Yesterday, the rains came. Many daylily growers live where that happens often enough that it isn’t out of the ordinary. In Western Colorado, it’s usually out of the ordinary.
Today, all hell started breaking loose. In other words, I had a record number of first blooms for the season. Where to start? Maybe alphabetical.
I best get some sleep. Once it starts, there is no stopping it. Come hell or high water. Because, I think the bloom rate is going to be high this year.
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.
Golden Eclipse 7.16-present
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.
I woke up to over 60 different daylily cultivator blooms today, again. I keep thinking that it is slowing down until I count the shots on my cell phone. So, if between taking the photos, posting the cell shots to Facebook, downloading/editing the camera shots, and blogging, I spend 5 minutes per cultivator (a conservative estimate) . . . well, do the math.
This year is weird because I made significant changes. I put my Southwest garden daylilies all in nicer pots with weed guard underneath (they are buried) to keep tree roots from destroying the pot. When I did that, I refreshed the soil with miracle grow plus their organic soil. It took weeks and a lot were really locked in with tree roots. I also refreshed the soil in all my front path pots – it had really collapsed over time. I added or improved drip systems in all areas that needed it. So, that is the positive. Oh, perhaps the biggest thing of all is that I am semi retired so have way more time to water regularly. My drip systems are not automatic.
On mother nature’s side, we are in a bad drought, again – it was a dry spring with a late, cold spell but little moisture. More like a fan got turned on high. We did have a little monsoon action for the week before the 4th of July. We are still somewhere between severe and extreme drought. And, that is an improvement from last month! It is hot with record breaking temps close to or at 100 degrees.
Put it all together and I have a lot of June bloomers that have scapes but haven’t bloomed yet, but my later bloomers are blooming pretty much on schedule. So, it is a bit of grid lock as the early birds are still in the intersections as the later blooms enter the scene. We are, therefore, still on the Grand Daylily Mesa (vs peak season) with 64 cultivators, with 5 premiers and 3 finales (so net gain of 2 in bloom).
Several of the premiers are Roberts spiders today – which is cool because we had several finales recently in that collection. Here we go!
Finales for today (if I didn’t miss one):
Let’s see what tomorrow brings. Today, I logged about 6 hours on daylily duty. How much time do you spend during peak season?
I’m back! My house is cleaner and I feel like I can pick-up the blog, again. Don’t worry, I spent my usual amount of time with my daylilies in the AM. I love getting photos of them – something to get out of bed for. After three years of a stressful job and a commute, I just had to clean because my poor home has been like a neglected garden. I needed to pull weeds and plant some new seeds.
I am going to show off my June blooms (A to Z) for June in this post. I am going to have a good bloom rate this year and it sort of scares me what peak will be like with all my plants so happy. Good thing the house is clean. I count 51 cultivators for June 2021. Last year, it was 50 in June – so close. I think I have about 180 cultivators now – almost 30% have bloomed.
Let’s close the book on June for 2021 – It’s a wrap!
This will be a short post after a long day. I call this post “yoga” because Dream Keeper was doing yoga this AM. That’s what I feel like trying to get photos and not break scapes. Dream Keeper is more graceful looking.
I just wanted to share my premiers for today.
Last year, I posted all my blooms each week on Sunday since it is too much to do daily. This year, I am going to try to do a recap at the end of the month. So, for June 2020, we had the following 50:
Ah, the talk of pandemics. Nothing like having a doctorate in nursing at a historic time like this. I almost wish I was back in biostats or epidemiology class right now.
People debate if this is a spike in the first wave or a second wave. Hmmm, well, it reminds me a little of the epidemic of daylily blooms in summer. There are days with 8+ premier blooms (new cases) and days with only 1 or 2. Are the busy days waves or spikes within a wave? IDK that there is a right and wrong answer – but I would say the second.
