I’m back, but only to catch up on finales since Sunday. Once school starts next week, it seems like the daylilies fade in my mind a little. But, this year I am semi-retired so hoping to stay a bit engaged. Last year, I did that huge 70+ buried pot repotting. That was 4 weekends of work and nearly ran into freeze. So, I suppose you could call that engaged.
This year’s project is to re-organize some of my less favorite/poor bloomers with some new cultivators. I just purchased Singing in the Sunshine, Irish Handshake, Ghost Ranch (more fans because I only have one), Off to See the Wizard, Memories of Oz, Sea Panther, Ruby Slippers, Blue Flirt, Wildwood Flower (mine died a couple years ago), and (maybe) another fan of Coyote Laughs (I am not sure the one I have is actually Coyote Laughs). That is 9 or 10 more, but I will be selling some of mine that I am eliminating. I also may do a big pot of leftovers – I have one that does great! I am amazed because it is soooo crowded.
Chaco Canyon – Finale 8.4. Bloomed from 6.27 to today – good year for this one!Pizza Crust Finale 8.3Taco Twister finale 8.4 (today). Treasure of the Southwest finale 8.3Dancing Maiden finale 8.2El Desperado finale 8.2Indian Sky finale 8.2
I have several with only a few (if that) buds left. I think the closing daylilies this year will be Purple Corn Dancer, Navajo Curls, Purple Thunderbird and Adios Albuquerque. Will they last until September? Will there be an August surprise scape on a non-bloomer?
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.
Alabama Jubilee 6.26-7.10All American Chief 6.22-7.9Apache Bandana 6.30-7.10Autumn Jewels 7.16-presentAztec Firebird 7.8-7.31Baby Blue Eyes 7.6-7.27Baja 7.10-7.29Bella Boo 7.2-7.16Bela Lugosi 7.4-7.26Big Red Rhyme (NOID) 6.22-7.11Black Arrowhead 7.6-7.30Blackthorne 7.6-7.13Black Eyed Susan 7.4-7.19Black Ice 7.4-7.18Blue Beat 7.9-7.17Buttered Popcorn 7.7-7-25Candy Cane Dreams 7.1-7.19Canyon Colors 6.15-presentCatherine Irene 6.24-7.13Chaco 6.27-presentCheddar Cheese 7.3-7.17Cherokee Star 7.9-8.1Cheyenne Eyes 7.6-7.19Chief Four Fingers 6.12-7.15Chokecherry Mountain 7.5-7.27Chorus Line 7.6-presendClassy Lady 7.6-7.29Coburg Fright Wig 7.11-7.30Comanche Princess 6.18-7.11Coral Taco 7.2-7.16Cricket Call 7.3-7.17Cripple Creek 7.19-presentDancing Maiden 7.16-presentDesert Icicle 7.26-presentDr Doom 7.30-presentDream Catcher 7.14-presentDream Keeper 6.11-7.1Early Bird Cardinal 6.27-7.13Echo Canyon 6.21-7.10El Desperado 7.17-presentFairytale Pink 7.11-7.17Feather Woman 7.5-7.9Fine Time Lucille 7.10-7.17Fol de Rol 7.4-7.17Fooled Me 7.10-7.16Frans Hals 7.15-present“Fringe Benefit” 6.27-7.12 (mislabeled bonus)Funny Valentine 6.20-7.8Ghost Ranch 7.12-7.17Glen Eyrie 7.25-7.30 (started while I was on vaca 7.19-24)
Golden Eclipse 7.16-present
Happy Hopi 7.7-7.31Happy Returns 6.27-7.12Heavenly Curls 7.5-7.17Heirloom Heaven 7.25-presentHesperus 7.12-presentHoly Sombrero 7.7-7.25Hopi Jewel 6.27-7.17Iktomi 7.9-7.29Indian Love Call 7.13-7.27Indian Sky 7.13-presentIndian Giver 6.30-7.17Inwood 6.22-7.12Jungle Queen 7.1-7.19-24? Finished during vacationJust Plumb Happy 7.4-7.15Kachina Dancer 6.30-7.16Kokopelli 6.25-7.19Lacy Doily 7.3-7.16Lady Fingers 6.23-7.19Land of Enchantment 6.23-7.11Lime Frost 7.11-7.16Lobo Lucy 7.13-7.31Longlesson Showoff 7.5.7.18Lullaby Baby 7.7 to presentMama Cuna 7.11-presentMarque Moon 7.13-7.19 (ended 7.19-7.24 during vaca)Mauna Loa 6.27-7.10Maya Cha Cha 7.4-7.19Medicine Feather 7.5-7.18Melon Balls 7.6-7.15Mesa Verde 6.15-7.13Mini Pearl 6.26-7.31Mount Echo Sunrise 6.28-7.19
Well, here I am at 11 PM starting my blog. I had to go into work and trim my hedge . . . so, that’s life. Once again, I have over 60 in bloom including 5 premiers. IDK, I think we are still on the plateau bloom season.
