Surviving a 1,000-Year Drought: Daylily Care in High Desert Conditions on the Colorado Plateau

July 15, 2026Leave a comment

Hello Daylily Fans!

July, she flies. In fact, all of daylily season flies. Every year. It seems like the time between Saratoga Springtime and Purple Corndancer is about a week. But, in reality, it’s generally late May through sometime in August or September.

I have had several bloom since my last post on July 6th. We are getting into middle-late bloomers now. The temps have been close to or at 100 degrees daily for several days with minimal humidity. The smoke has cleared some, but the daily poor air quailty reports continue. And, we had about 10 minutes of rain a couple days ago – the first in weeks.

While droughts are common here in the high desert of the Colorado Plateau, this year is different. According to Drought.gov, this is the most severe drought period the region has experienced since at least 800 CE, beating out droughts that led Ancestral Puebloan cultures to abandon the Four Corners region.

And, despite that, my daylilies have done OK. Not great, but OK enough that I am at a 61% bloom rate for the year so far. The sad part is that it is my Southwestern Roadtrip Garden that is hardest hit. And, that is where my favorite cultivators live – my Ned Robert’s spiders and others that bear high desert names. The list of what hasn’t bloomed is bigger than the list of what has – at least for that garden.

I am planning to do some hardcore rehab of my pots in the Southwestern Roadtrip Garden this fall. And, the winter looks good for snow so far. Hopefully, my high desert spiders will be back in 2027.

Here are all my cultivators that have bloomed since July 7th. Enjoy!

I should add, that I have had about 34 of my Ned Roberts spiders bloom so far this year. That’s a gift. Last year, I had about 50. I still have a few left to bloom. But, it won’t be close to last year. I will do a whole blog on this once they have all bloomed.

Until next week,

Keep on blooming, Cathy Hartt, DNP (Daylily Nerd Person)

Visit my Art from the Hartt website for some great garden and daylily art from the high desert of the Colorado Plateau.

A Busy Day and A Gorgeous Daylily Bouquet

July 10, 2024Leave a comment

Some days, I like to talk about daylily gardening and blogging. Other days, I run out of time and energy. Today was full of shipping and restocking for my business, Art from the Hartt. And, I am on the Valley Food Partnership Board that oversees out local Farmer’s Market – so I also had an evening meeting. I figure with almost 200 daylily varieties that I have some farmer in me. My main reason for supporting the local farmers, though, is my background in nursing and wellbeing science. And, my love of leadership and my community.

Today, I had 5 new bloomers. I am just going to cut to the chase and post their photos: Bold Tiger, Pardon Me, Little Grapette, Moon Over Chimayo, and Glen Eyrie. The bottom row are my latest two Ned Roberts spiders. (I’m up to 15/70 in Neds that have bloomed.) Tomorrow, I may have more time to share my gardening life with you. For now, enjoy the pictures!

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Until the Last Daylily Blooms Sale on Etsy

A reminder about my daylily art that is on-sale at my Etsy shop all summer. Prices will continue to drop! I also have sales running on my handmade hypertufa pots/art, houseplants, and orders over $50. Check it out at this link or click on the photo below.

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

July 28, 2023July 28, 2023Leave a comment

Today, mid-late season arrived in my yard with a bang. Eight new cultivators. Of note, this was Oh, Erica’s first healthy bloom after three years in my yard. She only has 2 buds, though. The desert if hard.

Titan Sky had the first bloom ever and I’m in love with the colors! My second Ghost Ranch plant bloomed for the first time – the first one died about 3 years ago. I got the new one 2 years ago. If you live in the tropics, it’s different here.

Please enjoy my Instagram with photos.

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Cultivators in order: Oh Erica, Ghost Ranch, NOID seedling?, Glen Eyrie, Navajo Grey Hills, Titan Sky, Coburg Fright Wig, El Desperado.

Please visit my website Www.artfromthehartt.com

All Hell Broke Loose While I Was Camping

July 16, 2022July 16, 2022Leave a comment

I have no idea where to even start with premiers. I’m buried in catching up with daylily photos. I’ll give it a shot. Thank heaven I post to Facebook every day. Sometimes I do miss things, though.

7.11: Lobo Lucy, Laughing Feather, Happy Hopi, Chokecherry Mountain, Apache Uprising, and Soco Gap

7.14: Ruby Stella, Hesperus, Orange Flurry, Purple Many Faces, Kachina Dancer, Kiva Dancer, Cherokee Star, Papa Long Legs, Western Sandstone, Classy Lady, One of my new OZ daylilies that need labels (I believe).

7.15: Glen Eyrie, Scorpio, Route 66, Fooled Me, Echo Canyon, Twirling Pinata, Medicine Feather, Star Over Milgro, Black Ice, Winds of Love, Nearly Wild, Rosie’s Red, Mildred Mitchell, Fairytale Pink, and Navajo Rodeo

And, whatever I missed. And, my one bud on Lacy Doily bloomed when I was gone. So, if lighting strikes but no one is in earshot, is there thunder? Yes. To the bees and butterflies.

I need a stiff drink before I finish. Lol. That’s 31 new faces since I posted on Sunday. Sometimes, I wish we could flatten the curve of peak a little. Gonna be crazy for a bit.

Happy Birthday, Colorado!

August 2, 2021Leave a comment

Today is Colorado Day! My home state is 145 years old today! I remember when it was 100 and I was 21, but we won’t go there.

Today, before my one premier, I want to talk about my CO namesake daylilies. I am going to start with Cripple Creek, because she was in bloom today.