Like the epidemic, we will see a peak and a decline after that. Fortunately or unfortunately, daylilies are seasonal. There will be no second wave during flu season . . . or Christmas.
So, today was a good day if you are into low numbers. I only had 2 premiers. Both are old daylilies from my early days of collecting these plants. Lady Fingers is one I got for my landscaping circa 9 years ago. It is simple yellow – but a spider, not a trumpet. I like the green throat.
The other one from today is Inwood, who is having a better than average year. Her buds are healthy and she has more spikes than average. I was delighted to see such a pretty bloom. She reminds me a bit of Canyon Colors, who is having a bad year and I think it is because the grass is taking over her pot. As soon as her sad scape gets done blooming, I will dumb her our and dig the grass off of her roots.
Fall project – I think I will start working on putting my Southwest Garden daylilies in better pots, like my daylilies out front. I think they are more protective against tree roots AND after my sewer issue last winter, I am reminded that my garden is on the easement. That means if the water pipe gives, the City digs. If they are potted, it will be much easier to deal with. I have them in pots, just not better quality ones. I may do half this year and half next. It will be way easier than digging them up the first time!
Anyway – We will see if tomorrow brings a peak, but I think it is all one big summer wave. PS – I have 32 folders of cultivators on my computer now – out of 171 possible. That’s almost 20% bloom rate. Less than 3 weeks since the first bloom. Let’s see where we are in a week. I should do a graph like the epidemiologists. Really.
It is time for Sunday roll call. But first, a couple cool new Roberts Spiders. Meet Mount Echo Sunrise – She is a big spider that reminds me of Dream Catcher. This is her first-ever bloom in my yard – I put her in a couple years ago.
Then there is Sante Fe Christmas – And she looks like a Christmas bow. Red, green with curly petals. I really love her – too bad she lost her other buds. Despite the improved bloom rate, the drought has taken a toll.
Next up – Finales. Of course, Santa Fe Christmas is a finale today 😦
Primal Scream is another finale.
Primal Scream 7.10
Jungle Queen had finale blooms on both pots I have of her.
Jungle Queen 7.12
Iktomi is another finale. I have enjoyed seeing the patterns in her offspring.
Iktomi 7.9
Happy Hopi gave a finale bloom today. I really enjoyed her big, bold, blonde blooms.
Happy Hopi 7.12
Now, on to our roll call. These are the blooms from 7/9 through today. But, first, we have about 12 with unbloomed scapes remaining and mid-50s with no bloom/no scape. We are at 107 cultivators (+/-). Add 12, and we get close to 120. I am still hoping for 130 total this year.
Adios Albuquerque 7.10
Alabama Jubilee 7.11
Anasazi 7.13
Aztec Firebird 7.14
Baja 7.14
Bela Lugosi 7.9
Black Arrowhead 7.10
Black Eyed Susan 7.14
Black Ice 7.10
Blue Beat 7.11
Bluegrass Music 7.11
Canyon Colors 7.15
Catherine Irene 7.15
Chaco Canyon 7.12
Cheddar Cheese 7.12
Cheyenne Eyes 7.8
Chorus Line 7.13
Classy Lady 7.14
Comanche Princess 7.11
Dark Mystery 7.12
Desert Icicle 7.15
Dream Catcher 7.15
Early Bird Cardinal 7.10
El Desperado 7.13
Fairytale Pink 7.14
Funny Valentine 7.10
Heavenly Curls 7.12
Heron’s Cove 7.13
Hesperus 7.15
Holy Sombrero 7.10
Indian Sky 7.15
Inwood 7.12
Isaac 7.12
Just Plum Happy 7.10
Kachina Firecracker 7.12
Lacy Doily 7.10
Lady Fingers 7.12
Laughing Feather 7.9
