Rainy Sunday in VA

Interestingly, I see it was raining last time I got around to putting a few words together.  Perhaps rain equals productivity for me? 

Anyway, it's a rainy Sunday and I have actually been outside and taken rainy pictures.  Even more amazingly, I have finished with said pictures.  Wow.  

 First up.  You know I like daylilies with attitude and today, even in the rain, Asterisk was bringing it:

 

Asterisk (Lambert, 1985)

height 28in (71cm), bloom 8in (20.5cm), season M, Semi-Evergreen, Diploid, Unusual Form Spatulate,  White spider with grayish cast and green throat. ((Virginia Gada × Shibui Splendor) × Cerulean Star)

A rare picture of Dena Marie's Sister facing me (of course, it would be when it is raining...) as this one, for reasons I can't fathom, seems to favor blooming facing the side of my house:

 

Dena Marie's Sister (Carpenter-J., 1997)

height 32in (81cm), bloom 6.5in (16.5cm), season MLa, Rebloom, Dormant, Diploid, Fragrant,  Rose pink self and a green throat.

Wild Wookie has long been a favorite.  This year it is blooming on shorter scapes for some reason as are some others.  Not sure why:

 

Wild Wookie (Stamile, 2002)

height 31in (79cm), bloom 9in (23.0cm), season M, Rebloom, Evergreen, Tetraploid, 35 buds, 6 branches, Spider Ratio 4.00:1,  Red self above yellow throat. (Daniel Webster × Web Browser)

Eternal Warrior has stayed while others that are somewhat similar have left.  Does well here.

 


Eternal Warrior (Salter, 2003)

height 30in (76cm), bloom 7in (18.0cm), season EM, Rebloom, Semi-Evergreen, Tetraploid, 25 buds, 3 branches,  Rose blend with light rose watermark above green throat. 

 A small one (yes, you might guess that from the name) that lives up to its reputation.  It came to me as gift from the hybridizer, Tim Herrington.  He is one sweet man and someone I look forward to seeing at conventions.  Little Gold Nugget:





Little Gold Nugget (Herrington-T., 2005)

height 12in (30cm), bloom 2.87in (7.3cm), season EM, Rebloom, Dormant, Diploid, 18 buds, 4 branches,  Bright gold self above tiny green throat. (Texas Sunlight × Just For Breakfast)

Another of Tim's small ones that I prevailed on at an auction (I will bid on Tim's stuff because it never disappoints.), Grandma's Little Sweetheart:

 

Grandma's Little Sweetheart (Herrington-T., 2010)

height 19in (48cm), bloom 2.8in (7.1cm), season M, Rebloom, Semi-Evergreen, Diploid, 35 buds, 6 branches,  Saffron yellow self with a light rose eyezone, olive green throat. (Everybody Loves Earnest × sdlg)

More from Tim, Green Rainbow remains highly sought after:

 
 
Green Rainbow (Herrington-T., 2005)

height 25in (64cm), bloom 4in (10.2cm), season EM, Rebloom, Dormant, Diploid, Fragrant, 28 buds, 7 branches,  Green lavender with purple eye above huge green throat. (Dixieland Five × sdlg)

One more from Tim (for today), Raspberry Ripple Cupcake, from his acclaimed cupcake series of doubles:


 
Raspberry Ripple Cupcake (Herrington-T., 2007)

height 21in (53cm), bloom 3in (7.6cm), season EM, Rebloom, Dormant, Diploid, 24 buds, 6 branches, Double 100%,  Cream with raspberry feathering eye above green throat. (Custard Cupcake × sdlg)

This one came to my attention at the Georgia National (2010) and I was determined to acquire it.  Love the vividness of the colors, especially the red...even in the rain:



Paco Bell (Salter, 2008) height 22in (56cm), bloom 4.75in (12.0cm), season E, Rebloom, Dormant, Tetraploid,  Yellow with red eye above green throat.


An oldie, but goodie...one I'd recognize anywhere, Golliwog:

 

Golliwog (Wild, 1983) height 25in (64cm), bloom 8.25in (21.0cm), season MLa, Rebloom, Dormant, Diploid, Unusual Form Spatulate,  Pink spider with yellow green throat.



