Update

It's rained practically all day long....which is not a bad thing. We can use it and boy, could Texas use it.

So, I happened to glance out the window tonight...and I saw that the very last bloom on the seedling I showed recently was open. Here it is something like 6:15 pm and there's the bloom...huge and glowing.

I had to go see it and then I decided to pick it. It has unbelievable substance. Here it is night and after all this rain...whoa...


Impressive. I am a bit sentimental about this daylily for reasons I'll talk about another time. If...a big if...it has a good year next year, it might just be worthy. Time will tell.



It's pretty good size, too. And, it had first year rebloom...yea.

Can't wait for next year!

A Saturday Seedling...

This morning, BI (Before Irene), I happened to glance out back and there amidst the knee high weeds was a beautiful sight....


Would you look at that! This is a seedling, blooming on its second scape. A few days ago while making an attempt to reclaim the backyard (or at least part of it), I noticed a pretty spectacular flower...but, alas, when you find it at 7:30 pm, it's a little late for a beauty shot.

The cross is Wonder of It All x Lacy Dusk, so, truthfully, the bloom isn't a particular surprise (not counting that...like I mentioned...it bloomed during the traditional bloom season) nor is it particularly distinctive. All that said, it's still pretty darn nice! I rather like it. (Laughing) Of course, it has almost no competition from fellow seedlings and very little left blooming (except some of those great lates) in the registered beds.

Just for grins and so one can appreciate the difference in lighting....the above shot is outside in natural light...the below one is inside (well, I couldn't just leave it out there for the wind and rain to blow apart, now could I?)...


Just yet another in the endless examples of why you should always see a daylily in person....would you have guessed they were the same daylily? Probably not.

It does make me look forward to next year! So much fun (and so much work) with seedlings!

FYI, from the AHS Daylily Database:

Wonder of It All (Carr, 2005) height 27", bloom 5.75", season E, Rebloom, Dormant, Tetraploid, 25 buds, 4 branches, Very pale lavender with yellow gold edge above green throat. (Mandalay Bay Music × Wonders Never Cease


Lacy Dusk (Stamile, 2007)

height 24", bloom 6.5", season EE, Rebloom, Semi-Evergreen, Tetraploid, 42 buds, 7 branches, Golden polychrome with gold edge above green throat. (Spectral Elegance × Winter Springs)

(Seedling 11-120)

80809....Twenty-One Years Ago Today...

....my most beautiful seedling (hehe) entered the world....just slightly before 8:00 pm at CHOC (Childrens Hospital of Orange County)...weighing just over eight pounds. She has bloomed into a legal adult (so fast!)....Happy Birthday!

In honor of this special date, I thought I'd show a couple pictures of Sam Cat who thinks he belongs to DD and adores her....

Here he is early in the morning taking a drink out of a birdbath....


Apparently, that wasn't quite good enough...


...as he felt the need to get into the birdbath...

Speaking of seedlings, I spent a good portion of today cleaning out about half of my oldest seedling bed. It's tough to do, but you have to ruthless. No excuses, anything not performing well or without a marker of some sort was yanked out. I'm not going to even look at pictures from last year...just in case...as I would surely convince myself to give one another year. Nope!

It's a lot of work that goes into these seedlings and after investing some four years on them, it's time for them to repay me! By that, I need to see more than a pretty face (although some days even that would be enough...lol). I kept one seedling that the bloom doesn't do anything for me, but it has increased well (had four scapes this year) and blooms later. I like those things, so maybe next year I'll work on crossing it to something to improve the bloom, but hopefully keep its good growing habits.

The silver maple this bed grows under is trying to take it over, so these seedlings have competition...tough conditions, but if they can make it here, think how much better they'll do in great soil.

My Chuck Hayes gardenia had a spectacular year last year. It was blooming away like crazy when frost got it last fall. We had a tough winter, but I think it made it through that fine...it was a couple of late winter/early spring freezes that got to it, unfortunately. It looked like a pile of black sticks. However, I wasn't prepared to give up on it just yet...and I'm so glad I didn't. It actually has given me a bloom (so far), but even that seems remarkable given how it looked....


Here's a look at it recovering pretty well...


The Kleims one didn't suffer as badly, but it also hasn't bloomed. I am considering moving it to the backyard by the back of the house...where I think it will be warmer and get more sun.

Early evening the air on my deck is perfumed by some potted tuberose...very nice...


Naturally, though, I have some late blooming daylilies to show...

CIMARRON ROSE continues to delight me...


(How could you not like that??) AIN'T I SOMETHING...on a rebloom scape...


A true late, LAST CHANCE FOR ROMANCE...two views...



One everyone thinks of as a late, SANDRA ELIZABETH...


closer...


LOVE OR ELSE still going on...


LOOK HERE MARY (with some SANDRA ELIZABETH showing, too)...


More of LOOK HERE MARY...


COTTON CANDY CUPCAKE blooming on Georgia rebloom...thanks to the kindness of Tim Herrington...


LOVELY PINK LADY which wins hands down for the longest blooming daylily in my garden this year...


There are some others blooming still, just not today...

A couple of my late seedlings...

8-185


...two views of 8-181



I saw in my drafts that I have a post I started for July 30th...noting what was still blooming then....I might go ahead and finish that one...time is just rushing by me this summer...

Garden Happenings

Lilac 'Sensation' is my favorite bloom of the three remaining lilacs I have. I did discover, shockingly, that I don't particularly care for the fragrance of two of the lilacs after I cut blooms to bring inside. How can that be?? Doesn't everyone love the fragrance of lilacs?


