Looks like the patch I was hoping to "lasagna" and over-winter just won't wait.  I  have far too many clumps that desperately NEED to be divided, and no place to put them.  I'm clearing out a whole garden area near the back steps to be an herb garden, as an old farmhouse truly should have.  But first the vinca I put there years ago, must be annihilated.  Oh, I won't put poison in there, of course!  But I'm hoping to smother the bad stuff if I can cover the bed entirely with newspaper, etc.  Unfortunately, I do have three herbs and two hostas already there, so I'm not sure if I'll eradicate the vinca or not.  It is terribly invasive... and RUDE.

Anyway, that means getting all the daylilies that are there OUT.  They'll need division, and a new place to grow.  Not sure how many there are, in that one small spot, at least a dozen.  Lots of daffodils, too.  Once they are all out, the plan is to leave that fallow for a year, and dig out any new strays. Hmmm... and keep the cats out of there, too!  Ew....

So far, I have moved Bone China (this spring, actually; it bounced right back!) Siloam David Kirchhoff,  and Lilting Lavender.  Two mystery plants *could* be Give Me Eight, and one of my own babies from 2003/2004.   Some others to go will be: Ruby Spider, Dark Star, Linda, Black Cherry, Lona Eaton Miller, Lady Neva, Vesuvian Blackout, Black Plush, Super Goddess (I think) maybe Temple Goddess, maybe Abiding Goddess, one that kinda looks like Siloam Merle Kent, but I thought I'd put it elsewhere, years ago.  Fingers crossed that Feisty is alive, being crowded by Linda.  Not at all sure about one mystery plant, but I'm hoping it's Olallie Star.  Sometimes I find original labels/tags that help identify a plant, once I've dug and lifted it.  Otherwise, I'm guessing as best I can with databases, and my own good-but-not-perfect records.  I got sloppy about that after a couple of years. (BAD Janet!)  I keep hoping more of my own records will turn up, like jotted notes on odd scraps of paper, or notebooks I don't remember.  It's happened!  Late Late Show will be the last one to move, I suppose, since it is yet a long way from its first blossoming.  I'll wait until all blooms are spent on each before moving them.

Here are a few of the daylilies that have been or will be moved from The Corner Garden, just northwest of the back steps.

RUBY SPIDER, by Stamile, 1991, Early, Dor Tet, 34"x 9".

LADY NEVA, by Alexander-Moody, 1970, EM, Sev Dip, 42" x 9" (Not tall at this time.  This one was bought as a replacement for the one I'll have to move soon, not knowing the original was still alive.  This one is too young to be 42 inches tall, and the original is too stressed.)

 LATE LATE SHOW, by Kennedy, 1986, VL, Dor Dip, 28"x5"  (This doesn't look like the pic in the Tinker's Garden database.  But I have nothing else that would qualify.  This is truly VL- Very Late)

 SILOAM DAVID KIRCHHOFF by P. Henry, 1986, EM, Dor Dip, 16" x 4"

 BLACK PLUSH, by Connell, 1955, Mid, Ev Dip, 32" height (bloom dimensions weren't given when registering daylilies, way back that long ago.)

 MYSTERY daylily that looks a lot like SILOAM MERLE KENT, but I can't figure out why it would be in that garden, when my records show it was intended to go into a different one.  If not SMK, then... what is it?

This is the "Corner Garden" in question, taken last year.  The very tall one is LINDA.  Much of this is already cleaned out pretty well, and a few bloomed this year that did not bloom at all in 2012. 

Hmmm... I didn't get back here "tomorrow," that is, the next day after the last post entry.  But I have been out in the gardens EVERY day, even when busy with something else, if only to check for FFO's.  Have solved a few more mysteries, but some will simply have to wait until next years' bloom.

Here are a few pics, as promised, of this year's acquisitions.  I'm pleasantly surprised that so many of them have bloomed so soon!  I did get a few replacements that turned out to be duplicates, as the originals weren't dead after all.  Silly me!  But I'd rather have too many of a daylily than not enough!