Echo Canyon – blooming earlier this year. There are several Echo Canyons in CO, so it is a guess that Ned Roberts named her with Colorado in mind.

Glen Eyrie in bloom last week. That name is Colorado through and through.

Mesa Verde – in bloom earlier this month and also 100% Colorado. We were there last weekend, actually.

Rocky Mountain Pals was named for a healthcare team in Colorado.

The Colorado Kid – our name sake. Definite Colorado ties here!

That’s a nice batch of daylilies to celebrate Colorado’s 145th BD.

Now, on to our (likely) next to last premier. I only have Adios Albuquerque left unless we get an August Surprise. I love Navajo Curls. She looks like melting butter to me. An awesome late bloomer with a ton of buds.

I’m blogged out for the moment but I will be back after a short break – later this week. Despite having over 2 dozen in bloom today, we have a lot of finales brewing.

July Daylily Roundup A-M

August 1, 2021August 1, 20212 Comments

The next two posts are a listing of the daylilies that have bloomed ANYTIME during July – even if they started in June. It is a large list but also a colorful one. I believe only 3 of my cultivators were totally done in June – Saratoga Springtime, Scorpio and yellow Stella de Oro.

If you like Ned Roberts cultivators, you have come to the right place because I have about 70 of them, and most (except Navajo Curls and Adios Albuquerque) that are going to bloom the year have bloomed sometime during July.

I went to the rodeo here last night, so I am all practiced-up and ready to go.

“Fringe Benefit” 6.27-7.12 (mislabeled bonus)

Glen Eyrie 7.25-7.30 (started while I was on vaca 7.19-24)

Golden Eclipse 7.16-present

Jungle Queen 7.1-7.19-24? Finished during vacation

Marque Moon 7.13-7.19 (ended 7.19-7.24 during vaca)

July Round-up N-Z – click here for more beautiful July blooms!

Please contact my business – Art and Nature from the Hartt for sales questions/availability.

The Last Shift

July 27, 2021Leave a comment

I’m a nurse and I have worked the last shift – in the old days that was 11 PM to 7 AM, although most places have gone to 12s, so it is 7 P to 7 A. When you show up for the last shift, there is still a lot that can happen. It is far from over. However, it tends to be quieter with administration and many of the departments (and physicians) asleep at home unless called. As a midwife, I generally preferred last shift births because it was less hectic.

I would say the same for daylilies – their cycle is more like the 8 hour day, but the first shift is slower than in nursing. These are the early bloomers, often yellow trumpets plus a few brave early bloomers. The second shift is crazy, especially this year. Many of the first shift stayed late and a few of the last shift showed up early. Hectic, yes. Now, it is clearly the late shift – time to gear down and savor the last few weeks of the season.

I am going to focus on premiers since 7.18, since I was on a camping road trip last week. I have had numerous finales during that time . . . too many. I plan to do a month wrap-up post at the end of the month with all the July bloomers and their bloom date range. It will take hours to put together.

Premiers (with date of premier bloom if known)

Royal Palace Prince – Premier 7.25 (actually, while I was on vacation)

Glen Eyrie – Premier 7.25 (actually, while I was on vacation)

Premier 7.26 (actually, while I was on vacation)

Purple Corn Dancer – Premier 7.27 (She usually closes out my blooms, but I have new scapes on Adios Albuquerque, Navajo Curls and Dr Doom. IDK who will clock-out last this year).

Orange Vols – Premier 7.27 (actually, while I was on vacation)

Pizza Crust – Premier 7.27 (actually, while I was on vacation)

I now count 151 +/- cultivators that have bloomed this year. I have 3 more premiers (with scapes) coming. Occasionally, someone will through a brand new (not re-bloom) scape in August. One time, Santa’s Pants threw one in October. But, we can count on 154 +/- for the season. That puts us at about 86% bloom rate – one of our highest years. I need to look back.

From here on, the focus will be finales. There are lots so maybe I’ll just wait until the end of the month and tie it up there. IDK.

Sixty-Six Spiderman Daylilies for 2020

August 9, 2020Leave a comment

Hi all – When it is Saturday and it hasn’t been the fun day that I planned. COVID had driven the world mad – and they seem to all be mad at me. So, how about a little Ned Robert’s daylily therapy? I fell in love with Ned’s southwestern named daylilies after finding Kokopelli on Lily Auction 5 years ago. I have a collection of 70 ish now. I am including a few from 2019 if they didn’t bloom this year. Comment with your favorite! Direct from Montrose, Colorado . . .

July’s Colorful Parade

July 31, 20203 Comments

Are you ready for a beautiful July parade? Here goes – a listing of all of my daylilies that had first blooms in July. I count 81. Enjoy!

Change of Shift

July 18, 2020Leave a comment

Change of shift is obviously when one group goes home and another one takes over. Well, since I left on vacation last Wednesday, I have had a lot of premiers and finales. I am not sure how many of each – but I do know that I have 44 in bloom today and 21 are new since I pulled out on my trip.

I had about 400 trip photos to go through, so I haven’t had time much time to count finales. I do know I missed at least one and others I only saw one bloom.

Was it worth it? Oh, yea – Colorado is beautiful and it is good to get out of town. Of course, the downside is that I now worry about COVID. Oh, I masked and carried hand sanitizer everywhere – around my neck. That said, there are a lot of people wondering around Colorado and our cases are on the rise.

I’ve now had about 104 bloom (+/-) so we are at a 61% bloom rate. I’d like to get to 80%, but we will see. I am just going to list the 21 new bloomers (Premiers) in alphabetic order: