All Hell is About to Break Loose!

No new daylilies in bloom today. What IS new is that I’m now officially retired. But, that’s not why all hell is going to break loose. Well, maybe.

I have ~185 daylilies. I have 8 that are currently in bloom. About 5%. I have ~140 with scapes or in bloom – about 75%. That’s the hell that’s about to break loose. One day, I’ll wake up to 50 in bloom or something.

I’ll show off the 3 Ned Roberts spiders that were in bloom, again, today.

I’ll also show off my gorgeous prickly pear bloom and my cool bromeliad bloom. My broms live on the front porch all summer, so they are part of my outdoor garden.

I wonder if all hell will break loose tomorrow?

Kokopelli and the Summer Solstice

Kokopelli is one of the most intriguing and widespread images surviving from ancient Anasazi Indian culture. He is depicted as a humpbacked flute player, and is widely believed to bring well-being to the people. He was the one who would change the seasons and bring about a good harvest. Allie Prater

Kokopelli 6.21

Kokopelli came today, bringing with him the change of seasons. Kokopelli, my Ned Roberts spider daylily that is. This cultivator is my gateway to my collection of Neds. Spied at the lily auction back when I was first considering a Southwestern Visions garden.

Apache Bandana 6.21

My other premier today is Apache Bandana. Another Ned Roberts spider.

I have 120+ in bloom or scapes. Two days left until retirement starts and 20% cell battery. See you tomorrow. My others are still blooming, BTW.

July Daylily Roundup A-M

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 6.26-7.10
All American Chief 6.22-7.9
Apache Bandana 6.30-7.10
Autumn Jewels 7.16-present
Aztec Firebird 7.8-7.31
Baby Blue Eyes 7.6-7.27
Baja 7.10-7.29
Bella Boo 7.2-7.16
Bela Lugosi 7.4-7.26
Big Red Rhyme (NOID) 6.22-7.11
Black Arrowhead 7.6-7.30
Blackthorne 7.6-7.13
Black Eyed Susan 7.4-7.19
Black Ice 7.4-7.18
Blue Beat 7.9-7.17
Buttered Popcorn 7.7-7-25
Candy Cane Dreams 7.1-7.19
Canyon Colors 6.15-present
Catherine Irene 6.24-7.13
Chaco 6.27-present
Cheddar Cheese 7.3-7.17
Cherokee Star 7.9-8.1
Cheyenne Eyes 7.6-7.19
Chief Four Fingers 6.12-7.15
Chokecherry Mountain 7.5-7.27
Chorus Line 7.6-presend
Classy Lady 7.6-7.29
Coburg Fright Wig 7.11-7.30
Comanche Princess 6.18-7.11
Coral Taco 7.2-7.16
Cricket Call 7.3-7.17
Cripple Creek 7.19-present
Dancing Maiden 7.16-present
Desert Icicle 7.26-present
Dr Doom 7.30-present
Dream Catcher 7.14-present
Dream Keeper 6.11-7.1
Early Bird Cardinal 6.27-7.13
Echo Canyon 6.21-7.10
El Desperado 7.17-present
Fairytale Pink 7.11-7.17
Feather Woman 7.5-7.9
Fine Time Lucille 7.10-7.17
Fol de Rol 7.4-7.17
Fooled Me 7.10-7.16
Frans Hals 7.15-present
“Fringe Benefit” 6.27-7.12 (mislabeled bonus)
Funny Valentine 6.20-7.8
Ghost Ranch 7.12-7.17
Glen Eyrie 7.25-7.30 (started while I was on vaca 7.19-24)

Golden Eclipse 7.16-present

Happy Hopi 7.7-7.31
Happy Returns 6.27-7.12
Heavenly Curls 7.5-7.17
Heirloom Heaven 7.25-present
Hesperus 7.12-present
Holy Sombrero 7.7-7.25
Hopi Jewel 6.27-7.17
Iktomi 7.9-7.29
Indian Love Call 7.13-7.27
Indian Sky 7.13-present
Indian Giver 6.30-7.17
Inwood 6.22-7.12
Jungle Queen 7.1-7.19-24? Finished during vacation
Just Plumb Happy 7.4-7.15
Kachina Dancer 6.30-7.16
Kokopelli 6.25-7.19
Lacy Doily 7.3-7.16
Lady Fingers 6.23-7.19
Land of Enchantment 6.23-7.11
Lime Frost 7.11-7.16
Lobo Lucy 7.13-7.31
Longlesson Showoff 7.5.7.18
Lullaby Baby 7.7 to present
Mama Cuna 7.11-present
Marque Moon 7.13-7.19 (ended 7.19-7.24 during vaca)
Mauna Loa 6.27-7.10
Maya Cha Cha 7.4-7.19
Medicine Feather 7.5-7.18
Melon Balls 7.6-7.15
Mesa Verde 6.15-7.13
Mini Pearl 6.26-7.31
Mount Echo Sunrise 6.28-7.19