Like Golliwog, Spotted Fever is one that stands out.  

 


Spotted Fever (Brown-Oakes, 1995)

height 22in (56cm), bloom 3.75in (9.5cm), season M, Semi-Evergreen, Diploid, Fragrant, Double,  Tan peach peony blend with lime green throat.

A favorite for a while, Cimarron Rose:


 
Cimarron Rose (Salter, 2005) height 28in (71cm), bloom 7in (18.0cm), season M, Semi-Evergreen, Tetraploid, 30 buds, 3 branches,  Rose red with gold edge above green throat. 

This is simply a ginormous bloom.  A bonus plant from the Lambertsons last year, it is coming into its own.  Turquoise Temple:




Turquoise Temple (Lambertson, 2004)

height 34in (86cm), bloom 9in (23.0cm), season E, Rebloom, Semi-Evergreen, Tetraploid, 20 buds, 4 branches, Unusual Form Spatulate,  Light lavender bitone with light gray to medium gray lavender eye and edge above green throat. (Blue-eyed Curls × Stellar Star)

Walter Kennedy came here from the Florida National (2009) after a dear daylily friend suggested we buy it and split it.  It was definitely a good decision and I continue to appreciate his good eye for daylilies.  I think it's the only one like this, definitely distinctive.



Walter Kennedy (Stamile, 2008)

height 28in (71cm), bloom 5.75in (14.5cm), season M, Rebloom, Evergreen, Tetraploid, 55 buds, 8 branches,  Red with darker eye and edge above green throat. ((Virgil Earp × Sue Brown) × Tet. Peppermint Delight)

 

 

Elisa Dallas came to my attention at the Houston National (2008) after I saw it showing off in several gardens.  Took me a couple years, but it's here now.




Elisa Dallas (Trimmer, 2004)

height 25in (64cm), bloom 5in (12.5cm), season EM, Rebloom, Evergreen, Tetraploid, 25 buds, 3 branches,  Pastel pink with red eye above green throat. ((Raspberry Beret × Dan Mahony) × Tet. Connie Burton)

Chatham Babe arrived here via a daylily garden south of me that I used to frequent when I was in my collecting frenzy.  The name was appealing, but I don't know if it is somehow related to Chatham Manor here in Stafford County.   My hubs suggested Chatham House Rule as a possibility.  Who knows.  It is worth noting that here, at least, it grows much larger than the 3.5" it is registered as attaining. 




Chatham Babe (Joiner, 1990)

height 24in (61cm), bloom 3.5in (8.9cm), season M, Rebloom, Semi-Evergreen, Diploid, Fragrant,  Light apricot with light rose halo and green throat. (sdlg × My Pet)

A little more colorful than usual (weather and temperature, among other things, can affect color), Cerulean Star is another that I think is distinctive.



Cerulean Star (Lambert, 1982)

height 32in (81cm), bloom 7in (18.0cm), season EM, Dormant, Diploid, Unusual Form Spatulate,  Medium blue orchid self with green star throat. (Family Portrait × (Born Yesterday × Laura Lambert))

Fabulous Black Pearl is just getting started, but still looked pretty good in the rain (note, it's actually darker than it appears here):




Fabulous Black Pearl (Salter, 2008) height 25in (64cm), bloom 5in (12.5cm), season M, Rebloom, Semi-Evergreen, Tetraploid,  Lavender with black purple cream eye and edge above green throat.

Rose F. Kennedy remains expensive and somewhat difficult to acquire.  I waited on a waiting list for mine and one nice fan arrived in Aug. of 2011.  Given that, I was expecting it to do a bit more than still be one fan by now.  It's a big flower that is very eye-catching.  Now, it just needs to increase for me and make a nice clump.  Ha.



Rose F. Kennedy (Doorakian, 2007)

height 29in (74cm), bloom 7.5in (19.0cm), season M, Dormant, Diploid, 24 buds, 4 branches,  Green with wide purple red picotee edge above green throat. (Emerald Starburst × sdlg)

In the camera color challenged category, Moonlight Sail is darker than it appears here.  Purple is the most difficult color for me to capture accurately.  Moonlight Sail was one of the first expensive daylilies I bought that actually looked like the picture.  Unfortunately, it hasn't increased well for me (or at all, really), but I am hopeful that it is now in a location it likes. (Definitely not reddish like it appears here.)

