Last Sunday in July

July 30, 2018Leave a comment

Wow – It will be August next weekend. The daylily peak has come and gone. The cultivators were in the teens today . . . a massive drop off from 2-3 weeks ago. It is funny how the first 3 weeks of June are slow progress, then it explodes, then it goes to just a few here and there for months.

Today, we had one new cultivator. Heirloom Heaven bloomed for the first time in 2018. She is an adorable late-blooming mini. She is my last unbloomed scape on a cultivator that hasn’t bloomed yet. This could be it. It seems like I usually get some August scapes . . . not many, but a handful. I don’t know with this drought, though.

Heirloom Heaven 7.29

And, I had a rude awakening last night – because Mount Echo Sunrise doesn’t look anything like Mount Echo Sunrise. I looked at her tag, and she has two. The other one says Moon over Chimayo . . . and she looks like that one. So, I assume . . .

Moon over Chimayo 7.27

Finales:

Lullabye Baby 7.29

Roll Call 7/23-29:

Adios Albuquerque 7.26

Anasazi 7.27

Apache Uprising 7.25

Aztec Firebird 7.27

Baja 7.25

Bela Lugosi 7.24

Blue Beat 7.25

Bluegrass Music 7.24

Bold Tiger 7.23

Cheddar Cheese 7.24

Cherokee Star 7.28

Chorus Line 7.26

Classy Lady 7.27

Comanche Princess 7.28

Dream Catcher (with Navajo Curls) 7.27

El Desperado 7.24

Fox Ears 7.25

Heron’s Cove 7.27

Hesperus 7.25

Indian Love Call 7.24

Indian Sky 7.24

Lady Fingers 7.25

Lime Frost 7.26

Longlesson Show-off 7.23

Marque Moon 7.24

Mildred Mitchell 7.23

Mini Pearl 7.29

Navajo Curls 7.24

Navajo Rodeo 7.23

Nearly Wild 7.28

Nosferatu 7.26

Orange Vols 7.24

Passionate Returns 7.29

Pick of the Litter 7.23

Pink and Cream 7.29

Pizza Crust 7.28

Prairie Blue Eyes 7.28

Prelude to Love 7.25

Purple Corn Dancer 7.26

Purple de Oro 7.24

Purple Moonrise 7.27

Purple Thunderbird 7.26

Raspberry Propeller 7.28

Rosie’s Red 7.23

Route 66 7.26

Royal Palace Prince 7.27

Ruby Stella 7.28

South Seas 7.27

Stephanie Returns 7.23

Tiger Kitten 7.27

Twirling Pinata 7.24

Yellow Punch 7.26

56 for the week . . . that is all! I bet we are down to half of that by next week.

Christmas in July

July 26, 2018Leave a comment

Today was Christmas in July and we had 25 cultivators to match that date! We had a weird work meeting dress-up for the occasion or I doubt I would have noticed.

Anyway – We had a new cultivator in the yard today. I think this is it for a while and only few more (well, right now only 1 other is in scape) for 2018. It is odd when ones that bloomed last year are not scaping this year . . . one wonders what motivates a flower to bloom. Probably not a drought.

So, Apache Uprising bloomed. She is in the little corner garden in front and I nearly missed her. She has bloomed for the last 3 summers – I like her deep red color.

Apache Uprising 7.25

Because it is Christmas in July, I will mention Lime Frost bloomed today. This adds some green to our red and she has a Christmastime name:

Lime Frost 7.25

Finales:

Prelude to Love 7.25

Bela Lugosi 7.25

Sort of Christmas colors. I only remember one celebration of Christmas in July . . . and today that makes my heart heavy. I am especially glad I have flowers to keep me company today.

I have been forgetting other blooms – so here we go: Dream Catcher, Mount Echo Sunrise, Navajo Curls, Purple Corn Dancer, Cherokee Star, Mount Echo Sunrise, Classy Lady, Rosie’s Red, Tiger Kitten, Nearly Wild, Comanche Princess, Marque Moon, South Seas, Baja, Mini Pearl, Lady Fingers, Hesperus, Fox Ears, Ruby Stella, Blue Beat, El Desperado, Heron’s Cove, Purple de Oro.

