Yesterday, Friday, came my first bloom of the season. The daylily season of Corona has begun. 40 scapes and I need 40 winks. Let’s see what daylight brings.
Springtime
Tag: Saratoga Springtime
There Ain’t No Cure for the Summertime Blooms
Sometimes, I feel a little sad that daylilies are the dominant plant in my yard. And, that camping season is superimposed on daylily season. To top that off, I have so many other plants that bloom in summer.
I feel like those plants get ignored. I nurture the plants all winter, many as houseplants. And, boom, I barely notice their gorgeous blooms because 50 daylilies are competing for my time.
Today, I walked my yard and took pictures of a dozen or so plants that are brightly blooming right now.
It’s a weird bunch, from Thanksgiving cactus to white iris. From native to tropical.
I have more than are pictured here because I ended up with lots of pansies and petunias in color bowls.
The oldest plant in bloom today is likely my Thanksgiving cactus or the bromeliad. All about 5 years with me. The youngest I planted yesterday.
I wish there were more blues to contrast the daylilies – pansies and petunias help.
I think daylily season starts tomorrow or Friday in my yard. Saratoga Springtime is about to burst. I have 30 scapes up, but none close to blooming. It seems a little late, but not much. I hope my bloom rate is good with the drought. It tends to be worse on drought years.
Anyway, if I don’t get too burned out blogging, maybe I’ll do an extra post every so often about the other bloomers.
Canyon Colors of the Southwest
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 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 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 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
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
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
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
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!
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
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
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
Colorado Kid Daylilies 