Before I list the premiers, I want to point out something that I learned coincidentally. I have a three sided yard – one side is an outdoor porch between the house and the garage. Then the front and side lawns. Each gets varying amounts of sun and water. When dividing daylilies to fill spaces several years ago, I noted that the cultivators bloomed as slightly different times and even had a slightly different hue. So, blooms that I want to extend for more weeks, I put in two locations in my yard. Like a cultivator? – double it by giving it two different areas.
Canyon Colors first bloomed in my big pot on the NW corner of my home on 6.15 – almost exactly a month ago. Towards the end of that cycle of blooms, the Canyon Colors in the Southwest Garden started blooming. Today, she had her finale. And, the big pot started reblooming. I am going to have Canyon Colors all summer!
OK – Premiers:
Autumn Jewels 7.16 – a close relative to El Desperado tells me the season is moving forwardDancing Maiden 7.16 – With her close relative, Aztec Firebird, in the background. I am glad these are in separate pots because otherwise it is hard to tell which bloom belongs to which plant. I think there were a couple of years where I thought the was Aztec Firebird.Golden Eclipse 7.16 – Another bloomer that comes later in the season. I love her color, although the grower told me I might be disappointed. I’m not.Indian Sky 7.16 – I bought this from a grower who called it Indian Sky but it doesn’t look like the one on the Daylily Society website. It does look like the one on the grower’s website. So, I still think she is pretty.Navajo Grey Hills 7.16 with a funky first bloom. Bugs, no doubt. I have faith it will straighten out. I really like this Roberts spider!
Finales:
Nurse’s Stethoscope finale 7.16 – This one that was born out of a name I suggested on the Daylily Society FB page. She totally fits her name if you ask me.Lacey Doily 7.16 – A pretty little mini
There may be others that I missed so I should call these finales or near finales.
Encores:
Canyon Colors first rebloom on 7.16
That’s all folks. Thinking a couple more are going to jump in tomorrow.
I spent some time today trying to re-orient myself to the new lot of daylilies that are in bloom since I got home from my road trip. I got the spent scapes cut off and tried to make a list of finales. I would like to make a list of all the ones with scapes not yet bloomed and all the ones that aren’t trying.
Anyway, I went back through the 7.8 and 7.16 photos and found more premiers. Plus, there were 5 premiers today (at least first bloom since I got home). The total is 114 that have bloomed. That’s a 67% bloom rate. To hit 80%, we will need 37 cultivators to bloom. Twenty-three more. That’s tight but we can hope. I’ll count unbloomed scapes tomorrow.
And, to backtrack, here are the premiers from 7.16.20 that I finally had time to look at today. I always come home to rain – so these guys look like they just showered.
Autumn Jewels looks sad but she bloomed 7.16.1Desert Icicle 7.16.20Indian Sky 7.16.20Just Plum Happy 7.16.20Lime Frost first and last bloom 7.16.20Papa Long Legs first and last bloom 7.16.20
So, that is it . . . back to a normal pace except work starts Monday. However, I am suppose to have July off so I plan to work from home unless they demand otherwise. Plus, I am waiting out the two-week COVID risk.
I worked on transplanting succulent cuttings and transplanting a few succulents into larger pots. I don’t have tons of love left for my orchids . . . so I use those pots but fill the holes with moss. It takes a while but it is relaxing.