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.

. . . And Washed the Spiders Out

Today, the rain came. And, our predicted high is only 77 today. What a shift after 90 something degrees every day. It will stairstep back up by Saturday, but next week (when we are camping) it looks like it only gets above 90 a couple of times.

The walk through the garden was in drizzle. I didn’t use my cellphone at all for fear of getting water in the charging port. My camera is more resilient to moisture. Some flowers were like the cellphone – sort of weighed down by the rain. Thin man was on the ground, passed out. I had to tie him up. Other cultivators seemed to come to life with brighter colors – doing a rain dance.

Dream Catcher 7.14 – premier bloom today in the rain. But, not such an itsy bitsy spider!

And, there were only 54 cultivators in bloom today. Only 1 premier – Dream Catcher. A nice Ned Roberts spider that was one of my 3 pilot daylilies in the Southwest Garden, along with Kokopelli and Aztec Firebird. Interestingly, those are three that grew pretty well in the ground with the tree roots, and all. Not sure if they like the pots as well yet.

Soksabai, my 16 YO calico kitty, has to come help me inspect daylilies every morning. Even in the rain.

Speaking of Ned Roberts, I have had the chance to chat with his wife and daughter via Facebook recently. They live about 5 hours away from me. I need to meet them sometime – they want to come see my garden.

Art and Nature From the Hartt – Succulent Painting Coaster Tile

Today is a good day for a short blog. I think I will try painting a begonia today. Yesterday, I finished my succulent. I will get back to daylilies – just trying to challenge myself a little. Remember to watch for the announcement when our Etsy store opens. I plan to have daylily fans available in limited number this fall . . . plus the artwork!

Grand Daylily Mesa, Colorado

What an interesting year! Not only have I reached semi-retirement age, I am having an amazing daylily bloom year. The drip systems with miracle grow soil replacement paid off in spades. It is honestly overwhelming because it takes an hour just to photograph them. I spend about 5 hours a day (not counting the painting) on daylilies right now.

I would not call this a peak – because on 7/3 we hit 60. It has been in the 50s and 60s each day since. And . . . drumroll . . . today I had 63. Last year, I charted the peak and it was clearly one day at 40, the other days were 20s at best. Granted, I was on vacation the last 2 years this week, but I think the numbers are an accurate reflection of a short, less intense peak. This isn’t a peak, it is a Southwest Mesa – and a grand one, at that.

I had 6 premiers today. Laudy. Here they are:

Quilt Patch 7.9 – I am headlining this one because I got her on the auction at the same time I got Kokopelli. The start of being a serious hobbiest. I put her in a different pilot garden and she almost died – she became a seedling in size. I moved her to a pot out front after a year out there and put her in the front garden. Each year, she gets a little stronger. Today, the first ever bloom came. Now I see why I had to have her!
Blue Beat 7.9 – One of my early near blues. I must say it is my near blues that need repotting once we get over the Grand Mesa and things settle down. They are not at their best this year.
Cherokee Star 7.9 – A pretty velvet cultivator that fits with my Southwest collection. She is from the local nursery.
Iktomi – This is a classic Robert’s spider. I see his DNA in so many of his hybrids. Reminds me of Chaco Canyon but I also see Apache Bandana and Black Arrowhead.
Rocky Mountain Pals 7.9 – Another Roberts cultivator. I understand it was named for his cancer treatment team in Denver.
Rosie’s Red – Another cool bonus bloomer who is usually one of the later bloomers in the front garden. This year, she is at the top of the Mesa with everyone else.

That’s all folks! Off to paint some daylilies in the basement while the temps reach 100 today.

