Counting Flowers on the Wall; That Don’t Bother Me At All!

July 20, 2019July 20, 20193 Comments

So, I had a record number of cultivators in bloom the day before my trip, but no time to blog. Tomorrow, I’m home but too late to see any blooms. So, here is the 7/16 batch. Honestly, I don’t remember which were new bloom, but I’ll try. It’ll be good to see what’s new on Sunday!

Premiers:

Apache Beacon 7/16

Inwood 7/17

Wild Rose Fandango 7/16

Coral Taco 7/16

Little Cadet 7/16

Winds of Love 7/16

Lacey Doily 7/16

Royal Palace Prince 7/16

Black Eyed Susan 7/16

Anasazi 7/16

Reruns – lots and lots of reruns:

Purple de Oro 7/16

Mauna Loa 7/16

Longlesson Show-off 7/16

South Seas 7/16

Isaac 7/16

Stephanie Returns 7/16

Passionate Returns 7/16

Prairie Wildfire 7/16

Catherine Irene 7/16

Strutter’s Ball 7/16

Prairie Blue Eyes 7/16

Red Riddle 7/16

Indian Love Call 7/16

Purple Many Faces 7/16

Iktomi 7/16

Indian Love Call 7/16

Chief Four Fingers 7/16

Zuni Thunderbird 7/16

Rocky Mountain Friends 7/16

Soco Gap 7/16

Black Ice 7/16

Maya Cha Cha 7/16

Purple Mystery 7/16

Ruby Spider 7/16

Comanche Princess 7/16

Mildred Mitchell 7/16

Thin Man 7/16

Lady Fingers 7/16

Papa Long Legs 7/16

Purple Grasshopper 7/16

Chaco Canyon 7/16

Happy Hopi 7/16

Feather Woman 7/16

Ojo de Dios 7/16

Canyon Colors 7/16

Cheddar Cheese 7/16

Mesa Verde 7/16

Primal Scream 7/16

The Colorado Kid 7/16

Melon Balls 7/16

Pardon Me 7/16

Cricket Call 7/16

Wineberry Candy 7/16

Raspberry Propeller 7/16

Route 66 7/16

Golden Stella 7/16

Yellow Punch 7/16

Early Bird Cardinal 7/16

Pink and Cream 7/16

Mini Pearl 7/16

Orange Flurry 7/16

Golden Stella 7/16

Cheyenne Eyes 7/16

Pink Enchilada 7/16

Apache Bandana 7/16

Iridescent

July 2, 2017July 2, 2017Leave a comment

This weekend is my home weekend . . . so working on yard stuff today. Not much new in bloom, despite having 16 in bloom. The half-bloomed bud fell off of Bluegrass Music 😦 But, South Seas did have a first bloom today. I love the color combo. It’s kind of iridescent.

The big project of the weekend was irrigation, again. I dug the big rain barrel that my renter had (yes, 11 years ago) and hooked it up to a solar drip system. I know those solar drip systems get lousy ratings. They are somewhat disposable every year. They are a pain to get running but once they are pumping, they work pretty well for a decent amount of time.

At first the system was just for the existing pots – Prairie Blue Eyes and Route 66. But the barrel is kind of ugly, so I decided to put in some annuals. I also rescued Hesperus, Saratoga Springtime, and Orange Flurry from where they were. Too much shade, not enough water. Curious to see if I can get blooms next year. (If I do, I may go for a pretty barrel!)

I also put in a drip line (this one goes to the hose) for my daylilies in the edge garden. It is going to be much easier to turn that drip hose when I do the other watering than to carry the can. Both of the new areas are places I have thought of expanding my daylily garden to when I run out of room other places. So, off we go with a pilot study!

For tomorrow – Maybe Bluegrass Music or Zuni Thunderbird. Who knows what else?

A Good Day . . . in the Daylilies

August 22, 2016Leave a comment

Today started with an email from one of my resilience websites. I have seen this before – but it is still as beautiful. I wish I had the patience for time-lapse of these blooms. If you want to feel a little positive emotion and wonder, give this a few minutes.

So, here are my weekend miracles. Frans Hals:

Frans Hals – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Orange Flurry:

Orange Flurry – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Red Hot Returns:

Red Hot Returns – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Stella:

Golden Stella de Oro – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Not bad for late August. PS – I could have sworn that Heirloom Heaven bloomed yesterday but no photos – I must have missed it somehow.

Today brought a light application of Mir-Acid. (Miracle Grow for acid loving plants). My soil here is so basic that it won’t change. The base in the soil quickly neutralizes the acid. The iron is bound at that pH, so it can’t be absorbed. Anemic daylilies. Mulch, manure, peat moss, acidifiers can all help. They probably won’t change the pH for long (if at all), but they do boost the availability of nutrients. The joy of living in an ancient sea bed. It’s trial and error. I am grateful for the lessons of my garden. It makes me feel like a hands-on healer, again. A good day.