Just for the record, here is a list of all of the finales so far for 2020: Apache Uprising (I missed this one but it did bloom), Ruby Spider (today), Lime Frost, Return a Smile (unless she reblooms), Early Bird Cardinal, Prairie Wildfire, Catherine Irene, Thin Man, Comanche Princess, The Colorado Kid, Blue Beat, Mildred Mitchell, Mauna Loa, Mesa Verde, Heron’s Cove, Canyon Colors (today), Jungle Queen, Wineberry Candy, Just Plum Happy, Raspberry Propeller, Santa’s Pants, Red Mystery, Bella Boo, Nosferatwo, Coral Taco, Pink Enchalada, Pink Rain Dance, Zuni Eye (I missed this one but it did bloom), Papa Long Legs, Land of Enchantment, All American Chief, Purple Many Faces, Indian Love Call, Laughing Feather, Coyote Laughs, Kokopelli, Hopi Jewel, Mount Echo Sunrise, Holy Sombrero, Ojo De Dios, Rocky Mountain Pals, Kachina Firecracker, Kiva Dancer, Echo Canyon, Indian Giver, Funny Valentine, Wild Horses, Inwood, Primal Scream, Lacy Doily, Nurse’s Stethoscope, Canyon Colors (today), Kachina Dancer (today), Apache Bandana (today). Not bad for 6 weeks!
I had a peer who was into feng shui when I lived in Boulder, CO. I actually did my house in a feng shui color pattern for awhile. I don’t claim to know much about it, but it was a creative project. Cleaning closets, etc, to make room for more good energy is also part of it.
Cripple Creek 8.29
Currently, I am doing houseplant feng shui. I spend all winter counting the days until the plants go outside and I can have more space. And, there are some plants I am bonded with and some that I am just tired of looking at. Not that many, maybe half dozen.
Purple Corn Dancer 8.29
I found homes for them with friends on Facebook. It is kind of hard – but I still have more than I need. My problem is that new plants help me pass the winter doldrums. But, as I have said before, the orchids are kind of high needs – and they always seem fragile – ready to rot or have the leaves drop off from dryness.
Indian Sky 8.29
I’m not giving my orchids away – but there will be natural attrition and I just won’t keep buying them. The rex begonias, African violets, calathea are all staying put, too.
Frans Hals 8.29
My new theme is cool succulents and air plants. I have a good bunch of Southwest plants from my road trips – but you can always find a fun new species. And, air plants are fun to decorate with! I got my first batch of mail order ones today – all 6 in a box that is maybe 5 inches square. They are space efficient and fairly resilient to a bit of neglect if the summer gets busy. Also, pretty cost effective except the big, fancy ones.
Purple Grasshopper 8.29
I had five in bloom today – daylilies, that is. That’s a good number for the last Thursday in August. It won’t last long, though. They have been in bloom for nearly 90 days. So, I am happy for the little air plants today. Gives me something to look forward to this winter.
It’s National Dog Day!!! Dogs and daylilies are my two most expensive hobbies. LOL. Well, my dogs help me garden to earn their keep. They take naps in the sun for me and chase off every other dog who dares walk past my daylily garden. My dogs have been sick a lot this summer, unfortunately. Maizzy, the larger, short-haired chi, is just senior and Sazi, the small long-haired chi, has disc disease and was paralysed in June. She slowly regains function – she is walking and running but lost a lot of feeling in her back legs. I do blame that for part of the fact that my yard is not at its best. Of course, they are a happy part of my camping travels and the best companions ever! Happy Dog Day pups!
Kachina, Sazi, and Maizzy at Monument Valley last month.
What bloomed for them today?
Purple Corn Dancer is doing yoga around her bud. I have a few more blooms to look forward to from her.
Purple Corn Dancer doing yoga 8.26
Royal Palace Prince is on the new drip line and opened his last bud today. Hoping for more blooms next year.
Royal Palace Prince 8.26
Mama Cuna also opened her last bud. She is so big and showy – I may see if I can divide her and put a couple fans up in the front yard.