Desperado

July 23, 2018July 23, 20181 Comment

It is roll-call day! But, first, a dedication. It is camping weekend and I was listening to a song “Desperado” on my ipod. I have always identified with the song. So, I will put El Desperado as our lead photo today.

Desperado – The Eagles

Desperado, why don’t you come to your senses?
You been out ridin’ fences for so long now
Oh, you’re a hard one
I know that you got your reasons
These things that are pleasin’ you
Can hurt you somehow

Don’t you draw the queen of diamonds, boy
She’ll beat you if she’s able
You know the queen of hearts is always your best bet

Now it seems to me, some fine things
Have been laid upon your table
But you only want the ones that you can’t get

Desperado, oh, you ain’t gettin’ no younger
Your pain and your hunger, they’re drivin’ you home
And freedom, oh freedom well, that’s just some people talkin’
Your prison is walking through this world all alone

Don’t your feet get cold in the winter time?
The sky won’t snow and the sun won’t shine
It’s hard to tell the night time from the day
You’re losin’ all your highs and lows
Ain’t it funny how the feeling goes away?

Desperado, why don’t you come to your senses?
Come down from your fences, open the gate
It may be rainin’, but there’s a rainbow above you
You better let somebody love you (let somebody love you)
You better let somebody love you before it’s too late

OK – so new to the garden for the first time in 2018 today is Pizza Crust. I get a little hungry looking at her because I am stuck with low cholesterol pizza that doesn’t have much crust.

Pizza Crust 7.22

Finales:

Thin Man 7.22

Route 66 7.18

Fairytale Pink 7.22

Nurse’s Stethoscope 7.18

Here goes Roll-Call for the week of 7/16-7/22:

Adios Albuquerque 7.19

Anasazi 7.17

Aztec Firebird 7.17

Baja 7.18

Bela Lugosi 7.19

Black-Eyed Susan 7.16

Blue Beat 7.20

Bluegrass Music 7.16

Bold Tiger 7.17

Canyon Colors 7.15

Catherine Irene 7.16

Cheddar Cheese 7.22

Cherokee Star 7.17

Chorus Line 7.18

Classy Lady 7.18

Comanche Princess 7.17

Dream Catcher 7.18

El Desperado 7.19

Fox Ears 7.19

Happy Hopi 7.17

Heavenly Curls 7.17

Heron’s Cove 7.17

Hesperus 7.17

Indian Sky 7.16

Isaac 7.16

Jungle Queen 7.16

Just Plum Happy 7.17

Lacy Doily 7.20

Lady Fingers 7.18

Lime Frost 7.15

Longlesson Showoff 7.18

Lullabye Baby 7.22

Mama Cuna 7.17

Marque Moon 7.20

Mellon Balls 7.17

Mildred Mitchell 7.18

Mini Pearl 7.19

Mount Echo Sunrise 7.16

Navajo Rodeo 7.16

Nearly Wild 7.18

Nosferatu 7.18

Papa Longlegs 7.17

Passionate Returns 7.20

Pick of the Litter 7.17

Pink and Cream 7.18

Prairie Blue Eyes 7.17

Prairie Wildfire 7.16

Prelude to Love 7.18

Purple Corn Dancer 7.20

Purple de Oro 7.17

Purple Grasshopper 7.17

Purple Moonrise 7.17

Purple Thunderbird 7.18

Raspberry Propeller 7.20

Red Hot Returns 7.17

Red Riddle 7.18

Return a Smile 7.16

Rosie’s Red 7.20

Route 66 7.18

Royal Palace Prince 7.20

Ruby Spider 7.17

Ruby Stella 7.22

Skinwalker 7.19

Soco Gap 7.16

South Seas 7.22

Stephanie Returns 7.17

Strutter’s Ball 7.18

Taco Twister 7.19

Colorado Kid 7.22

Tiger Kitten 7.20

Treasure of the Southwest 7.20

Twirling Pinata 7.20

Wineberry Candy 7.16

Yellow Punch 7.22

New Faces, Finales, and Roll Call

July 16, 2018July 16, 20181 Comment

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

It’s The Peak – Sunday Roll Call

July 9, 2018July 9, 2018Leave a comment

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

Exponential!