Tiptoe Through the 2016 Daylilies with Me!

August 21, 2016Leave a comment

I may be dating myself, but I will never forget Tiny Tim singing Tiptoe through the Tulips on Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-in. When I decided to make this compilation of all my 2016 cultivators (all have bloomed, although some still have scapes/buds), it was a little like tiptoeing through my garden. The song came to mind. I would like to redo this with the day of the first and last bloom (in blooming order) sometime this winter when it is minus something and I need a daylily fix. It serves a purpose of not just lifting the spirit, but providing a timeline for predicting future years. So, here is the movie.

PS – My blooms today were Red Hot Returns, Frans Hals, Heirloom Heaven, and Orange Flurry. Mostly, though, my work was fertilizing pots and moving one daylily to a sunnier spot. I was just reading up on it, and I do think I need to give these guys some nutrition twice a year. It is the desert, after all. I need this foliage to be a bit less anemic when the spring comes around, again. It is all a learning curve.

Live Life Like a Daylily, One Day at a Time

August 19, 2016August 19, 2016Leave a comment

One of the things that I like best about daylilies is that they are in the moment. And, when the moment is over, they move on. They don’t hold on to the past, like we humans do. So, today they are my mentors.

Today I had four bloomers. Perhaps this is a sign of optimism from my little friends. I had little Heirloom Heaven:

Heirloom Heaven – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

And, Frans Hals:

Frans Hals – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Orange Flurry:

Orange Flurry – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Finally, Stella de Oro:

Stella de Oro – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

I love the late fall-colored blooms, but I have got to tell you that I find new roots almost equal in their awesomeness. I mean, you get some stuff in the mail that looks like wilted root veggies and you trim them back and plant them. And, within days, they start becoming daylilies. They are so optimistic about the future!

These are the Painted Petroglyph roots that I planted on Tuesday and they already have new green growth. I’ll try to take another photo next week for comparison. Next to the roots is a web photo of the cultivator in bloom. I cannot wait for spring.

A Little Piece of Heaven in my Yard

August 17, 2016Leave a comment

Today, Heirloom Heaven bloomed for the first time. This little one was one of my first root plantings last year.

Heirloom Heaven – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

It is a miniature, at least this first bloom cycle. Here it is with my petite finger:

Heirloom Heaven with my finger for proportion

Other blooms were my orange/yellow combos. Frans Hals:

Frans Hals – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

And, Orange Flurry:

Orange Flurry – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Oh, and Stella, of course:

Yella Stella – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Today also brought the first of a couple fall plantings. I got one called Painted Petroglyph on fall sale at Shady Rest Gardens. It is not a Robert’s cultivator, but it still belongs in my Southwest garden. It is beautiful. Live long and prosper little one. I also replaced Navajo Rodeo – love the fall sales! I added a few more fans of Electric Lizard, as mine are still anemic.

I didn’t order much this fall, but the daylilies keep me going. I am getting two new Roberts blooms, too. Twirling Pinata and Glen Eyrie. My daughter lives in Colorado Springs, so I couldn’t resist the second one. (Many of the Roberts cultivators were hybridized right there!) I love fall plantings because, by spring they act like they have been here forever! I think I will hit 80 cultivators that bloomed this summer. That’s just over 50%. Keep on mulching!

Oh, and keep on painting. I finally finished Chief Four Fingers in the wee hours.

Prepping the Daylily Beds is a Bunch of BS!

August 15, 2016August 15, 2016Leave a comment

So, first there are the first fans of spring. Actually, other than my garlic and spring bulbs, one of the very first signs of spring in my yard. Then, there come the scapes followed by peak bloom season. And, then the lovely late bloomers signal time to start preparing for another cycle. I think of the Native Americans and their focus on the changing seasons.

I did have bloomers this weekend. So, I will show those first, followed by the tale of BS in my garden.

Tiger Kitten only produced two buds. This was a one fan root last summer. It’s making progress. Can’t wait for next year!

Tiger Kitten – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Stella, of course, was here with me all weekend, in both yellow and gold.

Yella Stella – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Orange Stella – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

And, Orange Flurry lit up my smaller zeriscape garden in the rocks.

Orange Flurry – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

So, here is my Ned Roberts Southwest spider garden that I put in this spring. The first two pictures are before. It is of note on the second photo that the earth no longer comes up to the top of the bricks. PS – I would have done a higher raised bed, but the yuccas won.

Ned Roberts Southwest spider patch (before) – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Note the level of the soil and mulch within the bricks.

Here is the after picture. Probably no different to most people. The difference is that the earth is now back up to the top of the brick. Because daylilies are funny about planting depth, this meant raising the grade of the garden by first loosening up each daylily, putting the growing medium underneath, and then surrounding each cultivator with the medium. It reminds me of the tale of raising Galveston Island several feet after the 1900 Great Storm. They did it one structure at a time, too. It took all afternoon yesterday.

