A Celebration of Spiders! (Ned Roberts)

August 7, 2018Leave a comment

The days grow August-quiet. It seems a dream that I had nearly 60 blooms per day just a month ago. So, today, we will do finales. And, then, a roll-call of my Ned Roberts spiders.

Finales:

Chorus Line 8.5

Rosie’s Red 8.6

So, maybe if I do the Ned Roberts spider roll-call it will entice one more into bloom this year. My Ghost Ranch is a fall bloom, but I am having a rough time getting her to thrive here. Maybe some fish fertilizer? Our temps are still above average with little rain.

Ned Roberts Spiders for 2018 Season:

Adios Albuquerque

Apache Bandana

Aztec Firebird

Black Arrowhead

Black Ice

Chaco Canyon

Cheyenne Eyes

Chokecherry Mountain

Comanche Princess

Desert Icicle

Dream Catcher

Dream Keeper

Fox Ears

Happy Hopi

Iktomi

Kachina Firecracker

Kokopelli

Laughing Feather

Mama Cuna

Moon Over Chimayo

Navajo Curls

Navajo Rodeo

Papa Longlegs

Pink Rain Dance

Pueblo Dancer is her label, but she doesn’t look like that one. So???

Purple Corn Dancer

Purple Grasshopper

Purple Many Faces

Purple Moonrise

Purple Thunderbird

Raspberry Propeller

Raven Woodsong

Rocky Mountain Pals

Santa Fe Christmas

Shape Shifter

Skinwalker

Taco Twister

Talon

Twirling Pinata

Wild Rose Fandango

Zuni Eye

Zuni Thunderbird

Out of interest, here are my Ned Roberts spiders that bloomed last year but did not bloom this year:

Coral Taco 2017

Glen Eyrie

Pink Enchilada 2017

And, we had a few in 2016 that have not bloomed again:

Chief Four Fingers 2016

Ghost Ranch

Winds of Love 2016

I have around 64 of Ned’s spiders in my garden. I had 42 bloom this year or about 65%. Last year, I had 13 (about 20%) bloom. Marked improvement. All total, to date, I have had 48 (or 75%) bloom. That is a long way from 100%. But, marked improvement. I think some of the ones that bloomed in 2016 were put in that year (still flourishing from the nursery), struggled last year in the clay soil, and are recovering (growing new roots) this year in their pots. I am sure that the drought had an impact, as well.

So, for fun, here are the ones I have that have never bloomed (photos from the web):

Apache Beacon

Coyote Laughs

Cricket Call

Cripple Creek

Dancing Maiden

Echo Canyon

Feather Woman

Golden Eclipse

Kachina Dancer

Kiva Dancer

Land of Enchantment

Maya Cha Cha

Medicine Feather

Mount Echo Sunrise

Navajo Grey Hills

Ojo de Dios

Orchid Moonrise

The Real Pueblo Dancer

Spirit of the Morning

Star over Milagro

Truchas Sunrise

Wildwood Flower

We made improvements, but we have aways to go. That’s life

Return a Smile :-)

July 29, 2016July 29, 2016Leave a comment

Today, no new blooms. I am impressed, however, that Return a Smile returned. It’s the one I divided into the front garden last year. It has never rebloomed in the container. That is cool. The old gal has grit.

Return a Smile: Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

In my positive psychology course, we are talking about how we tend to mimic the faces of those who we make eye-to-eye contact with. Smiling does usually get returned. And, they are calling this a form of love. So, I will credit my daylily for reminding me of that lesson today.

I decided to update my collage of Roberts daylilies that bloomed this year, as I think Ghost Ranch may be the last. I am still hopeful for late bloomers, but no scapes yet. This can always be updated. If I get 80% next year, It will be 40 or so cultivators.

Ned Roberts Spiders as of 7/29/2016 L to R: Top Row – Winds of Love, Black Ice, Aztec Firebird, Chief Four Fingers, Desert Icicle. Center: Skinwalker. Bottom Row: Ghost Ranch, Kokopelli, Dream Catcher, Zuni Thunderbird, Dream Keeper.

