Estimated Day of First Daylily: Tomorrow

Stella in half bloomed, so I think it’s safe to say my first daylily of the year shows up tomorrow. I have to give up AM news for camera time in the garden. It’s better, the garden.

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I killed my very first Stella a few years back. Then, I got into daylilies, and Stella seemed too common. But they bloom all season. So, last year, I hit the sales and got a few.

I have a growing number of scapes popping up. It’s like watching popcorn start to pop. Kokopelli, Soco Gap, Papa Long legs,  Hopi Jewel, Happy Returns, Ruby Spider, Chama Valley, Strutters Ball,  Wild Horses, Ghost Ranch, Funny Valentine,  Inwood, Jungle Queen, Return A Smile. All have scapes. And, it’s just the beginning.  I guessed Juneteenth (16th) for bloom 1. Off by 9 days. I’m good with it.

I have a lot of friends who think I’m a Lily expert. Daylilies are not really lilies. They are more closely related to Olathe Sweet Corn. And, I hope they do as well in my high desert garden.

Climbing to the Peak of Daylily Color

If yesterday was a little quiet (for July) in my garden, today was a bit overwhelming.  There were several new faces.

Thin Man bloomed for the first time ever – the biggest bloom (12 inches) in my garden.

 

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Thin Man – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

 

One of my Ned Roberts Southwest spiders also showed his colors for the first time ever in my yard.  Meet Aztec Firebird.

 

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Aztec Firebird – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

 

And, a nice little addition called Pick of the Litter was also a first-time in my yard bloomer today.  Funny, this was a gift plant and I don’t remember the plant it came with – or if that plant has bloomed.

 

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Pick of the Litter – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

 

First blooms for 2016 in my existing daylilies included one that I don’t have a name for – so I decided to call it Montrose Sunset.  I picked this up when I xeriscaped a few years ago . . . before I was a true hobbiest.  And, I cannot find the name but I like the bloom a lot.

 

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??? “Montrose Sunset” – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

 

Prelude to Love is a pretty dark red/purple bloom that reappears each year, as well.

 

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

 

Strutter’s Ball is one I added last year and (like its neighbors, Inwood and Funny Valentine) it is astruggling to produce blooms this year.  I decided today that when my blues finish blooming in a week or two, I will switch their locations and see what happens.  The issue, I believe, is figuring out which pots the sprinkler system over-waters, and which it under-waters.  And, then, balancing that.

 

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Strutter’s Ball – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

 

Cheddar Cheese, aptly, lives near my outdoor grill and is back to top-off our hamburgers.

 

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Cheddar Cheese – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

 

Blackthorn is one I put in last year – I really like this bloom!

 

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Blackthorne – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

 

And, here is today’s collage.  I tried to put this is semi-rainbow order.  It is a lot of color, for sure.  The peak has come to this yard on the Colorado Plateau.

 

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From L to R: Top Row: Route 66, ? “Montrose Sunset”, Isaac, Mildred Mitchell, Razzamatazz, Prelude to Love. Row Two: Indian Love Call, Soco Gap, Aztec Firebird, Lady Fingers, Purple De Oro, Strutters Ball.  Row Three: Early Bird Cardinal, Thin Man, Cheddar Cheese, (Lady Fingers), Blackthorn, VooDoo Dancer.  Bottom Row: Stephanie Returns, Pick of the Litter and Return a Smile.

 

Hey, folks, that is eight new blooms in the yard today.  That puts me at circa 45 different blooms this year. (That means about 90 have not bloomed – but many are year ones or small year twos.)   I only need 20+ more to hit 50%.  I have a lot of scapes – so maybe . . . stay tuned.