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.

Monarch Butterflies And Day Lilies

Yesterday I passed by this stand of milkweed plants that have been repeatedly cut off with the mower.  They always re-sprout and by my way of thinking it is good for the Monarch butterflies if plants in varying stages of maturity are available to them.  A female Monarch was working among the lower leaves close to the stem.  It would have been noble of me if my choice had been to not disturb this possibly egg laying butterfly for a photo attempt but in all honesty I had no camera with me.  A return to the plants today revealed no eggs to me.  My eyesight is not what it used to be and these eggs have never before been seen here.  Hopeful return visits to look for chewed leaves will be frequent. Becky saw two Monarchs yesterday as well.

Our Day Lily nursery bed did not disappoint.  In the three years that these mail order plants have been here they have grown into impressive specimens.  If all goes as planned, these plants  will be moved to a foundation planting in front of the house.  Near the center of this photo is a line of five purple colored flowers.  Directly in front of them are two flowers with cream colored petals with a rose colored ring.  There will be more to say about these flowers later.

Wineberry Candy is just coming into flower.  This plant was nearly lost when invasive pasture grass reclaimed the bed where it was planted.  The bed is lost to us but this plant was saved.

Swallowtail Kite is our tallest day lily.  Its yellow green center spot is so bright that it looks like an actual source of light.  This one is destined for a prominent spot in the foundation planting.

Indian Giver is the varietal name of the row of five flowers in the above picture.  The flower is beautiful while its name is insensitive.  The two flowers in front of five purple ones have previously bloomed as Indian Givers.  The change in color appears permanent as only one plant still produces purple flowers.  We have never read about plants changing their colors but perhaps this is suggested in the pejorative name.

Blueberry Candy is our last newly opened variety.  It is very similar in overall appearance to Wineberry Candy but subtle changes can be seen.  These minute differences make me glad that I do not sit on the board that decides if the plant before them is indeed worthy of a unique name.  I will plant these two with generous distance between them.  No need to make fussy comparison easy.