Wow! Thirty bloomers today. And, yet, the scapes are still everywhere. I think the Walkway Garden is about to start popping. And the Southwest and Mural Gardens are close to peak. It is going to get busier very soon.
Today’s new blooms include two of my favorite Ned Roberts spiders out in the Southwest Garden. Of all my daylilies, Zuni Thunderbird is my favorite. Let me say that again – My favorite daylily of all the 170+ in my yard had its first bloom today. Zuni Thunderbird was one of my original 4 pilot flowers in the Southwest Garden (AKA Yucca Garden). I had Kokopelli first – but quickly added Dream Catcher and Zuni Thunderbird. Of all the Southwest named daylilies I was discovering, those names caught my eye.

Zuni’s first blooms are never her best – but this year, they are better than I have ever seen them. I think the bug spray helps. No one nibbled her buds and sucked her color out. Why is she my favorite – I like the deep color and she gets some of the most amazing curls you have ever seen. I just love her.
The other big bird is Aztec Firebird. Aztec Firebird likes where she is planted and puts on a great show every year. She was added the spring after the pilot, yet she is bigger than most the plants added at that time. I love her bright colors . . . she is a firebird!

The other newbie for 2018 today is Strutter’s Ball. She is in the mural garden. Added a few years ago and a pretty reliable bloomer. I like her with my solar flower.

So, tomorrow is my early day. And, I am dealing with some minor health issues now, so I do need to sleep. Depending on the Walkway Garden, we should have around the same number of blooms . . . maybe more. Several of my minis look almost ready. I am sure I will have at least one in bloom tomorrow.
Other bloomers today: Treasure of the Southwest, Mesa Verde, Pink Rain Dance, Purple Many Faces, Comanche Princess, Black Ice, Pueblo Dancer, Soco Gap, Prairie Blue Eyes, Red Riddle, Wineberry Candy, Jungle Queen, Saratoga Springtime, Colorado Kid, Canyon Colors, Pink and Cream, Yellow Punch, Wild Horses, Funny Valentine, Ruby Spider, Return a Smile, Indian Love Call, Holy Sombrero, Dream Keeper, Ruby Stella, Route 66, and Nurse’s Stethoscope. I think that is it. Goodnight, Big Bird!
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