And, here is the collage of today’s blooms. Gratitude . . . Love, joy, and gratitude. A garden of positive emotion.

7/29/16 L to R: Top Row: Fine Time Lucille, Lullaby Baby, Dream Catcher, Baja, Return a Smile. Bottom Row: Orange Vols, El Desperado, Ghost Ranch, Marque Moon, Prelude to Love.

Red, White, and Blue

July 4, 2016July 4, 2016Leave a comment

Today is Independence Day, and my dad’s birthday. He is gone now, but the day is always a memory of him. It is also the first day of my last term at school. In 11 weeks, I am a doctor! I hope my daylily blooms have peaked by then.

I am so glad I have Ruby Spider in the front garden now, with separating my original plant last year. Why? Because it is peak bluebell and daisy season. Makes for a great red, white and blue photo.

Ruby Spider with daisies and blue bells – photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Other than a hint of patriotic hues in the garden, it was another slow day. At first I thought I had no blooms in my Ned Roberts southwestern spider garden. It wasn’t until we got home from the downtown events that I noticed Winds of Love. It was pretty burned out by the time I got the photo.

Winds of Love – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

What is cool, though, is that to the yucca in that garden are in love with more water . . . and one I have never seen blooming is doing so now. It was a much smaller yucca garden for several years. One put in to hide the blemish of a tree removed to replace the sewer line. It got it got ignored more than not. But the yucca grew, so I figure there would be enough sun for daylilies. I can’t wait until the space has matured a bit, because I think the yuccas and daylilies will look fabulous together.

Yucca Bloom – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

All of that said, I would give the prize for best flower to The Colorado Kid. Once again, fabulous vibrant color.

The Colorado Kid – photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Wild Horses came to march in the parade of color today. Always a favorite.

Wild Horses – photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

And, Early Bird Cardinal tried to look patriotic, as well.

Early Bird Cardinal – photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

And, hey, one of my favorite daylily companions, Flamingo Grass, is blooming. Come on daylilies, lets roll!

So, that is it for the Fourth of July. I think we may see Canyon Colors tomorrow. Slo-mo daylily season.

Jungle Queens and Voodoo Dancers, Oh My

July 3, 2016Leave a comment

The storm is passing, slowly but surely. It should start warming up by the end of the week. However, it wasn’t a bad daylily day. A Jungle Queen and a Voo Dancer showed up! Now, that is something to blog about.

Jungle Queen was amongst my first Lily Auction purchases. It was the day I needed to figure out how to win stuff so that I would get Kokopelli when the bidding closed. After losing on an earlier Ned Roberts daylily, I was determined to figure out the system. Jungle Queen caught my eye . . . and now she lives in my garden.

Jungle Queen – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

VooDoo dancer is one I purchased locally this year to go in a beautiful Mexican pot that my daughter bought me when they came to visit for Memorial Day. It should be a double bloom, so still adapting to its new surroundings. I’m hoping to see doubles soon! It is really pretty in the picture . . . more purple, too. I’ll put the web picture below. Hopefully, it wasn’t mislabeled 😦

Two of my Ned Roberts spiders are in bloom today. For fun, I put together a collage of all the blooms I have had from his creations to date. Five so far. I have 40+ Neds in my yard – so 10%. The larger ones (Chief FOUR Fingers and Kokopelli) are from today. This is the first FOUR finger bloom on the Chief! The smaller ones are Black Ice, Dream Keeper, and Winds of Love.

Ned Roberts collection to date – Photos by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Other bloomers were Ruby Spider, who adds visual splendor to both the front and side garden today. In front, it was a little red, white, and blue. And, on the porch garden, it was a pose with a friend (Return a Smile – I think).

Early Bird Cardinal landed again, too.

Early Bird Cardinal – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

I have had 18 different blooms so far this year. It is a start! Tomorrow, I am betting on Canyon Colors. Can’t wait to see it!