July 3, 2018Leave a comment

Daylily peak is just around the corner . . . many ripe buds in the Walkway Garden now. Honestly, it is a bit daunting to photograph them all and do this job when I worked 12 hours today. First of the month is busy, especially when there is a holiday involved.

I noticed My Memories on Facebook today with some interest. Last year, I posted 19 cultivators in bloom this day. In 2016, it was three. In 2015 and 2014, it was one. 2014 was the first year that I posted photos daily to Facebook. Today, it was 35! It is like an exponential deal, a little. I think this year is enough to let me know I have enough! I have had 67 cultivators this year – 38% bloom rate. The total bloom rate for all of 2017 was 47%. To get to that number we need 79 cultivators. That is 12 more. I guestimated it would happen on July 4th. That’s 12 more in 2 days. Might happen . . . let’s see.

So, today we added 3 to our total. The first one is my biggest daylily of all – Dream Catcher. She was one of my 3 pilot daylilies in the Southwest Garden. I am not sure why she loves her spot so much, but she is big and puts on quite a show. She is another Ned Roberts spider – and related to Dream Keeper!

The Walkway Garden is my oldest daylily garden – and some of the faces have been around for several years. Prelude to Love is one of them. I know exactly where her spot is and what she looks like.

The last one for this July 2nd is Isaac. He is in the family garden – for my grandson, Isaac. A pretty yellow flower that is a bit different shape than the standard trumpet – and bigger. I was hoping for more than one scape. Oh well, last year I only had one bud. This flower brings hope that someday Isaac might be part of my life. It will take more than hope alone to make this dream come true. For today, I have a special flower.

Tomorrow, I am off to the lab early for a bunch of tests. But, first, I will try to photograph a whole bunch of blooms that I am pretty sure will be waiting for me.

Today’s other blooms were Happy Hopi, Hopi Jewel, Black Arrowhead, Black Ice, Comanche Princess, Papa Long Legs, Canyon Colors, Bluegrass Music, The Colorado Kid, Primal Scream, Red Riddle, Purple Mystique, Prairie Blue Eyes, Lady Fingers, Route 66, Pink and Cream, Yellow Punch, Ruby Stella, Jungle Queen, Nurse’s Stethoscope, Inwood, Strutter’s Ball, Return a Smile, Ruby Spider, Funny Valentine, Chaco Canyon, Wild Horses, Soco Gap, Dark Mystery, Happy Returns, Apache Bandana, Laughing Feather, Pueblo Dancer, Cheyenne Eyes, Wineberry Candy, Mini Pearl. I think that is it. Too many to keep track of. And, tomorrow could be worse!

Drizzle

July 29, 2017July 29, 2017Leave a comment

It’s Friday! So, after work, I dashed out to continue the daylily potting project. Ran out of potting soil after the first two, so ran to Home Depot. Came home and was working on another two when the rain started. It is a nice rain . . . drizzle, but enough to cool things off and wet the garden.

No new faces today. Tiger Kitten lost his only bud 😦 For tomorrow, I think maybe Nearly Wild might bloom. At any rate, I decided to make a collage like I did every day last year during the peak. I don’t have enough time do to that this year, but wanted something to show for the last of the big bloom days of July.

The rain on Wednesday bought mushrooms to my Southwest garden . . . guessing the mushroom compost come to life. Weird, in the desert.

Tomorrow, the journey continues. I wanted to be camping, but decided to plan 3 camping trips for August this weekend AND STICK TO IT!!!! But, for now, I am making good progress on the daylily potting. And, not camping in the rain. I have so much to do before freeze and Amazon is slow with my second order of pots. Oh, well, like the daylily, all we really have is this moment.

Double-Take

July 6, 2017July 6, 2017Leave a comment

The Fourth of July came and went with no blog post, so I have three new blooms to share tonight. But, before I do, I want to share this fused Ruby Spider bloom from the 4th of July. Talk about fireworks. Mother nature gave this bloom double DNA! Some experts say that weather is a factor. It got over 100 likes on the Daylily Society page!

