First Frost! (and 26 daylilies)

July 23, 2016July 23, 2016Leave a comment

No, it’s really 88 degrees. It would be warmer if the monsoon clouds weren’t providing some shade. No real rain yet, but cooler than the last few weeks. In fact, cool enough for frost. Well, Lime Frost.

When I arranged daylilies last summer, I put plant labels and entered each location in my software. However, it doesn’t really sink in what is where until they bloom and then you remember to color. So, when I was checking for buds last night, I was surprised that Lime Frost looked full-term. This is booked as a very late season bloomer, but it is still mid-July. Oh, well, we had Desert Icicles so welcome to our delusion of cold weather.

Lime Frost – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Another brand new face is Autumn Jewel. This was a gift plant – this spring. A later gift plant, even. I love the bloom. It is a relative of El Desperado. It’s slated as another late bloomer. But, here it is anyway.

Autumn Jewel – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Fine Time Lucille is another brand new face today. I ordered her last summer when I was first learning the online order thing. The name sold this one . . . I have been humming the song all day.

Fine Time Lucille (with Primal Scream) – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

And, Skinwalker showed up in my Southwestern garden today . . . these first blooms are sometimes a little rough looking. Hoping for more soon from this one!

Skinwalker – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Of mention is that Electric Lizard, having been fertilized, put in another pale bloom. I now wonder if it has too much sun. I am getting some more fans at a summer sale, as I think it would look better a little fuller.

Electric Lizard – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

So, here is the collage with all 26 blooms. I tried for rainbow order, as I had both a near-blue and a green in bloom today.

From L to R: Top Row – Baja, Indian Love Call, Ruby Spider, Thin Man, Soco Gap. Second Row – Orange Vols, Primal Scream, Aztec Firebird, South Seas. Third Row – Mini Pearl, Mayan Poppy, Pick of the Litter. Fourth Row – Skinwalker, Electric Lizard, Dream Catcher, Lullaby Baby. Fifth Row – Lime Frost. Sixth Row – Blue Beat. Seventh Row – Stephanie Returns, Prairie Blue Eyes, Return A Smile, Fine Time Lucille. Eighth Row – Blackthorne, Zuni Thunderbird, Purple de Oro, Autumn Jewel.

As peak lingers, I begin to think of next year. I want to do more work with the Southwest garden. Maybe some compost or manure around each plant. Loosen the soil around the roots and add the amendments. That area has been sterile of plants so long, it probably could use some bio additives. Pots, yes, some need to be relocated. Others need pebbles in the bottoms. It will be fun moving them inside the porch this winter – the evergreens. I have had 57 different cultivators bloom so far this year. Next year, 100 by this time! Let’s do it!

The Rainy Season (Monsoons!)

July 19, 2016July 19, 2016Leave a comment

Yesterday, I believe we got our first monsoon of the year. They are a couple weeks late – and I have missed the cooling off effect that they bring to the evening. I am curious to see how the this impacts the blooming.

Today brought 19 cultivators. Two are new – and I mean new, new. They have not bloomed here before; both were added last fall. The first one represents my granddaughter, Maia, in the family section. Her name is Mayan Poppy. I love the pastel colors.

Mayan Poppy – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

The other one was a small one fan gift plant that I wasn’t sure would make it. And, if it did, I did not anticipate blooms this year. This is Heavenly Curls. As a nurse-midwife, I look at some of these and wonder how they ever bloom without a c-section.

Heavenly Curles – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

The collage today was kind of fun. I paired like-looking flowers. Some were closer matches than others. Gives it a different look.

From L to R: Top Row – Zuni Thunderbird, Ruby Spider, Aztec Firebird, Dream Catcher, Pick of the Litter, Mayan Poppy. Second Row – Return A Smile, Stephanie Returns, Lullaby Baby, Isaac, Mildred Mitchell, Purple De Oro, “Montrose Sunset” (unknown), South Seas. Bottom Row – Inwood, Blackthorne, Heavenly Curls, Indian Love Call, Soco Gap.

Still no news. Thank heaven for my garden. I believe that brings me to 53 blooms for the year. I may just make that mid-60s (50%) goal. Some of my later bloomers are getting scapes! Yea!!!

And, the Peak Goes On! (In Colorado)

July 17, 2016July 17, 2016Leave a comment

I walked out the door to over twice as many blooms as yesterday. Twenty-one! So, we are continuing to climb to the apex of the season. Interesting that in this bouquet that there are no new cultivators. So, what to talk about? Perhaps what the sun does to color in daylilies. I am no hybridizer, but I was a printer at one point much earlier in my life. I learned about color then . . . additive and subtractive.

