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:
Daylilies of Corona: June Blooms
Tag: Ruby Spider
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.
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.
I Have My Droughts
I left the new sprinkler system on too long – I got on a video meeting and totally forgot. I am sure I will have the water bill from h@## this summer. Why??? Because see the map below – the darkest red is an “exceptional drought”. The blue circle is my home region. It is a drought year, and getting worse each day.
It’s the kind of year where there are less scapes and more buds that just turn brown and fall-off. Two years ago, we were probably in worse shape at this point . . . and that is why I started to think about more drip systems. I mean, mine are DIY but they do the trick to make the ground moist. Even if they cost more than mom nature. Water now . . . before the restrictions!
I had a few premiers today. Let’s start with Ruby Spider. While I always liked daylilies, she is the first one I looked forward to every year. She is the first one that had her own unique flower-ality.
Primal Scream – I had to have this one early in my daylily days because of the name! I got this sad, inexpensive fan that took a couple years to bloom. Then, the garden store sold me something they labeled as Desert Flame – but I am 99.9% sure it is also Primal Scream. So, I have one on the porch that is big and blooming.
Mount Echo Sunrise – A Robert’s spider with the coolest green throat and beautiful light yellow color. She lives up to her name.
Then – one of my mystery daylilies that were dying in a garden I put them in before I was into daylilies. They were little seedling sized things. I noticed that about the same time I realized my potted daylilies were 2-3 X the size as my in-ground babies. So, I put them in a pot together not having a clue what was what. I think this may be Nosferatu but I really don’t know, so she is called Nosferatwo for now.
I have my droughts that it will be as high of a bloom rate as last year. There are some cultivators who are still small and scapeless. These poor babies came from down South – daylily land. Here they are in the stinkin’ desert doing their best despite their droughts. (I had 21 in bloom today . . . let’s see what tomorrow brings.)
Colorado Day: My Top 10 Red Daylilies
August 1st brought a cool day with rain. School starts next week, work is buzzing. But, I tell myself, we are still 6 weeks from fall and the short day, cool seasons. August 1st is also Colorado Day. Colorado means red. So, since I have no new cultivators today (but still 50+ in bloom), I thought I would share my top 10 red daylilies. Here they are in no particular order:
Ruby Spider – one of my oldest daylilies – 2019
Baja – another oldy but goodie (looks like velvet) – 2019
Route 66 – nice colors (she brings to mind my spring road trip) – 2019
Maya Cha Cha – This is for my Granddaughter, Maia! – 2019
Apache Bandana – an eye-catching flower – 2019
Santa’s Pants – a jolly old soul – 2019
Fox Ears – I simply love the shape! – 2019
Nurse’s Stethoscope – I helped name this one (my legacy) – 2019
Navajo Rodeo – I like the distinctive shape and the name – 2019
Kachina Firecracker – looks like red ribbons – 2019
What’s your favorite?
Counting Flowers on the Wall; That Don’t Bother Me At All!
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
Decrescendo!
It was a busy day for a Monday after the peak. 35 cultivators blooming today . . . that is a lot. Last year, I had 18 in bloom this day. In 2015, the number was 8. Maybe I was camping in 2016. Anyway, today we hit a total of 123 cultivators for the year – about 70% bloom rate. I only have a couple with scapes that have not bloomed . . . I don’t know if we will get to 75%. But was are sure ahead of 48% last year.
So – for today – two new babies. A first-ever bloom is Navajo Curls. I got her a couple years ago and she didn’t come back last spring. She was replaced in the fall. Worth it! She is another Ned Roberts spider – can you tell?
Navajo Curls 7.23
And, my old favorite brilliant orange daylily – Orange Vols – opened today. I put her in 6 years ago when I xeriscaped parts of my yard. I love to paint her!
Orange Vols 7.23
Encores – Our first rebloom of the season! Indian Love Call came back for seconds.
Indian Love Call 7.23
Finales – Our last blooms today are below (unless they do encores). When it is the last Ruby Spider, you know the peak is waning. I’m kinda ready for those 10 or fewer blooms a day, honestly!
Ruby Spider 7.23
Stephanie Returns 7.23
Longlesson Show-off 7.23
Navajo Rodeo 7.23
New Faces, Finales, and Roll Call
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
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
July 1: Daylily Roll Call!
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
Horses, Canyons, Rodeos, and Our Blooms for the Week!
Summer is here! I got home from camping 6 hours ago and am still trying to get everything done for the weekend! When I don’t take photos in the morning, the blooms are pretty sunburned by noon. And we had wind today. And single digit humidity. So, for today there were 5 new blooms.
Wild Horses is a favorite, dependable bloomer. I have had her 3 years and she puts on quite a show. Can you see the wild horses in her pattern?
Wild Horses 6/24
So, Chaco Canyon bloomed when we returned from this same camping adventure last year. I love her stripes!
Chaco Canyon 6/24
A brand new face for this year is Navajo Rodeo. Waiting 3 years to see some of these has taken patience. She reminds me of Talon, but redder. I am sure they are related.
Navajo Rodeo 6/24
Ruby Spider is one of my oldest blooms, and always a favorite. She is huge, and oh so red!
Ruby Spider 6/24
And little Happy Returns is back. She is such a delicate little yellow trumpet.
Happy Returns 6/24
And there is the long roster (with photos) of all or our blooms from 6/18 through today:
Bluegrass Music 6/21
Canyon Colors 6/21
Comanche Princess 6/22
Dark Mystery 6/20
Dream Keeper 6/22
Funny Valentine 6/19
Holy Sombrero 6/22
Hopi Jewel 6/20
Indian Love Call 6/20
Jungle Queen 6/20
Kokopelli 6/19
Laughing Feather 6/19
Mesa Verde 6/22
Nurse’s Stethoscope 6/21
Painted Petroglyph 6.21
Pink Rain Dance 6/22
Platinum Palate Pink Whispers 6/22
Prairie Blue Eyes 6/19
Pueblo Dancer 6/22
Purple Many Faces 6/22
Purple Mystic 6/20
Red Riddle 6/21
Return a Smile 6/19
Saratoga Springtime 6/21
Stella de Oro 6/19
Talon 6/21
The Colorado Kid 6/22
Treasure of the Southwest 6/21
Wineberry Candy 6/24
Yellow Punch 6/22
Zuni Eye 6/20
So far, that makes 36 that have bloomed in the yard. Of 170-something. 21% or so of my cultivators have bloomed so far. Tomorrow, it looks like more new faces will join the count!
Colorado Kid Daylilies 