Daylilies

Feeling rather proud of myself, I dug and divided two clumps of daylilies for the RADS table at the Lewis Ginter Plant Sale. I haven't done too much dividing of daylilies, but it's time for some...really, it's time for some to leave and find new homes all together. Both of the clumps I dug, Joan Senior and Big Time Happy, are nice daylilies but I have to make room for some new ones.

Here's what Joan Senior looked like:


And here's what Big Time Happy produced:



After all that, I'm a bit chagrined to tell you that I kept a few fans of Joan Senior (not pictured...I set them aside for me). It's hard to let go, I suppose. So much for opening up two new spots...

Anyway, I hope they sold well as RADS was selling daylilies for $4 for a double fan (very good price) and I think there was a price break if you purchased 10-12. If you are new to daylilies and want some nice ones at a great price, check your local daylily club sales. The variety will be hard to beat. It looked like the sale was going well while I was there. There were plenty of volunteers and I wasn't really needed, so I went shopping! Lots of great things to temp me including hellebores from Pine Knot Farm and a new orchid from the orchid society...but, I was ticked to find a gas plant (Dictanmus)! I had brought nothing to carry my plant finds in (not smart at a good plant sale!), so my arms were quite weary when I made it back to my car...but a good weary!

Getting back to daylilies, I am excited to find scapes in my garden! This means that daylily blooms won't be far behind...or at least I hope, as I am impatient! Of course, the earliest I have had blooms was May 22nd...and that's really pretty early for this area. I sometimes will get some early blooms on new arrivals which are opening on their old zone time frames, usually from south of me. In fact, I think my first bloom this year will be on such a plant. It could come as early as tomorrow! I keep a spreadsheet of my daylilies and note things like first bloom...but that one, the new one, will get an "s" by the date to remind me that is a southern bloom date.

Here are the ones I've found scapes on so far (tomorrow could bring more!):

Applique
Ballerina on Ice
Big City Eye
Christine Dixon
Double Image
Firefly Frenzy
Helix
Hidden Riches
Kitty Wells
Moving All Over
Pathway to Paradise
Royal Eventide
So Many Stars
Spectral Elegance
Stella’s Ruffled Fingers
Terry Lyninger
Velvet Ribbons
Waiting in the Wings
Wild Horses

With over 600 daylilies, you can see it is just beginning. Much as I hate to admit it, most everything else will take a backseat when the daylilies start. I can hardly wait to get up in the morning when the bloom season begins! My day begins with me rushing out to see what is open...I will make another round mid-morning as some are not early morning openers (emo)...then another in late afternoon. I hope to produce more of my own seeds this year, so I will be dabbing pollen here and there. With the luxury of not having to be at my former part time job, I am really looking forward to this bloom season!

Last year, I felt I missed a great deal on those days I worked. I usually left very early (sometimes before daylight), returned in the afternoon when it was quite hot and so only saw the evening blooms. By then, it is too late to do any pollination...or the bees have beat you to it! In addition, I was pretty tired and I just didn't have the energy to devote to my garden like I would have liked. You know how I like collecting plants and I lost more than I would have liked last year...so, hopefully, this year I'll be able to put a bit more into things.

I'm really fortunate to have such a supportive DH. He changed jobs and encouraged me to not go back to the part time job...it didn't take much...lol! One of our favorite jokes now is when he says he'll work some over time so I can buy more daylilies! Yes! I like that! Well, as you can tell, I have quite a few, so I'm not into the buying mode quite as much. I'm working toward producing my own and having my daylilies pay for themselves. Maybe I'll even have some seed to sell this year, although it might be hard to part with it! I've bought quite a bit myself so I could have some fancy crosses (I hope). Speaking of that, I've found a scape on three of my seedlings! Yippee! When they bloom, they are brand new to the world! Unique and never seen by anyone before! Now, they might not be winners or they may have some maturing to do, but I know I'll be thrilled. At any rate, my long range plan is eventually grow only my very favorites (of other hybridizers) and my own. Wish me luck!

Okay, for anyone (besides me) who might be interested, the seedlings with a scape are:

Ed Brown x J T Davis
Cindy Jones x Crystelle's Love
Golden Tentacles x Moment in the Sun

A good place (that's easily accessible) to look up daylilies is the database on Tinkers.

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Tomorrow, time permitting, I'll do a post about one of the (several) places I've been in the last week or so...

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051807 scapes found:
Alter Ego
Appsian Rhapsody
Cerulean Star
Susan Pritchard Petit
Twilight Illusions
Velvet Illusions
Walking in Beauty

Blooming: Peggy Turman (no pic as it is rainy)

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051907 scapes found:
Artistic Web
Awesome Blossom
Carolyn Hunt
Charming Charlie
Dreams of Heroes
Inky Fingers
Macho Macho Man
Puccini
Sculptured Treasure

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052007 scapes found
Big Mac Attack
Catcher in the Eye
Druid's Chant
Katie My Love
Love's Purest Light
No More Tears
Painting the Roses Red
Spacecoast Sharp Tooth
Wren Song

Seedling:
Snow in Autumn x Wonders Never Cease

052107 scapes found
Alexa Kathryn
Brain Stew
Charming Charlie
Edge of Heaven
Mandalay Bay Music
Mississippi Memories
Song in My Heart
Spacecoast Eye Declare
Yo Rick Yost

052207 scapes found
Blissful Blackberry Pie
Chatham Babe
Connie Can't Have It
Electric Mist
Jay Farquhar
Jerry Pate Williams
Mulberry Connection
Palladian Pink
Something Wonderful
Vi

Seedling:
Gaudy Gaudy x Spectral Elegance

052307 scapes found
All About Eve
Better Yet
Bill Norris
Chicago Picotee Lace
Dreams of Heroes
Eyes on the Prize
Hermitage Newton
Lemon Parchment
Light Motif
Lori Goldston
Mal
Ming Porcelain
Moonlit Masquerade
Nancy Billingslea
Oh Dickie
One Last Dance
Paper Butterfly
Patterns in Time
Peacock Maiden
Peppermint Pinwheel
Rose Vision
Sirocco
Spacecoast Cotton Candy
Spacecoast Starburst
Spiderman
Strawberry Fields Forever
Tooth
Tune the Harp
Wineberry Candy

Seedling:
Moment in the Sun x Isle of Wight (2!!)

IN BLOOM:
Royal Eventide

052407 scapes found:
Admiral's Braid
Jumbo Shrimp
Laughing Skies
Magic of Oz
Rainforest Magic
Southern Wind
Vesuvian Blackout
Violet Veil

052507 scapes found:
Aunt Ethel (rebloom from Florida!)
Blue Pink Beauty
Ed Brown
Eternal Life
Gift from Heaven
Glory Bright
Go Seminoles
Home Place Angel Face
Ida's Magic
Jan's Twister
Jump for Joy
Larry Grace
Midnight in Marrakesh
Prester John
Sir Modred
Sunny Delight
TFFKA Jill
Ted Robinson
Tin Soldier
Titan It Up Jack
Winter Concerto

052607 scapes found:
Alicia Rose Kissed
Brocaded Gown
Dena Marie's Sister
Destined to See
How Beautiful Heaven Must Be
Florida's Garden Light
Forsyth Wrinkles & Crinkles
Inca Prince
Itza Mirage
Love Spills Over
Marilyn Apps
Sea Urchin
Spiny Sea Urchin
Stars and Angels
Tiger's Eye

Seedling:

Ed Brown x J T Davis (2nd one!)
Women Seeking Men x Bear Claws