Lime Frost 7.15
Longlesson Showoff 7.13
Lullabye Baby 7.14
Mama Cuna 7.13
Marque Moon 7.15
Mellon Balls 7.11
Mesa Verde 7.13
Mildred Mitchell 7.15
Mini Pearl 7.15
Navajo Rodeo 7.13
Nosferatu 7.15
Nurse’s Stethoscope 7.11
Papa Longlegs 7.15
Passionate Returns 7.10
Petite Petticoats 7.10
Pick of the Litter 7.14
Pink and Cream 7.11
Pink Rain Dance 7.11
Prairie Blue Eyes 7.10
Prairie Wildfire 7.11
Prelude to Love 7.15
Purple de Oro 7.14
Purple Grasshopper 7.11
Purple Mystic 7.11
Raspberry Propeller 7.14
Red Hot Returns 7.15
Red Riddle 7.10
Return a Smile 7.10
Route 66 7.13
Ruby Spider 7.14
Ruby Stella 7.15
Shape Shifter 7.13
Skinwalker 7.10
Soco Gap 7.14
South Seas 7.14
Stella de Oro 7.13
Stephanie Returns 7.14
Strutter’s Ball 7.11
Taco Twister 7.11
Talon 7.11
The Colorado Kid 7.10
Thin Man 7.15
Treasure of the Southwest 7.13
Wild Horses 7.11
Wineberry Candy 7.12
Yellow Punch 7.13
Zuni Thunderbird 7.13
Well, I tried to post on Friday night, but no internet. Saturday, some internet, but my phone is crashing all of the apps since the last android update. Yes, right in the middle of peak season.
So, here are the new faces from Friday
Skinwalker 7.6.18
Echo Canyon 7.6
Iktomi 7.6
Chorus Line
Blue Beat 7.6
Bella Lugosi 7.6
And here are Sunday’s additions:
Lacy Doily 7.8
Nosferatu 7.8
Red Hot Returns 7.8
South Seas 7.8
So, that is 10 new additions since my last post – and I missed a couple of new faces while camping yesterday, but they will have another chance. For now, let me finish roll call. All daylilies that bloomed between 7/2 and today – here we go. Which is your favorite?
Alabama Jubilee 7.3
Aztec Firebird 7.8
Black Arrowhead 7.2
Black Eyed Susan 7.6
Black Ice 7.5
Bluegrass Music 7.3
Canyon Colors 7.5
Catherine Irene 7.6
Chaco Canyon 7.5
Cheyenne Eyes 7.6
Chokecherry Mountain 7.3
Comanche Princess 7.6
Dark Mystery 7.5
Dream Catcher 7.5
Early Bird Cardinal 7.3
Electric Lizard 7.6
Funny Valentine 7.8
Happy Hopi 7.6
Happy Returns 7.3
Heron’s Cove 7.5
Holy Sombrero 7.5
Hopi Jewel 7.3
Indian Giver 7.3
Inwood 7.6
Isaac 7.5
Jungle Queen 7.8
Just Plum Happy 7.3
Lady Fingers 7.5
Laughing Feather 7.2
Longlesson Show-off 7.6
Lullaby Baby 7.8
Mellon Balls 7.5
Mesa Verde 7.4
Mildred Mitchell 7.5
Mini Pearl 7.5
Navajo Rodeo 7.8
Nurse’s Stethoscope 7.8
PaPa Longlegs 7.6
Passionate Returns 7.6
Petite Petticoats 7.3
Pick of the Litter 7.5
Pink and Cream 7.6
Pink Raindance 7.4
Prairie Blue Eyes 7.5
Prairie Wildfire 7.6
Prelude to Love 7.5
Primal Scream 7.4
Purple de Oro 7.6
Purple Grasshopper 7.4
Purple Many Faces 7.5
Purple Mystique 7.5
Raven Woodsong 7.4
Red Riddle 7.5
Return a Smile 7.6
Route 66 7.4
Ruby Spider 7.8
Ruby Stella 7.5
Shape Shifter 7.6
Soco Gap 7.5
Stella 7.5
Stephanie Returns 7.5
Strutter’s Ball 7.5
Taco Twister 7.6
Talon 7.8
The Colorado Kid 7.6
Thin Man 7.5
Treasure of the Southwest 7.4
Wild Horses 7.5
Wild Rose Fandango 7.4
Wineberry Candy 7.4
Yellow Punch 7.6
Zuni Thunderbird 7.4
It is Sunday and the peak is starting. It will probably take me an hour to get this bog with all the photos for the week published. I am doing it this way so that each daylily comes up on a couple searches of the blog. My job entails creating about 20 template emails a day for the following day – it is a lot of looking up progress and pasting from my last note. Not a creative’s dream. So, when I save my drafts for the day, I have a blank email to note that it is a new day – and that email is always named after a daylily. The most creative 5 minutes/day of my job is picking this daylily. The collages just don’t work.