By the way, I never get the very expensive, newer cultivars.  For the same amount of money, I can get many of the older ones, so as long as I still have room to plant them, I shall likely stick to my policy of getting only the older, less expensive ones.  But put together, they make a gorgeous show in my yard!!!

                                   AGE OF AQUARIUS, by  Moldovan, 2001

                              BRANDY ALEXANDER, by Kirchhoff, 2000



ELF CAPS, by Hudson, 1977 (This tiny cutie was out in the rain, before getting its portrait taken.)

OLD KING COLE, by Moldovan, 1995 (I got this to represent one of my cats, Cole.  Someday, I shall have a theme garden for all my animals.  I have already begun calling it "The Petting Zoo, " and I have a very good idea of where I'll put it.  Old King Cole is already there!)

DANDY DAVE, by Lynn, 2001 (Got this to represent my grandson, David.  I also got one called, "New King David," which was planted in another section, but will be moved to this spot, next year.)

 OLALLIE CAROL, by Darrow, 1981.  (I have two Carols to be represented by this lovely bloom; a very dear friend, and my cousin who passed away this spring.  I got two fans, and they'll go in separate theme gardens, so I hope they increase quickly!)

 CRIMSON PIRATE, by Sass, 1951 (An old variety, yes... but still quite good looking.  And I'll have a Pirate garden, next year!  I already have several cultivars collected for it: Blackberd Pirate, Barbary Corsair, Black Pearl, Pirate's Promise, and this one.  There are many more registered cultivars with pirate-y names!  I have a few others that could be squeezed into the Pirate garden, such as Shark Bite, Mynelle's Starfish, Daring Deception, and Ocean Rain.  Not exactly keeping "to the code," but close enough.  The code is more like Guidelines, anyway.... heh heh heh .....)

 DOLL HOUSE, by Wild, 1975. (This was a replacement, but if the original still lives, I have not seen it bloom as yet.  I'm glad I have this one!)

KINDLY LIGHT, by Bechtold, 1950.  (I have wanted this one for years!  Yaaayyy!  Got it! --  Ooops, just noticed that this photo is sideways!  Forgot to turn it in the files.  Looks the same though, except for the stamen direction.  Use your imagination, LOL!) 


Well, that's it for today.  I have many errands to run this morning, and all the other usual things to do.  First though ... a trek through the dewy grass (must change shoes first!) to check for FFO's.  There are very few to be seen now, but I've managed to find at least one each day.  ::knocking wood!:: 

SEE YOU SOON!

Omygawsh!  Has it been that long?

Due mostly to computer problems, but also time spent playing in the gardens, and researching "lost and found" daylilies, I have not been posting to the blog!  The computer seems to be OK, and it's now PEAK bloom time!  I have taken a few photos, though, and can share with you on this very rainy morning.  This is the first morning since I started going out to check FFO's ("First Flower Open" of any given cultivar, record the date and know when to expect it in the future) that I have not been able to.   It's still morning, but only for a bit over an hour.  Well, they'll keep, I think. 

I have had the delightful gift of surprises this summer... several cultivars I had assumed were dead and gone have popped up to say, "Hello, here I am!"  Some of them I had the opportunity to replace, so there are more of them here than I had ever expected!  Among those are Isaac, Alien, Mynelle's Starfish, Lavender Lilac Mist, and Custard Candy.  Yesterday, I identified Black Cherry -- had completely forgotten I had that -- and was aghast last week to identify Jim Jim, a treasured one I had thought years ago was gone for good.  Finding it alive was truly a gift.  Many in the Arthurian themed garden are now making themselves known, but along with that knowledge, there is the uncertainty of the survival others.

The gardens are fairly dancing with color now, and I'm running out of room to put divisions that must be made by summer's end.  A few daylilies that have survived but are not faring well in their original locations must be moved too.  The Hemerocallis Fulvas and Kwansos will be my "canaries in the coal mine" to test for new areas that I am unsure the others will survive in (a little low and soggy in the spring).  Not sure anything will kill those, but I have more than enough to spare. 

