Lily Time

Mother Nature continues to bring us nearly daily rain.  Last night's line of thunder storms dropped more than one inch of water on the garden.  With humidity above 90, garden work did not seem appealing.  Popping out for a few snaps did place us in some sunlight.  Frosted Vintage Ruffles has been with us for several years.  The complexity of the petals is amazing.  Lined ridges spring from the center and end in a ruffled edge.

Table Dancer was new to us last year.  All of this color grew from three bulbs.  It would be better for the plants if the bulbs were more generously spaced.  These are as far apart as possible to allow for covering all with a huge garbage can when late frost threatens.  Most of our oriental lilies were hit hard by the last freeze, frost.  Many managed damaged flowers above brown leaves.  Crushingly disappointing describes this year's display.  The relative performance of the daylilies and the orientals is pushing us toward the daylilies.  Lately our early spring weather opens with a hot dry period pulling tender plants out of the ground only to be followed by killing cold.

Wineberry Candy has been here for several years.  Laughing off neglect, it reliably flowers year after year.

Swallowtail Kite is rather new to us.  Its eye spot seems to glow and the flowers are enormous.

This accidental placement of a daylily with Shasta Daisies has defined a plan for us.  If three new daylily divisions were planted at the vertices of a generously sized equilateral triangle, a Shasta Daisy could then be placed in the center.  The structure of the expanding daylilies would provide natural support for the daisies.  Now that we have finally had daisies winter over, they are flopping onto the paths.  Impossible to attractively tie up, their present appearance is not what we have in mind for them.  If the daylily is chosen with consideration of the resulting combination of colors, the display might look amazing.  This placement is definitely on the list for next year's garden.