Ditch Weed Season

Back in the early days, when blogging was the rage, my most popular post ever carried a title similar to the one used here.  Most of those checking in had no interest in flowers but were expecting an examination of cultivating a popular recreational drug.  Single orange Daylilies were a flower from my youth.  The house across the road from mine was owned by a local politician and septic systems were nothing like what is required today.  Sewage was never seen near the road but the ground there was at least always wet.  Orange daylilies grew in abundance there and were given the name Sewer lilies.  Brought to this country in the 1800s these plants are as hardy as they are beautiful.  This double orange was a gift from a gardener in Afton.  It continues to prosper here since it requires no help to stay alive.  It may well be the perfect plant for an aging gardener that can no longer keep up.

There are more than 6,000 named varieties of Day lilies.  The flowers only last a single day and insect pollination is at best limited.  A gardener can make regular garden visits, hand spreading pollen with the intention of creating another beautiful new variety.  This delight was the first Day lily purchased here.  Destined To See is its registered name and it has all of the characteristics I like to see.  Scent, a ruffled edge and a brilliantly colored center please me.  This plant would benefit from another division and we will put that on the to list.

This area was weeded early on but now one of the invasive grasses so prevalent here is claiming this ground as its own.  The flowering plant is going about its business in grand form but the stone bearing its name is nowhere to be seen.  Old and newly unreliable memory has assigned Chicago Arnie's Choice as the name of this variety.  There are several other named varieties carrying the name Chicago and Arnie may well be the name of the breeder that has created all of them.  Once again we see ruffled petal edges and a bright eye spot.

Several years ago we visited a local breeder located very close to Belden Hill.  His large pots contained several new young plants and variety name labels.  Elegant Candy was not the plant named on the label but we are pleased to have this variety in our collection.  Notice the different colored ruffled edge while the center could use a bigger and brighter colored eye spot.

Molokai is the name of this giant.  The large petals are fragile as can be seen by the tears visible following today's wind driven rain.  This plant certainly features bright yellow petals.  In all we have purchased thirty-five different Day lily varieties.  You can expect to see more pictures in the coming weeks.