Canyon Colors of the Southwest

May 22, 2020May 24, 20201 Comment

The red canyons of the Southwest warm my heart and soul in ways beyond words. My body instantly comes alive, my curiosity sparks, I feel like I am where I belong in the Universe. So, another blog in my series on my vicarious road trip through my Southwest named daylilies.

I think my favorite canyon is Canyon de Chelly, Arizona. The red is just deeper or richer than most of the sandstone of the Southwest.

Dominguez Canyon, much closer to home, is my favorite day adventure.

McInnis Canyons National Recreation Area – Fall 2019

McInnis Canyons National Recreation Area is also pretty close to home. My first COVID plan was to hike here every weekend all spring, but it is more than 20 miles.

Canyonlands National Park is fabulous on a grander scale, and we usually get her once a year in February. It is often snowy at Island in the Sky.

Chaco Canyon is the most spiritual canyon I can think of – I hope to go back on one of my roadtrips soon.

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park – 2019

Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is in my own back yard – 10 miles or so away. It is a canyon of a different color.

Canyons of the Ancients National Monument – 2018

Canyons of the Ancients National Monument is so cool – Hovenweep and all the surrounding areas filled with Ancient Pueblo Ruins.

Of course, there is the Grand Canyon. And, that’s just to name a few.

In my yard, there is a daylily named Canyon Colors. When she blooms, she takes me to all the canyons that I love from my road trips. She was an early Southwest order, the name (of course) drew me in.

Being a semi-evergreen, she lives on my little back porch in winter but summers in her pot on the corner of my house. IDK – Which canyon do you think best reflects her color?

I didn’t look to see if she had scapes yet. Saratoga Springtime, Ojo de Dios, Dream Catcher and Kokopelli are the only ones I noticed – but I was busy grading so didn’t get outside much.

I did have a chance to hook-up my new solar drip pump. It is one of those you get off of Amazon. I have used them for the last decade – replaced them often at first but the last one lasted 3 years. They have made improvements – so I am hopeful for at least a couple with this one. Three days of 50 MPH winds, I think my driveway pots are ready for a little drip of water.

And, I am ready to see canyon colors.

Vaca Day Lilies

July 6, 2019Leave a comment

Today, we started our weeklong camping road trip through southern Utah. So, I’ll miss 5 days of blooms. But, I think there will be plenty left when I return next week.

Premieres:

Prairie Blue Eyes 7/5

Cheyenne Eyes 7/5

Papa Long Legs 7/5

Treasure of the Southwest 7/5

Reruns:

Indian Love Call 7/5

Petite Petticoats 7/5

Yellow Punch 7/5

Saratoga Springtime 7/5

Yellow Stella 7/5

Echo Canyon 7/5

Purple Many Faces 7/5

Mesa Verde 7/5

The Colorado Kid 7/5

Finales: While Dream Keeper has a few buds left (my first bloom this season), she will likely be done before I get home.

Dream Keeper 7/5

The Independence Thirteen

July 4, 2019July 4, 2019Leave a comment

Wow . . . It was slow on Solstice and I have only thirteen on the 4th of July. Last year, I had 40 something. And, for the last several years, I’ve had white daisies, blue bells, and Ruby Spider all in close enough proximity for a July 4th shot. Not this year.

Today isn’t only the 4th, but also the day before my trip. It was my dad’s birthday and my due date with my youngest daughter. My family have been a bit like daylilies in my life . . . Enjoy them when they last and consider each day a new beginning. Still, the 4th is both a community day and a time PTSD can rear its ugly head.

Cricket Call 7/4

So, here we go with the one Premiere for today:

And, 11 sweet reruns.

Canyon Colors 7/4

Hopi Jewel 7/4

Land of Enchantment 7/4

Mesa Verde 7/4

Comanche Princess 7/4

Purple Many Faces 7/4

Ojo de Dios 7/4

Petite Petticoats 7/4

Golden Stella 7/4

Yellow Stella 7/4

Saratoga Springtime 7/4

Yellow Punch 7/4

Maybe not red, white and blue – But the Southwest and Native American names certainly honor our heritage.

Oops, missed one!

Chama Valley 7/4

Sweet Seventeen

July 3, 20192 Comments

Wow, time flies when you’re having July. Almost road trip time. I won’t miss peak, I don’t think. But, it could be starting by the time I get back. I’ll be cutting down used scapes soon enough.

So, a couple quick stories. All American Chief gave me a first bloom ever after three years. He was a gift plant. I love that the sellers pick up my Southwest theme and send approximately named daylilies. Hopi Jewel has bloomed every year, but has a similar story.

Here are today’s Premieres:

All American Chief 7/3

Hopi Jewel 7/3

Return a Smile 7/3

Petite Petticoats 7/3

And, that makes for 13 Reruns:

The Colorado Kid 7/3

Echo Canyon 7/3

Saratoga Springtime 7/3

Canyon Colors 7/3

Mesa Verde 7/3

Navajo Blanket 7/3

Comanche Princess 7/3

Funny Valentine 7/3

Dream Keeper 7/3

Indian Love Call 7/3

Yellow Stella 7/3

Yellow Punch 7/3

Golden Stella 7/3

For the first time in years, Ruby Spider isn’t going to bloom on the 4th. I don’t I can do a shot with red, white and blue flowers together. Oh well, happy 4th!