Southwest lily patch (after) – a lot of work for something that looks pretty much the same. Just ask the daylilies, though, it has been a weekend of prep for a new season.

Today, I filled the gaps with the remaining medium because the daylilies were all in mounds after being raised. Sounds easy enough, except I was mixing up a concoction of steer manure, compost, peat moss, water crystals, soil acidifier, and time release fertilizer. Oh, and given that I tromp around pretty hard with my camera, I also added some little stepping stones so the soil could stay fluffy. I think my motivation is not only the anticipation of the blooms (a type of savoring), but also the number of little gardens that I see on my dog walks that have gone untended. I think how cool the initial intention was . . . . but it is long gone. This Colorado Plateau is a different ecosystem than the South.

I read yesterday that with plenty of water, amendments, and the right amount of fertilizer you can get 2-3 x as many blooms. Might as well give it a shot. For tomorrow, we will talk about grass weeds vs daylily sprouts. Maybe someone out there can help me with that issue!!!

Before the Last Bloom?

August 11, 2016August 11, 2016Leave a comment

Today seemed a bit cooler in my garden. We are decidedly on the downside of summer. My friend Frans Hals showed up, again. I put this guy in a few years ago and forgot about it . . . I was later surprised to find it blooming in September.

Frans Hals – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Pizza Crust was back today, as well. It has about 3 more buds.

Pizza Crust – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Orange Flurry is a cool little bloom. Always a joy to have the late bloomers. Each bloom can be savored. And, this one is growing on me.

Orange Flurry – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

And, my Stellas showed up again. I have a feeling I will be giving these away right and left as they are very fast growers. And, easy care.

Yella Stella – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Golden Stella – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

That is it for this day . . . about 2 months out from freezing. About time to get the couple of fall plants that I ordered online in the mail. Probably next week. I am considering one more . . . and I hope for a new job that brings me half the joy that growing these bright blooms does. Soon. Before the last bloom?

Tigers, Skinwalkers, Apaches, and Princes. Oh My!

August 10, 2016August 10, 20164 Comments

Yesterday was my first no bloom day since early June. Today brought several blooms, including my very first Tiger Kitten.

Tiger Kitten – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

And, after a few weeks of deformed Skinwalkers, today comes a picture perfect bloom. I think the early blooms were premature. What a great Ned Roberts bloom!

Skinwalker – Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Apache Uprising made a huge show with three blooms.

Apache Uprising – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

And, how awesome it is to see my last two Royal Palace Princes in full bloom.

Royal Palace Prince – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Stella also showed up to meet this crowd in the garden – both my golden and yella Stella.

Yella Stella – Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Golden Stella – Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

And, calm little Orange Flurry was present in the background.

Orange Stella – Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

That leaves only two unbloomed cultivators . . . Heirloom Heaven and Red Hot Returns. However, that is not bad for mid-August. And, nine total have unbloomed buds. Will I make it until freeze?

This weekend, I start the work of fall mulching. I’m learning more about promoting my rebloomers. And, so more improvements in store for the future.

Daylily Blooms Last Forever!

August 8, 2016August 8, 2016Leave a comment

Perhaps it is the blog. Or, perhaps it is painting with my granddaughter a few days ago. And, maybe it is because I want to keep peak season alive all year. At any rate, I broke out the paintbrush in an attempt to keep my last Zuni Thunderbird alive forever. It was fun. And, it’s been 9 months since I painted one of my cultivators. That’s too long. So, I got my fix.

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

Frans Hals appeared for the first time since 2014. I like this older daylily so much that I bought one online only to discover that I had one in my yard from the years when I wasn’t quite this addicted. I like bi-tone daylilies – I think that they are stunning.

Frans Hals – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Other blooms today in my thinning garden included my last Marque Moon:

Marque Moon – Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Pizza Crust:

Pizza Crust – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Apache Uprising among the Prickley Pear:

Apache Uprising with Prickley Pear Cactus – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

And, Orange Flurry:

Orange Flurry – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

My mind is shifting to fall. I’ll be a doctor in a little over a month. I hope that there is a bloom on the day I give my presentation. That would rock. If there isn’t, I will still wake up to my favorite blossoms.

Colorado Kid Daylilies

A Blog About My Western Colorado Daylily Adventure

Tag: Orange Flurry

Counting Flowers on the Wall; That Don’t Bother Me At All!

Iridescent

A Good Day . . . in the Daylilies

Tiptoe Through the 2016 Daylilies with Me!

Live Life Like a Daylily, One Day at a Time

A Little Piece of Heaven in my Yard

Prepping the Daylily Beds is a Bunch of BS!

Before the Last Bloom?

Tigers, Skinwalkers, Apaches, and Princes. Oh My!

Daylily Blooms Last Forever!