes became visible. Indian Love Call, Pink Enchilada, Stephanie Returns, Isaac, Early Bird Cardinal, Mesa Verde, Heron’s Cove, Red Hot Returns, Lady Fingers, Royal Palace Prince, and Prairie Wildfire. And, a tiger that the nursery wasn’t sure what it was . . . So, I got a big discount. The list grows. I’m hoping for a 75% bloom year.

This blog will be different this year. Last year, I was finishing up my doctorate. I had a lot of flexibility to be in the garden and playing with photos. This year, I work 45+ hours a week for Western Governors University. I’m committed to the blog, but it needs a new approach. Because, sleep is good.

The Long and the Short of it

July 18, 2016July 18, 2016Leave a comment

Today, when I walked outside for the first time, my garden smiled at me. At first, I thought I wouldn’t have many blooms. But, 15 or so cultivators is good. I’m a bit on-edge today, waiting for some news. I love the garden because it causes me to live in the moment.

So, some new faces today. One of the new Ned Roberts spiders that I put in last fall joined the others that have bloomed in the new garden. This is Dream Catcher – a sibling to Dream Keeper, which was one of my earliest bloomers.

Dream Catcher – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

And a much more traditional bloom reappeared for the first time in 2016 – Fooled Me.

Fooled Me – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Both are gorgeous orange colors, but the shapes are so different. Daylilies are like dogs . . . there are long ones and short ones. But, a dog is always a dog.

Another one I am highlighting today is Inwood. Her first bloom was so misshapen that it was almost unrecognizable. She only put out one scape, so savor and move her to more light. Today’s blossom was perfect!

Inwood – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Oh, and I wanted to feature a couple of triplets: Blue Beat and South Seas. I have mixed opinion on seeing more than one bud get used up in a day, but they are pretty in the moment.

Blue Beat – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

South Seas – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

And, the collage for today features the spiders at the top. Just look at all the variety of shape and color. Cheaper than therapy, and they smell good!

From L to R: Top Row – Aztec Firebird, Dream Catcher, Ruby Spider, Lady Fingeres. Middle Row – Blue Beat, Early Bird Cardinal, Indian Love Call, Inwood, Mesa Verde. Bottom Row – Prairie Blue Eyes, Soco Gap, Mini Pearl, South Seas.

And, the Peak Goes On! (In Colorado)

July 17, 2016July 17, 2016Leave a comment

I walked out the door to over twice as many blooms as yesterday. Twenty-one! So, we are continuing to climb to the apex of the season. Interesting that in this bouquet that there are no new cultivators. So, what to talk about? Perhaps what the sun does to color in daylilies. I am no hybridizer, but I was a printer at one point much earlier in my life. I learned about color then . . . additive and subtractive.

It is my understanding that daylilies don’t have genes to make blue. So, the near blue flowers are a mosaic. Additive color is what I use when I paint my blooms. It is easy compared to subtractive color . . . which is done with light and filters. If I was issuing a somewhat educated guess, I would say this must be a subtractive process.

So, here is my stunning Blue Beat before the rays of sun hit it directly:

Blue Beat – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

And here it is just 5-10 minutes later, as the first rays of sun found its pedals: ( It shifts from blue, green, and light pink to peach, yellow, and purple). I would love to hear a hybridizer’s take on this!

Blue Beat – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

I had a lot of cool spiders today – Ruby Spider, Thin Man, Aztec Firebird, Zuni Thunderbird, and Desert Icicle. Here is one with Ruby and the Thin Man.

Ruby Spider with Thin Man in the distance – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Also, three out of five in my family garden are blooming today: Here are all three: Isaac (grandson), Mini Pearl (Minnie Pearl – grandma), and Stephanie (daughter). The colors are nice together. Maya Poppy (for granddaughter, Maia) is going to blend right in. Hopefully, soon. Catherine Irene, momma’s namesake, looks like it is waiting for now.

All in the Family from L to R: Isaac, Mini Pearl, and Stephanie Returns – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

So, here are today’s 21. Busiest day of 2016 so far. At least until I start trying to paint all of these for Christmas presents! Oh, help!