Raindrops Keep Falling on My Colorado Daylily Bed

July 1, 2016July 1, 2016Leave a comment

It’s July, and it is cool and rainy. My hosta may appreciate that more than my daylilies. I remember years of drought and fires tearing through my state. Instead, today seems like a good day for a nap with my puppies.

So, given the unusual rain, I went a bit overboard on the photos. I did two rounds. And, I had to go through all of them to edit. I don’t edit much. I go up a little with contrast and saturation, but not much. Mostly cropping. Still, takes time.

The two that caught my eye the most today were The Colorado Kid and Mesa Verde. I have a story about The Colorado Kid in my yard. It seems that its colors are more vibrant than a lot of growers (down south) can produce. How do I know? I posted a picture to the American Hemerocallis Facebook page. What is it? Lack of humidity, altitude, sprinkler water every two days, partial shade, temperature? I don’t know, but this blog’s mascot is eye catching. I hope my other near blues turn out this awesome!

The Colorado Kid – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Mesa Verde is one of those flowers that could use a midwife to help its buds to open. It is so ruffled that it is obviously working very hard the day before a new bloom. I love the ruffles in the rain.

Mesa Verde – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Other visitors today are a soggy Kokopelli.

Kokopelli – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

And his Ned Roberts “sibling,” Winds of Love.

Winds of Love – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Hopi Jewel is back and, I love the colors in the rain.

Hopi Jewel – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Last, but not least, Early Bird Cardinal – who rates the most photos to date. (Proficient bloomer)

Early Bird Cardinal – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

I’m not sure what the next blooms will be. It’s interesting that Lady Fingers is not blooming . . . definitely behind previous years. Maybe it is the cooler summer? Who knows? Being postdates is not the worst fate in the world.

Southwest Spiders in the Garden

June 28, 2016June 28, 2016Leave a comment

I find spider daylilies mesmerizing. Something about the shape, the twists. Each bloom is so unique. Not that I don’t love the traditional shapes. But, there is something about a spider in the garden. And, I don’t mean the insect kind that live in my rock garden this time of year.

Today, another new Ned Roberts bloom: Winds of Love. It was a bonus plant that came with some others that I bought from the Lily Auction from a seller named Floota. At first, I thought it didn’t belong with the Southwestern named ones. But, then, I remembered those spring desert windstorms that blow the warmer weather in each year. You know, the ones that formed the Grand Canyon? Well, they can be serious show stoppers if you are on a road trip. But, what about reframing them to mean something more positive? Cognitive behavioral therapy for weather. So, Winds of Love is in with the other Southwestern named blooms.

Winds of Love – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

I also played with the macros feature on my camera more today. I got some cool close-ups of today’s blooms – all are Ned’s daylilies. So, sit back, relax, and enjoy. PS – I am writing this as I wait for a 5PM job interview. It’s a bit too early to start preparing. It’s weird to interview via the web, so I need to vacuum 🙂 Blogging about daylilies is the BEST way to stay focused in the moment. Well, next to taking photographs and painting them, that is.

Here are my three beautiful spiders of today up close and personal:

Winds of Love – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Kokopelli – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

Black Ice – Photo by Colorado Kid Daylilies – C. Hartt

OK, and one more of Kokopelli from a little further back. The first bloom had some issues with color, but this one is gorgeous! So perfect. Can’t wait to paint it. I love the colors! It almost has a hint of blue between the yellow and pink . . . OK, light purple.

Anyway, about time to prep for that interview. I need a job after graduation so I can pay for my daylily habit 🙂 Well, actually, it is a really cool job.

That’s all folks!

Colorado Kid Daylilies

A Blog About My Western Colorado Daylily Adventure

Tag: Winds of Love

A Celebration of Spiders! (Ned Roberts)

Return a Smile :-)

Red, White, and Blue

Jungle Queens and Voodoo Dancers, Oh My

Raindrops Keep Falling on My Colorado Daylily Bed

Southwest Spiders in the Garden