So – We will start with the newbies. Primal Scream is in bloom for the 3rd year. Last year, the blooms were small and anemic. She is now in an above ground put inside the Walkway Garden. I hoped for more scapes, but 2 is OK for this year, gives the fall transplant. Nothing beats her vibrant color.
Primal Scream 7/1
Indian Giver was a newbie in the Southwest Garden. She is a small daylily and was a bonus plant 3 years ago. She only gets a couple buds every year. She needs to be dug up and put in a buried pot, but the yucca is close, so not sure how I will get this done. I would like to have more blooms. She is adorable.
Indian Giver 7/1
Last but not least, from my Family Garden is Stephanie Returns. This flower makes my heart sad. Losing a family member who is still alive is horrid. Losing several is bitter and cruel. Please don’t tell people you understand or offer advise while you are surrounded with family. Please don’t tell people God is giving you this lesson for some reason or other. Do bookmark this page and come back here and look at this flower and help send positive vibes to anyone in the universe who had ever known the heartbreak such a loss can bring.
Stephanie Returns 7/1
OK – Enough heavy stuff. Onward to the roll call. Here go the A-Z blooms from 6/25 through today. Enjoy.
Alabama Jubilee 6/27
Apache Bandana 6/29
Aztec Firebird 7/1
Black Arrowhead 6/30
Black Ice 6/27
Bluegrass Music 6/27
Canyon Colors 6/30
Catherine Irene 6/30
Chaco Canyon 6/30
Cheyenne Eyes 6/29
Chokecherry Mountain 6/26
Comanche Princess 6/26
Dark Mystery (noid) 6/29
Dream Keeper 6/25
Early Bird Cardinal 7/1
Electric Lizard 6/30
Funny Valentine 6/30
Happy Hopi 6/30
Happy Returns 6/29
Holy Sombrero 6/28
Hopi Jewel 6/27
Indian Love Call 6/28
Inwood 6/30
Jungle Queen 6/29
Lady Fingers 7/1
Laughing Feather 6/27
Mesa Verde 6/29
Mini Pearl 6/30
Navajo Rodeo 7/1
Nurse’s Stethoscope 7/1
Papa Longlegs 6/30
Passionate Returns 6/29
Petite Petticoats 6/29
Pink and Cream 6/26
Pink Rain Dance 6/26
Prairie Blue Eyes 6/25
Pueblo Dancer 6/30
Purple Many Faces 6/29
Purple Mystique 6/30
Red Riddle 6/30
Return a Smile 7/1
Rocky Mountain Pals 6/29
Route 66 6/27
Ruby Spider 6/29
Ruby Stella 6/30
Saratoga Springtime 6/28
Soco Gap 7/1
Stella de Oro 6/26
Strutter’s Ball 6/29
Talon 6/29
The Colorado Kid 6/29
Thin Man 7/1
Treasure of the Southwest 7/1
Wild Horses 6/29
Wineberry Candy 6/26
Yellow Punch 6/26
Zuni Eye 6/26
Zuni Thunderbird 6/30
Colorado Kid Daylilies 