In alphabetical order from L to R: Top Row – Aztec Firebird, Blue Beat, Desert Icicle, Early Bird Cardinal, Isaac. Row Two – Lady Fingers, Mesa Verde, Mini Pearl, Pick of the Litter, Prelude to Love, Purple de Oro. Row Three – Razzamatazz, Return a Smile, Route 66, Ruby Spider, Soco Gap, South Seas. Bottom Row – Stephanie Returns, Thin Man, VooDoo Dancer and Zuni Thunderbird.

So, I am ready for a nap!

Climbing to the Peak of Daylily Color

July 15, 2016July 15, 2016Leave a comment

If yesterday was a little quiet (for July) in my garden, today was a bit overwhelming. There were several new faces.

Thin Man bloomed for the first time ever – the biggest bloom (12 inches) in my garden.

Thin Man – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

One of my Ned Roberts Southwest spiders also showed his colors for the first time ever in my yard. Meet Aztec Firebird.

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

And, a nice little addition called Pick of the Litter was also a first-time in my yard bloomer today. Funny, this was a gift plant and I don’t remember the plant it came with – or if that plant has bloomed.

Pick of the Litter – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

First blooms for 2016 in my existing daylilies included one that I don’t have a name for – so I decided to call it Montrose Sunset. I picked this up when I xeriscaped a few years ago . . . before I was a true hobbiest. And, I cannot find the name but I like the bloom a lot.

??? “Montrose Sunset” – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Prelude to Love is a pretty dark red/purple bloom that reappears each year, as well.

Prelude to Love – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Strutter’s Ball is one I added last year and (like its neighbors, Inwood and Funny Valentine) it is astruggling to produce blooms this year. I decided today that when my blues finish blooming in a week or two, I will switch their locations and see what happens. The issue, I believe, is figuring out which pots the sprinkler system over-waters, and which it under-waters. And, then, balancing that.

Strutter’s Ball – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Cheddar Cheese, aptly, lives near my outdoor grill and is back to top-off our hamburgers.

Cheddar Cheese – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Blackthorn is one I put in last year – I really like this bloom!

Blackthorne – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

And, here is today’s collage. I tried to put this is semi-rainbow order. It is a lot of color, for sure. The peak has come to this yard on the Colorado Plateau.

From L to R: Top Row: Route 66, ? “Montrose Sunset”, Isaac, Mildred Mitchell, Razzamatazz, Prelude to Love. Row Two: Indian Love Call, Soco Gap, Aztec Firebird, Lady Fingers, Purple De Oro, Strutters Ball. Row Three: Early Bird Cardinal, Thin Man, Cheddar Cheese, (Lady Fingers), Blackthorn, VooDoo Dancer. Bottom Row: Stephanie Returns, Pick of the Litter and Return a Smile.

Hey, folks, that is eight new blooms in the yard today. That puts me at circa 45 different blooms this year. (That means about 90 have not bloomed – but many are year ones or small year twos.) I only need 20+ more to hit 50%. I have a lot of scapes – so maybe . . . stay tuned.

Singing the Blues

July 15, 2016Leave a comment

Today, all three of my near blues (with scapes) were in bloom; Blue Beat, Mildred Mitchell, and The Colorado Kid. (Sounds like a rock band.) They have all bloomed before this year, so I highlighted them in todays garden collage. I did want to share a large view of Blue Beat before the first rays of sun hit her. Very blue-looking!

Blue Beat – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

The other photo I really like from today is Jungle Queen. I caught the first rays of light on her pedals.

Jungle Queen – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

I had two new blooms and neither looked as healthy as I would like. Bugs, heat, water issues, etc. Who knows? They are pretty flowers and hopefully they will have their true colors shining through very soon.

Zuni Thunderbird – a neat Ned Roberts spider that I put in the new garden last fall.

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

And, Inwood – a beautiful flower with a frompy first bloom.

Inwood – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Below are the bloomers for today.