As for new blooms, I will start with my favorite first – its name is Indian Giver. This was a bonus plant that I put in the Southwest garden last spring. I don’t have many buds this year, but I am hoping for more fans and more productive scapes next year. I love the white border!

Another new addition is Wineberry Candy – added to one of my pots that just got a drip system. The two daylilies in the pot from previous are struggling, but hopefully will come back with water. I didn’t have any of the many “candy” named ones, so I guess I do now.

Prelude to Love showed up today for the first time this year. It is a favorite. It was this afternoon that I noticed my early AM shot was blurred, so this one is what it looks like with 6 hours of high UV in nearly 100-degree heat and probably 10% humidity. Not too bad.

It’s funny how being a daylily farmer brings you closer to the earth. Some pots that were quiet last year are thriving this year, and visa versa. I am disappointed in the Southwest garden bloom rate. I did discover another cultivator with a scape today. Last year, 10 bloomed. This year, it is 13 so far have blooms or scapes But, it is somewhat different ones that bloomed this year. Of the 5 that did not repeat a bloom this year, I still have some hope for Skinwalker because it is a late bloomer. But, what causes the shift? I would guess it is that they were newly planted from the South last spring and still are adapting. It takes time for them to get established and I can’t claim that the high desert of the Colorado Plateau is natural for them. And, the trees probably need to be trimmed, but the fact that the blooms are scattered throughout the garden says that the sun issue is not profound.

For tomorrow . . . I don’t know about new blooms. I have lots of scapes in the front garden so we will see what Mother Nature brings. Work brings a 10 hour computer day!

Praise for the Sweetness of the Wet Garden

August 4, 2016Leave a comment

The rain came. Finally. Not much monsoon activity this year . . . so the big, cool storm is welcome. I got up reasonably early and several of the flowers had not bloomed all the way. Cool, wet weather. It is a nice break.

I’m two months into this daylily journey 2016. I hope for another two. It won’t peak again, but plateaus are good, too. And, then, comes the paintings. The cool weather and the presence of my granddaughter put me in the mood, a little. Ah, but alas, homework calls. Because the grandkids will be back through Sunday on their way home and due dates loom.

Enjoy the collage for today! This weekend, I am also going to try to sink some of my smaller potted daylilies into the ground. The rain will be good prep for that chore.

From L to R: Top Row – Stella de Oro, Orange Flurry, Prelude to Love, Royal Palace Prince, Marque Moon. Second Row – El Desperado, Primal Scream, Apache Uprising, Purple de Oro. Bottom – Pizza Crust.

Like a Box of Chocolates!

August 2, 2016August 2, 2016Leave a comment

So, today I applied for two more jobs and tomorrow my family comes. After that, it is some catch-up work with school. I can’t believe I am done in 6 weeks – I’ll have my Doctorate in Nursing Practice! It’s wonderful and frightening. The downside of online school is that it can be isolating. It seems especially pronounced now that we are almost done.

So, I promise myself one trip away from the dogs every couple of days. It gets me out with real humans and no leashes. Now, I love my dogs but I also enjoy feeling human. So, today I visited a local nursery that is having a plant sale. Four dollar daylilies – cool. I’ve decided to put Stellas in a couple more of my containers so they have season long bloomers. It may be good motivation to water them more – and get more blooms from the more specialty plants.

So, welcome to the yard Orange Flurry (in bloom today with scapes and buds):

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

And, another couple of Stellas. I thought it might be interesting to show the ones I got over the weekend with the new one. The new one is definitely more orange tone.

The other new ones have buds and scapes, but not in bloom today . . . so we wait. And one is a mystery label one, so like Forest Gump said . . .

Other blooms are Pizza Crust:

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

Lime Frost:

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

Marque Moon:

Marque Moon – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Prelude to Love:

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

Orange Vols:

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

El Desperado:

El Desperado – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Royal Palace Prince:

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

With any luck, I’ll have blooms until Jack Frost shows. Here is to hoping I have a job by then, too! And, by next spring there will be more flourishing at my home than ever!

Colorado Kid Daylilies

A Blog About My Western Colorado Daylily Adventure

Tag: Prelude to Love