An Interloper

We have been establishing a list of our various Daylilies in the order of their bloom and trying to clear up any mislabeling.  Some years ago the Asiatic and Oriental lilies really captured our imagination.  Despite their catalog climate zone listings, we saw them killed by frost year after year.  Efforts to protect them from late frost were only marginally successful and now we have basically given them up.  This stunning Golden Stargazer is growing near the house and that location has allowed this incredible plant to survive on its own.  Its flowers last for several days with this one's scent filling a large area.  One does not have to place the nose into the blossom to savor this treat.  Walking by at some distance is the best way to enjoy this fragrance.

Wineberry Candy is another delight likely coming from the same breeder as our other candies.  All of them are medium sized in both plant height and flower size.  The sharp change in color from white to purple is a real eye catcher.  Their scent is subdued as is appropriate for a classy beauty.

Becky Lynne was likely chosen for its first name.  The Becky that lives here shares many traits evident in this plant.  Understated light color gives this flower a softly stunning appearance.  Despite its light appearance this is one hardy plant that strongly holds its own space.

Here we have an improperly labeled plant.  Its stone says Royal Palace Prince but that is incorrect.  When our daytime temperatures moderate, I will search around the base of this plant to see if a correct name can be found.  When we were actively buying new plants, a clear bright yellow coloration was what we were searching for.  This blossom meets that requirement better than any of the other yellows that grow here.  Now we just need to find its correct name.

A small amount of time spent reading this blog revealed that this plant is not mislabeled.  It was sold to us as Royal Palace Prince but it clearly is not that variety.  We will never know the proper name of this variety but does that really matter?

Big Bird is aptly named.  Too big to be graceful, it simply flops over everything close by.  Its scent is pleasant and the yellow is close to what we were searching for.  Hardy and large, this variety has been successfully divided several times.

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.

A Serious Breach In Garden Security

Since we have not had a lot of rain or a lot of zucchini, I decided to  take advantage of the squash blossoms to make  "Vicki Sebastiani's Ricotta-Stuffed Squash Blossoms" from Renee  Shepard's Recipes From A Kitchen Garden, Vol 2.  Between one rain and Ed's faithful watering the squash plants were looking good.  When I searched beneath the leaves for my blossoms, I found mounds of garden soil at the base of the plants.  Further inspection revealed a tunnel several feet long.  Garden security had been breached and the enemy had moved in right under our noses and I was worried about squash borers.  Ed filled in the holes immediately and watered deeply hoping the plants did not suffer too much damage.

 Later that afternoon we discovered that even our most secure garden location was no longer secure. Inside the fence that is inside the galvanized metal barrier there was evidence of more digging.

Whoever this intruder is he likes his beet greens, but does not seem interested in the roots.  The stem cuts are not on the diagonal so I guess the bunnies are off the hook.

When Ed removed the cage to water the lettuce even more digging was uncovered.  We do not know the identity of this thus far unseen intruder.  We have reason to believe it to be a young woodchuck,  a lazy one who wants to dig where there are no stones, live in the cool shade of my squash plants and eat what's left of our vegetables.  I understand the appeal, but there are dire consequences to this kind of behavior.  We will be more vigilant now that we know the enemy has infiltrated our defenses.

Even with the dry conditions, the garden is not a complete disaster.  Ed's Wineberry Candy daylily  is showing off its beautiful blooms.  He seems to favor varieties with crinkled petal edges.  Planted in an out of the way spot, Wineberry Candy is not getting its fair share of carried water.  In its second year here this plant has a lot of growing to do.  We must remember to bring some water here.

The delicate colors of "Spiritual Corrider"  create another beautiful spot in the garden.  When the first flowers appeared in its second year here,  we were disappointed.  Some time and growing room have erased all shortcomings.  If anything this flower is a little too cute.  Include the scent and this flower makes a lasting impression.