Left to Right: Top row – South Seas, The Colorado Kid, Blue Beat, Mildred Mitchell, Soco Gap. Second Row: Inwood, Jungle Queen, Mini Pearl, Purple de Oro, Early Bird Cardinal. Bottom: Zuni Thunderbird.

Before I sign off, let me just say that I am writing this blog to share my experiences being a daylily hobbiest in the desert of Western Colorado. The soil is clay, so I have learned to amend it with good soil and water crystals. They help hold the moisture in – and I had my best garlic harvest ever after adding them to the mix. However, there can always be too much of a good thing and the crystals can harbor root rot is the drainage isn’t good, The last week, Colorado Kid has been fading. Today, I threw out the rotten dirt and cleaned up the roots. Hopefully, I didn’t over correct. It’s hard for humans to get the right balance of moisture in a place where mother nature falls short. And, that is the adventure. (RIP Navajo Rodeo – I am not sure what got you but something did 😦 )

The Daylily Dozen (plus one)

July 12, 2016July 12, 2016Leave a comment

Today, I finally had a dozen different daylilies in bloom in my yard. I limited photos, but it still took forever to go through them 😉 I decided to put today’s collage in some sort of order by color from purple to yellow.

I want to keep this short, but also share some new faces. First is a brand new face, Indian Love Call. It is a pretty dark bloom with thin peddles. Nice addition to the front yard.

Indian Love Call – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

The next one is “almost” brand new. I got South Seas toward the end of last season and I only got one bloom. I love the bright colors and large bloom size.

South Seas – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Then an old favorite, Route 66. I found this one the year that Route 66 was the epicenter of my Southwest road trip. The hybridizer created this one back when Route 66 was still more of an American dream trip. The colors are spot-on.

Route 66 – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Another new face today is my first “Mexican Daylily” that is really called a Shell Flower. These blooms got their nickname because each bloom only lasts one day. I love the beautiful pattern on the bottom. These are bulbs that I got for $1 at the grocery store in February (all 12 of them).

“Mexican Daylily” – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

And, finally, below is my Daylily Dozen. It is of note that Colorado Kid almost looks like a different flower now that it is hot. It is up with the dark reds but was a pink in earlier blossoms.

From L to R. Top Row: Kokopelli, Purple de Oro, Black Ice, The Colorado Kid. Row two: Indian Love Call, Route 66, Ruby Spider, Early Bird Cardinal. Bottom Row: Mesa Verde, South Seas, Primal Scream, Lady Fingers.

What’s up for tomorrow? Lucky 13.

Daylilies @ Dusk

July 11, 2016July 11, 2016Leave a comment

I made it home to find 11 different daylily cultivators in bloom. Thing is, though, it was dusk. And, it had been a very warm day. In the 90s. So, my little friends were too burned to take good flash photography. So, I went with grainy natural lighting with some photo-fix to help.

New bloom in my Ned Roberts garden is Desert Icicle. I am hoping for a fresh one very soon! Pretty thing. Prarie Blue Eyes is on oldie but goodie in my yard. Great older daylily. And, what I think is Just Plum Happy. I hope it is in bloom tomorrow with Return a Smile so I can confirm identity. Other than that, I believe they are all returns this year. Can’t wait to see what the daylight brings.

Top row: Just Plum Happy, Canyon Colors, Margaret Mitchell, and Return a Smile. Second row: Lady Fingers, Purple De Oro, Desert Icicle, Early Bird Cardinal, Ruby Spider. Bottom row: Soco Gap and Prairie Blue Eyes.

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. 🙂

Colorado Kid Daylilies

A Blog About My Western Colorado Daylily Adventure

Tag: Early Bird Cardinal

Overload!

The Wild Horses of Mesa Verde are in My Garden

First bloom: The Yellow Trumpets

The Long and the Short of it

And, the Peak Goes On! (In Colorado)

Climbing to the Peak of Daylily Color

Singing the Blues

The Daylily Dozen (plus one)

Daylilies @ Dusk

Not Southwestern, but Native American