Baker’s Dozen

July 3, 2019July 3, 2019Leave a comment

Ah, the days of lots of Premieres and no Finales in sight. Today saw 13 blooms. A couple works about Navajo Blanket. I got her early in my daylily crazy. Probably 4-5 years ago. Initially, in the dobie soil until I dug a bunch of half dead daylilies up and put them in pots two years ago. This year, I tried a bigger pot. That, plus the rain, and it bloomed this year.

Another little miracle was Ojo de Dios. She died and I replaced her once I had buried pots in. She is big and healthy now.

So, here we go with Premiers;

Navajo Blanket 7/2

Ojo de Dios 7/2

Mesa Verde 7/2

Echo Canyon 7/2

And, Reruns:

Indian Love Call 7/2

Funny Valentine 7/2

Golden Stella de Oro 7/2

Land of Enchantment 7/2

Comanche Princess 7/2

Dream Keeper 7/2

Canyon Colors 7/2

Yellow Punch 7/2

Saratoga Springtime 7/2

It’s beginning to look a lot like summer!

July 2, 2019Leave a comment

And, so it has begun. Slowly but surely. Despite the very weird weather of 2019 that brought hail, rain, and thunder today. Ten bloomers.

Let’s start with Premiers;

Land of Enchantment 7/1 – I’ve had this cultivator 5 years and this is her first bloom.

Purple Many Faces 7/1

Chief Four Fingers 7/1 – This one bloomed in ’14 and almost died but finally back in good health.

Now, onto Reruns:

Indian Love Call 7/1

Saratoga Springtime 7/1

Funny Valentine 7/1

Golden Stella 7/1

Dream Keeper 7/1

Comanche Princess 7/1

Canyon Colors 7/1

Last year, I think I just listed the Reruns of I had more than 12. We will see. I’m using my phone/Wordpress app more this year. My camera photos need to be retrieved for the last few days. July has arrived.

Here Comes the Sun

June 30, 2019June 30, 2019Leave a comment

Well, time to stop thinking summer will never come. While I anticipate my daylilies are 2-4 weeks behind average, today there was a shift in numbers and colors.

Here are the today’s premieres:

The Colorado Kid 6/30

Comanche Princess 6/30

Canyon Colors 6/30 (first bloom 6/29)

Indian Love Call 6/30

Yellow Punch 6/30

Funny Valentine 6/30

And, here are the show stoppers who have been around for a week or three:

Saratoga Springtime 6/30

Dream Keeper 6/30

Golden Stella 6/30

Yellow Stella 6/30

I’m working on moving my history website moved to WordPress this weekend, so that’s all for the daylilies today. Oh, the cover photo is Ghost Ranch, whose one and only bud opened yesterday.

Multiples

June 25, 2019Leave a comment

So strange. It’s July in a week and I’ve only had 3 cultivars bloom. Maybe the 35 degree low and hail this weekend helped. Lol. All I can say is that my 3 in bloom today all have me 4 blooms. I don’t see any others that ready to bloom . . . Within a week, but not tomorrow.

Saratoga Springtime 6/24

Stella 6/24

Yin and Yang

June 21, 20191 Comment

I’m really not feeling the joy of daylily season, yet. The wet, cold spring has things running 2-4 weeks late. Next week and the following are usually peak weeks. I have lots of scapes, but nothing but Stella, Saratoga Springtime, and Dream Keeper are blooming. And, I’d guess next week at the earliest before that changes. Last year, I had a dozen or so in bloom by now. I thought it was my gardening skills. Maybe some, but mostly the yin and yang of exceptional drought to a cold, wet season.

Dream Keeper 6/20

Saratoga Springtime 6/20

This year, I’ll do Premier photos for new blooms and, like last year, Encore photos for last blooms of each cultivator. For now, though, we wait.

It’s That Time, Again!

June 12, 2019Leave a comment

The contrast seems odd. Last year we had the exceptional drought. Blooms were early because of the warm, dry winter. I winter watered my daylilies once a month. Some buds dried up before they opened.

Stella de Oro, June 6, 2019

This year, winter was long, cold and wet. It warmed up in March, but got cold, again. I lost El Desperado – my big, thriving El Desperado. Nurse’s Stethoscope is struggling. I lost Ghost Ranch. Other daylilies have bigger that average foliage. It’s weird that I lost more with rain than without. We are 200% or something of the average snowpack.

Saratoga Springtime, June 9, 2019

So, blooms are late and scapes are slow to appear. I don’t feel as geared up for my daily daylily blog as usual. Maybe it’s because I have a new job that is a better match, but I’m leading a major transition. So, that and sick dogs, have been my focus.

Dream Keeper, June 11, 2019

But, nature doesn’t care. Summer temps are starting the last couple of weeks, and I’ve had 3 daylily blooms. Stella de Oro was the first. She started scapes at the usual time and then winter returned. She slowly but surely persisted. Other bloomers are Saratoga Springtime and Dream Keeper.

Oh, and my amaryllis finally bloomed after 5 years!

I have more scapes this week, but nothing else on the verge of blooming. So, my blog will have a slow start, just like the spring did.

Colorado Kid Daylilies

A Blog About My Western Colorado Daylily Adventure

Tag: Saratoga Springtime