 


Moonlight Sail (Stamile, 2005)

height 28in (71cm), bloom 6in (15.0cm), season M, Rebloom, Semi-Evergreen, Tetraploid, 25 buds, 3 branches,  Purple with lavender watermark and gold edge above green throat. (Bohemia after Dark × ((Musical Medley × Seize the Night) × Chartered Course))

While I'm on a color-challenged-them, Delight of My Eyes presents what I call Camera Purple.  This is not the correct color!  I see it often in photos, so I know it is a common camera issue.  I just wish folks would acknowledge their pictures are off.  It frustrates me greatly to not be able to get it right, despite many efforts/attempts.  My other camera (Canon Rebel tsi) did a better job than my newer Canon EOS 60D.  I am considering a new lens, but am not confident that will solve the problem.  Most solutions seem to involve changing the color in Photo Shop.

So, imagine this flower with the color actually being purple:

 

Delight of My Eyes (Grace-L., 2008)

height 26in (66cm), bloom 5.75in (14.5cm), season E, Rebloom, Evergreen, Tetraploid, Fragrant, 25 buds, 3 branches,  Pink cream with purple eye and edge. (Elisa Dallas × Jelly Maker) 

 

I will usually opt to not use a picture like the one above.  Even with the rain, I had a terrific bloom on Bella Sera but am unable to get the color right.  Giant sigh.  

Wedding Candy Truffle was on my outta-here-list, but is redeeming itself.  It's on the maybe-list now.  The blooms so far have been large and all double (a must for me...doubles must double...all-the-time).



 Wedding Candy Truffle (Kirchhoff-D., 2002)

height 29in (74cm), bloom 6.75in (17.0cm), season EM, Rebloom, Semi-Evergreen, Tetraploid, Very Fragrant, 22 buds, 3 branches, Double 98%,  Shell pink self above yellow to green throat. (sdlg × Tet. Virginia Franklin Miller)

I can get the darker colors fairly well (thankfully) like Wild and Free here is pretty accurate.  Usually Wild and Free has a number of blooms open (very striking) but I suppose is holding back with the rain.  I note that it is the result of a cross between two of my favorite daylilies, so it's not surprising that I like it.



 Wild and Free (Stamile, 2005)

height 38in (96cm), bloom 9.5in (24.0cm), season E, Rebloom, Evergreen, Tetraploid, 25 buds, 4 branches, Unusual Form Crispate,  Violet black blend above green throat. (Wild Wookie × Velvet Ribbons)

The color on Cosmic Traveler (below) is just a little off.  Fairly close.  



Cosmic Traveler (Trimmer, 2007)

height 25in (64cm), bloom 5.25in (13.5cm), season EM, Rebloom, Evergreen, Tetraploid, 20 buds, 2 branches,  Rose lavender with darker eye above green throat. (Wild Cherry Round Up × Doyle Pierce)

For fun, here's a few shots of a butterfly hard at work:



 Now, I know that the swallowtail larvae like parsley.  Really.Like.Parsley.  As in, always plant more than you think you will use/need.  So, this year my parsley is in pots on my driveway.  Somehow, they still found it and, at this point, are only eating the seed started parsley (vs. some plants I purchased).  Okay.

It was a bit of a surprise to find one hanging out on my lemon verbena.  I'm not sure how willing I am to share that  :)




Finally, a little pet humor.  Yesterday I was attempting to get a picture of a new-to-me-blooming-for-the-first-time daylily (Someday Soon) and my...ahem...assistant was insistent on being in the picture, too.





*Disclaimer:  Yes, these are indeed rain soaked blooms.  And, no, I didn't push leaves, etc. out of the way because it was enough of a challenge to hold an umbrella.  Further, the color is off on some due to the weather, flash and general ignorance of the photographer.  Said photographer doesn't have Photo Shop or the time/energy to enhance/correct/change any photos.  They are what they are.