Last week, the dogwoods were just stunning. We'll revisit last week in this post. Herewith, my garden as it was then...


That's one side of the front yard looking from the driveway...


This is going toward the backyard...it was pretty damp that day...things are just beginning to wake up on this north side of my house...(yes, that's a dog by the gate)

Here's the pot ghetto...which has moved to the driveway...as of last week. You would not believe the change in one week...or, maybe you would...*grin*


Mostly what you see are daylily seedlings in boxes (approximately 1/3 of what I have to go outside)...a few new arrivals...and okay, maybe an impulse purchase or two.

Peonies are getting ready to pop....as I've said daily for a week...as of this morning, they are still on the verge, but since we're expecting rain (why does it always seem to rain when the peonies open??), I hope they hold off...


A What Not To Do entry...bel0w you see Japanese Iris...(ignore the fact that they are nowhere near water. They don't know it and we won't tell them)....this clump has been here for a number of years. Note the middle is gone...dividing them would probably be appreciated (Siberian Iris tend to do this also)...however, it's not likely to happen... They'll just have to make do. Hey, maybe they can seed themselves back in the middle (kidding, sort of)...after all, they've seeded themselves outside the clump. I hope to show you pictures of their seedlings, which are growing in this bed approximately two feet away... The ones they deposited in my neighbors' grass have been mowed.


The woodland phlox in the shady part of the backyard are starting to bloom...




I'm sad to say that most of the daffodils are now done (May 1st), but last week, we still had some going:

Mint Julep:


Satin Blanc:


Baby Moon:


Dallas:


Sidley:


And now...to one of my favorite subjects....daylilies...As I was wandering in the backyard among the seedlings...I noticed this:


Look carefully in the middle....there is seedling coming up with like five, six, or seven little fans. Very wild...especially when you're hoping for one. We shall see what this one does...

It's that time...spring...when daylily clubs have their sales. A great time to pick up daylilies very reasonably priced, grown by club members. I dug up a number of clumps...


I was pleased this year as my fans were good sized and I happy with what I had to donate. My soil amending is finally showing some reward(s). Of course, with red clay, it is a constant battle. Most of these clumps only had red clay on the bottom in the center (of the larger ones)...the rest had nice dark soil....which pleases me greatly...until I realized as I washed them off that my precious soil was going down the drain. Yikes! That is hand hauled in! At which point (a sight to behold) I attemped to wash them off over beds so that at least some of the soil would stay here...

And the result:


I drove them down to Lewis Ginter (Richmond) yesterday to be contributed to the RADS booth. (No, I did not buy a single daylily!) The sale continues there today and tomorrow. It's a great spring plant sale. Two vendors I always look for are Pine Knot Farms for hellebores and Rick's Custom Nursery for anything interesting. I came away with some hellebores (of course), some heucheras (yeah! two new ones!), a couple mini hostas (I am finding them interesting...), some tomatoes, some herbs, and maybe another perennial here or there...ha.

So, here it is May....a month known for how fast it flies by...

Catching Up...

Hardy Cyclamen, I believe it's Cyclamen coum...


Notice how much rounder the leaves are. This was a nice little find (below). I have tried this Sedum a couple times now, without success (Ogon)...however, check this:


Here are a few pieces that have overwintered. Yea! One of the things I like about sedum is that while it sits in my pot ghetto, it can be prone to dropping pieces which then root. Lucky for me. Maybe the pavers kept it a bit warmer here as well.

I am not a particular fan of spireas. I grew several while I lived in Washington (state) and yes, they were quite easy care...but, they just didn't deliver (to me) on their promise. However, for the last couple of years, I have greatly admired one that I see in spring while I'm down in South Carolina. I didn't buy it because it was much too large (I like small things....easier to plant...they'll grow). So, I ordered it...or so I thought. Sigh. These orange leaves are not the bright neon yellow I was expecting (like the sedum above)....maybe they will turn...if not, sorry, but I want the one I want.


This, flower friends, is a survivor. It is the simple garlic chives. Some years ago, a small bit (much like what is there now) came home with me from the Mary Washington House. I have, every year without fail, abused it. (not intentionally, mind you) I weed whack it completely, only noticing when my nose smells oniony-garlic and there appears to be nothing left. It's in a weedy area that perhaps this year I will gain better control of. I could have sworn that I inadvertently pulled it out numerous times (along with the chickweed, etc.)...yet, here it is:


I grow lots of regular chives (with the pink flowers) and couldn't do without them. Perhaps this year....finally...I will enjoy garlic chives. And, yes, I will be sure to cut off those white flowers (no reseeding everywhere here).

The Johnny Jump Ups are putting on a fine show...for the first time...here. Maybe because they have planted themselves here and there (vs my trying to plant them). The color variations are fascinating...






I like all their little variations. I'm still planting daylily seeds (inside) and working on moving even more outside into planting boxes...they seem to like growing in water....here's a picture...


*****

I am happy to report that I did get my lettuce planted but, alas, not the peas. I also rearranged some daylilies working toward clearing a bed for seedlings. Much more to do on that front. Rain yesterday, so no work outside.

I have...at last...acquired my much wanted Camellia Nuccio's Pearl! After waiting endlessly last year and finally being sent a different one by Wayside (so aggravating...not even hardy in my zone!....check that fine print when you order, by the way...places can be sneaky)....yesterday, I went to a very kind person's home....who received my camellia in error (so frustrating!)...and called me....I have the camellia in hard. It looks good....that pleases me....but what I had to go through to get it! (How hard is it to get one's name and address correct?? Pretty hard, apparently...) ....wish me luck! I think (yeah, right) this is the final camellia for me....space, you know...