It is my understanding that daylilies don’t have genes to make blue. So, the near blue flowers are a mosaic. Additive color is what I use when I paint my blooms. It is easy compared to subtractive color . . . which is done with light and filters. If I was issuing a somewhat educated guess, I would say this must be a subtractive process.

So, here is my stunning Blue Beat before the rays of sun hit it directly:

Blue Beat – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

And here it is just 5-10 minutes later, as the first rays of sun found its pedals: ( It shifts from blue, green, and light pink to peach, yellow, and purple). I would love to hear a hybridizer’s take on this!

Blue Beat – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

I had a lot of cool spiders today – Ruby Spider, Thin Man, Aztec Firebird, Zuni Thunderbird, and Desert Icicle. Here is one with Ruby and the Thin Man.

Ruby Spider with Thin Man in the distance – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Also, three out of five in my family garden are blooming today: Here are all three: Isaac (grandson), Mini Pearl (Minnie Pearl – grandma), and Stephanie (daughter). The colors are nice together. Maya Poppy (for granddaughter, Maia) is going to blend right in. Hopefully, soon. Catherine Irene, momma’s namesake, looks like it is waiting for now.

All in the Family from L to R: Isaac, Mini Pearl, and Stephanie Returns – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

So, here are today’s 21. Busiest day of 2016 so far. At least until I start trying to paint all of these for Christmas presents! Oh, help!

In alphabetical order from L to R: Top Row – Aztec Firebird, Blue Beat, Desert Icicle, Early Bird Cardinal, Isaac. Row Two – Lady Fingers, Mesa Verde, Mini Pearl, Pick of the Litter, Prelude to Love, Purple de Oro. Row Three – Razzamatazz, Return a Smile, Route 66, Ruby Spider, Soco Gap, South Seas. Bottom Row – Stephanie Returns, Thin Man, VooDoo Dancer and Zuni Thunderbird.

So, I am ready for a nap!

Climbing to the Peak of Daylily Color

July 15, 2016July 15, 2016Leave a comment

If yesterday was a little quiet (for July) in my garden, today was a bit overwhelming. There were several new faces.

Thin Man bloomed for the first time ever – the biggest bloom (12 inches) in my garden.

Thin Man – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

One of my Ned Roberts Southwest spiders also showed his colors for the first time ever in my yard. Meet Aztec Firebird.

Aztec Firebird – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

And, a nice little addition called Pick of the Litter was also a first-time in my yard bloomer today. Funny, this was a gift plant and I don’t remember the plant it came with – or if that plant has bloomed.

Pick of the Litter – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

First blooms for 2016 in my existing daylilies included one that I don’t have a name for – so I decided to call it Montrose Sunset. I picked this up when I xeriscaped a few years ago . . . before I was a true hobbiest. And, I cannot find the name but I like the bloom a lot.

??? “Montrose Sunset” – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Prelude to Love is a pretty dark red/purple bloom that reappears each year, as well.

Prelude to Love – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Strutter’s Ball is one I added last year and (like its neighbors, Inwood and Funny Valentine) it is astruggling to produce blooms this year. I decided today that when my blues finish blooming in a week or two, I will switch their locations and see what happens. The issue, I believe, is figuring out which pots the sprinkler system over-waters, and which it under-waters. And, then, balancing that.

Strutter’s Ball – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Cheddar Cheese, aptly, lives near my outdoor grill and is back to top-off our hamburgers.

Cheddar Cheese – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Blackthorn is one I put in last year – I really like this bloom!

Blackthorne – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

And, here is today’s collage. I tried to put this is semi-rainbow order. It is a lot of color, for sure. The peak has come to this yard on the Colorado Plateau.

From L to R: Top Row: Route 66, ? “Montrose Sunset”, Isaac, Mildred Mitchell, Razzamatazz, Prelude to Love. Row Two: Indian Love Call, Soco Gap, Aztec Firebird, Lady Fingers, Purple De Oro, Strutters Ball. Row Three: Early Bird Cardinal, Thin Man, Cheddar Cheese, (Lady Fingers), Blackthorn, VooDoo Dancer. Bottom Row: Stephanie Returns, Pick of the Litter and Return a Smile.

Hey, folks, that is eight new blooms in the yard today. That puts me at circa 45 different blooms this year. (That means about 90 have not bloomed – but many are year ones or small year twos.) I only need 20+ more to hit 50%. I have a lot of scapes – so maybe . . . stay tuned.

Colorado Kid Daylilies

A Blog About My Western Colorado Daylily Adventure

Tag: Pick of the Litter

First Frost! (and 26 daylilies)

The Rainy Season (Monsoons!)

And, the Peak Goes On! (In Colorado)

Climbing to the Peak of Daylily Color