Mama Cuna 8.26
Indian Sky – and I am not sure if she has buds left. Maybe. But, not many.
Indian Sky 8.26
Purple Grasshopper – this would be Kachina’s favorite. She loves to chase those things! (Kachina is the Terrier).
Purple Grasshopper 8.26
Ruby Stella – she is a champion bud maker this year and I have a few left to bloom.
Ruby Stella 8.26
And, as the blooms fade away, the weeds seem more noticeable. My front yard looks as gross as ever. Don’t plant grass on a hill in the desert. And, the daylilies can disrupt the sprinkler flow . . . which doesn’t help. I am thinking of thyme or sedum for part of it – and maybe ornamental grass. Thrilling to dig in this mud. Can’t wait. LOL.
It’s crazy – I had 13 cultivators in bloom today. Hello . . . It’s August 20th. The weather is now acting like desert weather. Hot and dry. It was in the 90s today.
Purple Corn Dancer 8.20
It’s been a year tomorrow since my surgery. After that, I could not be in the sun for a few months, so the blog just stopped . . . Until the poinsettias bloomed. I only had Purple Corn Dancer in bloom, anyway. Healing was a journey.
Purple Thunderbird 8.20
I never know what to think this time of year. Tired of the heat but dreading the cold, dark seasons ahead. Tired of my camera but don’t want to miss the late bloomers. Hate to see camping season end but ready for some mellow hikes around home. I think my daylilies are in a similar place with life right now – still blooming but longing for a rest.
Cripple Creek 8.20
PS – I ordered my new 2 in one laptop. My old one was tired, too.
The school year feels like it has started. The new faculty are awesome. Eventually, the routine will settle in, but the chaos takes time to run its course.
Indian Sky 8.19
And, as that happens, the daylilies thin. I have maybe 18 cultivators with buds. Probably about 100 buds. It’s hot, some of them are too thirsty. I lost a few this week.
Shape Shifter 8.19
I start to think about fall chores. Should I put a drip system in the front garden? I need to fix some things in the Southwest garden.
Purple Grasshopper 8.19
By the time the final grades come in, we will be talking about Santa Claus. And, my poor poinsettias. Why aren’t they growing faster. I usually start forcing the first ones about now. I have 2 of 6 that are blooming size. Maybe I need to up their water? Why did 2 grow big?
Frans Hals 8.19
And, my amaryllis have bloomed more this summer than last winter. I had 4 blooms this summer, though my seeds haven’t sprouted.
Navajo Curls 8.19
Fall and winter start to occupy my mind. Air plant decorating . . . They look cool in with cactus, which gives me all sorts of ideas.
Cripple Creek 8.19
For now, I need to focus on this week. Looks like I need a new computer. Sigh. I’m hoping Santa can still afford to bring me a new camera for Christmas.
Another amazing day with over 60 cultivators in bloom. I blogged the other day about knowing my flowers by name tags, mapping, and photographic surroundings. Well, I blew it on one of my Roberts spiders. It all feels so rushed with being at work most of the day – I have been home with my daylilies for the last 4 summers. That is when my collection grew. Now, I rush around in the morning to get pictures and that is really the only time I see these beauties. Hopefully, in a couple years, I can reduce my summer hours.
Until then, my flub was stellar. That is, both daylilies referred to the sky. Seriously, looking at them, they totally look like their names. I don’t know how I got them mixed up other than taking 80-100 photos off my camera, editing and organizing in the evening . . . and travel, and two special needs dogs, and work. Well, stellar flubs happen. Here they are both in bloom the same day (today), which helped.
Star over Milagro 7/24
Truchas Sunrise 7/24
So, now that I have confessed, here are today’s Premiers:
Mama Cuna is another Roberts daylily – it is good to see her, again! She resembles Star over Milagro – I need to look up and see if they share genes in common.
Indian Sky is probably not the real Indian Sky, although it was sold as such. It was one of my early online purchases – it fit my Southwest theme. I think it is still really pretty.
Rosie’s Red was another bonus daylily – and one I really like. The deep red color is beautiful and I like the shape.
Colorado Kid Daylilies 