Click photo to visit our business page with updates about daylily plant and artwork for sale.

June Daylily Blooms A-Y (no Z yet)!

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.

Alabama Jubilee – premiered 6.26
All American Chief premiered 6.22
Apache Bandana premiered 6.30
Big Red Rhyme (my NOID name for her) premiered 6.22
Canyon Colors premiered 6.15
Catherine Irene premiered 6.24
Chaco Canyon premiered 6.27
Chief Four Fingers premiered 6.27 (with some bug damage but more buds ahead)
Comanche Princess premiered 6.18
Dream Keeper premiered 6.11, finale was 7.1
Early Bird Cardinal premiered 6.27
Echo Canyon premiered 6.21
“Fringe Benefit” premiered 6.27 (mislabeled bonus but I still call her that)
Funny Valentine premiered 6.20
Happy Returns – I believe the real cultivator is yellow and some of my gold ones are actually Stella – this one premiered 6.25
Hopi Jewel premiered 6.27
Indian Giver premiered 6.30
Inwood premiered 6.22
Kachina Dancer premiered 6.30
Kokopelli premiered 6.25
Lady Fingers premiered 6.23
Land of Enchantment premiered 6.23
Mauna Loa premiered 6.27
Mesa Verde premiered 6.15
Mini Pearl premiered 6.26
Mount Echo Sunrise premiered 6.28
Nurse’s Stethoscope (the only registered daylily I helped to name) premiered 6.24
Ojo de Dios premiered 6.28
Orchid Moonrise premiered 6.17
Pardon Me premiered 6.30
Passionate Returns premiered 6.28
Petite Petticoats premiered 6.26
Pink and Cream premiered 6.24
Platinum Pink Pallet Whispers premiered 6.21
Primal Scream premiered 6.25
Purple Grasshopper premiered 6.11
Purple Moonrise (larger bloom on the R, to the left is Orchid Moonrise) premier bloom 6.15
Purple Mystic (my name for NOID) premiered 6.24
Red Riddle (my name for NOID) premiered 6.23
Return a Smile premiered 6.25
Ruby Spider premiered 6.22
Santa’s Pants premiered 6.26
Saratoga Springtime premier 6/3, finale 6.23 – The star of early daylily season. A big, fancy yellow trumpet.
Scorpio premier 6.26, finale 6.29. Only two buds for the first bloom ever after 5 years in my yard.
South Seas premier 6.30
Stella premier 6.7 and dwindling – I don’t think we have a finale yet but maybe.
Stephanie Returns premier 6.30
The Colorado Kid premier 6.23
Wild Horses premier 6.15
Yellow Punch premier 6.15
Yellow Stella premier 6.18

Let’s close the book on June for 2021 – It’s a wrap!

Sixty-Six Spiderman Daylilies for 2020

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 . . .

Adios Albuquerque 2019
Apache Bandana 2019
Apache Beacon (w Dream Catcher) 2019
Aztec Firebird 7.19.20
BlackArrowhead 7.19.20
Black Ice 7.21.20
Chaco Canyon 7.29.20
Cheyenne Eyes 6.30.20
Chief Four Fingers 2019
Chokecherry Mountain 7.20.20
Comanche Princess 6.26.20
Coral Taco 6.30.20
Cricket Call 2019
Coyote Laughs 7.20.20
Cripple Creek 7.21.20
Dancing Maiden 7.20.1
Desert Icicle 8.8.20
Dream Catcher 7.28.20
Dream Keeper 6.6.20
Feather Woman 2019
Fox Ears 2019
Ghost Ranch 2019
Echo Canyon 6.25.20
Glen Eyrie 7.21.20
Golden Eclipse 7.30.20
Happy Hopi 7.3.20
Iktomi 7.21.20
Kachina Firecracker 7.30.20
Kachina Dancer 7.20.20
Kiva Dancer 7.1.20
Kokopelli 7.20.20
Land of Enchantment 6.20.20
Laughing Feather 6.26.20
Lobo Lucy 7.19.20
Mama Cuna 8.4.20
Mauna Loa 6.26.20
Maya Cha Cha 7.17.20
Medicine Feather 2019
Moon over Chimayo 8.8.20
Mount Echo Sunrise 6.23.20
Navajo Curls 8.4.20
Navajo Grey Hills 7.23.20
Navajo Rodeo 2019
Ojo De Dios 6.23.20
Papa Longlegs 7.18.20
Pink Enchilada 7.5.20
Pink Rain Dance 7.2.20
Purple Corn Dancer 8.5.20
Purple Grasshopper 2019
Purple Many Faces 6.24.20
Purple Thunderbird 8.5.20
Raspberry Propeller 7.17.20
Raven Woodsong 8.8.20
Rocky Mountain Pals 7.17.20
Santa Fe Christmas
Shape Shifter 7.27.20
Skinwalker 7.29.20
Spirit of the Morning 7.23.20
Star Over Milagro
Taco Twister 7.20.20
Talon 7.27.20
Twirling Pinata 7.27.20
Wild Rose Fandango 2019
Winds of Love 7.22.20
Zuni Eye 2019
Zuni Thunderbird 7.22.20

Serendipity

Today, I had 39 cultivators in bloom. I may miss the peak over the next week – but until I am retired and can choose to separate my summer camping trip from daylily peak . . .

Monarch Butterfly on Black Eyed Susan 7.5.20

I was looking at my cell photos and posting to Facebook when I remembered that I didn’t get a shot of Black Eyed Susan. I went back out front to get one and I got a surprise visit from a monarch. Camo colors.

Maya Cha Cha 7.5.20

I had 3 premiers today – two were Ned Roberts spiders back for another year. Maya Cha Cha is one of my favorite because it reminds me of my granddaughter, Maia. It is so beautiful – just like she is.

Twirling Pinata 7.5.20

Twirling Pinata showed up for the first time since 2018. Not sure that happened last year. Weirdly, Purple Grasshopper and Cricket Call are both scapeless this year. Not sure why that happens – sort of miss my purple bugs.

Pardon Me 7.5.20

And, a little mini that I like called Pardon Me. I have had her for a long time – way before I was collecting daylilies like I am now.

Wild Horses 7.5.20

I had two finales – Kokopelli and Wild Horses. See ya next year!

Kokopelli 7.5.20

Tomorrow, I have an early appointment with my nurse practitioner. Best log off. Tomorrow – more serendipity.

Daylilies of Corona: June Blooms

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:

All American Chief 6.26.20
Blue Beat 6.2020
Canyon Colors 6.19.20
Catherine Irene 6.28.20
Chaco Canyon 6.25.20
Cheyenne Eyes 6.30.20
Comanche Princess 6.29.20
Coral Taco 6.30.20
Dream Keeper 6.7.20
Early Bird Cardinal 6.29.20
Echo Canyon 6.29.20
Funny Valentine 6.19.20
Happy Returns 6.21.20
Hopi Jewel 6.28.20
Indian Love Call 6.25.20
Inwood 6.24.20
Jungle Queen 6.21.20
Kachina Dancer 6.30.20
Kokopelli 6.25.20
Lady Fingers 6.30.20
Land of Enchantment 6.20.20
Laughing Feather 6.26.20
Mauna Loa 6.28.20
Mesa Verde 6.28.20
Mildred Mitchell 6.24.20
Mini Pearl 6.28.20
Mount Echo Sunrise 6.30.20
Name Unknown “Nosferatwo” 6.25.20
Nurse’s Stethoscope 6.22.20
Ojo de Dios 6.28.20
Petite Petticoats 6.24.20
Pink and Cream 6.24.20
Pink Enchilada 6.30.20
Pink Rain Dance 6.29.20
Prairie Blue Eyes 6.29.20
Primal Scream 6.30.20
Purple Many Faces 6.25.20
Return a Smile 6.25.20
Rocky Mountain Pals 6.29.20
Ruby Spider 6.24.20
Santa’s Pants 6.28.20
Saratoga Springtime 6.18.20
Golden Stella de Oro 6.18.20
Yellow Stella de Oro 6.28.20
The Colorado Kid 6.24.20
Thin Man 6.30.30
Wild Horses 6.29.20
Wineberry Candy 6.28.20
Yellow Punch 6.19.20

Spikes or Waves

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.

The Colorado Kid 6.24.20

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.

Mauna Loa 6.24.20

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.

Lady Fingers 6.24.20

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.

Inwood 6.24.20

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.

Kokopelli 6.24.20

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!

Ruby Spider 6.24.20

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.