 BLACK CHERRY, by Douglas, 1945, M.  Dor Dip, 36" tall (no bloom width given)

 JIM JIM, by Hansen, 1990, M. Sev Dip, 22"x 5.25"

 ALIEN, by Belcher, 1987, EM. Dor Dip, 23"x 6"  (Yes, it's supposed to look like that! It's called a "UFO", or Unusual FOrm.)

HEMEROCALLIS FULVA, and friend.  I couldn't resist posting this -- I've been seeing the buggies getting drinks from deep inside the daylilies after it rains, then dries out everywhere else.  A common "ditch" daylily, but I've been seeing them all over town, elegantly gracing the homes they belong to, just as they did a century ago. 

MYNELLE'S STARFISH, by Hayward, 1984, M. Dor Dip, 20"x10"

LAVENDER LILAC MIST, by Munson, 1994,  EM.  Ev Tet, 24"x 5"


Of course, many more new blooms are still mysteries.  I had thought a blossom from each plant would solve all the mystery identities, but sadly, that isn't quite true.  Yes, many have been identified!  But sometimes, my incomplete records (though quite good, they aren't perfect) just aren't up to the task, and even create new puzzles that I had thought last year were solved.  Last year, of course, I was wrong -- so this year, I am wondering just how right my corrections are!  Still, I'm doing the best I can, and making a lot of progress.  These enigmas are just bumps in an otherwise good road.  I'm grateful that my records are as good as they are, and try not to kick myself over lapses that happened years ago.  I'm determined now to do better by my gardens, keep the invasive species at bay, and keep records as close to perfect as I possibly can.  If it comes to a point when I cannot, I hope that I'll know enough to stop entirely.   I'm trusting that such a day is still long off in the future.

I'll post some pictures of this year's newer acquisitions, tomorrow.  Meanwhile, try to stay dry!

Nothing new blooming in the garden today, and it looks like only Witches Wink will make it again, for tomorrow.  But each day I notice more and more budded scapes (stems) emerging from their leafy clusters!  For now, I'll simply toss in some of my better photos from the past, how's that? 

"Pink Super Spider", Carpenter, 1982. Midseason, 32" h/ 10"w.  SEV DIP 

 
"White Tie Affair" Peck, 1984. Midseason,24"h/5.5"w.  DOR TET

"Strutter's Ball", Moldovan, 1984.  Midseason, 28"h./6"w.  DOR TET

"Fairy Tale Pink" Pierce, 1980.  Midseason, 24" h/ 5.5" w. SEV DIP   Stout Silver Medal, 1990

Just one new opening, from yesterday (I've been wicked busy for a couple of days).  The daylily, "Smith Brothers" has opened, having gotten a hormonal head start in its original warmer climate.    I have wanted this one for years!  Finally have it in MY garden, LOL!

Smith Brothers, Carr, 1992

OK, I finally have a couple of current photos for you!  
As stated earlier, "Elizabeth" has been blooming since May 20th, but the first photo I got of it wasn't very good.  We're getting down to some of the last ones, so I figured I should try again for a better one.  Sooooo.... ta-DAAAH!  "Elizabeth"!

The other is "Witches Wink" (Salter, '93) and is a cute, delightful, little thing.  A happy addition to my gardens!

I'll add a pic of the irises, when they were in full, glorious bloom, last week.  They're still blooming, but looking less full, a bit less exuberant. These grace the top of my driveway. There are daylilies in amongst them, and this whole section will be ablaze with color again in July.  But it won't be irises anymore; it'll be daylilies!

Holey Moley!  I have been SO busy!  Some of it with planting new daylilies and divisions, some with work, some with actually cleaning the house... (Yes, I do, occasionally!)

Now, it's raining, and I can't get out to the gardens and work.  I have had only two daylilies bloom this spring so far, but there are a number of scapes coming up, and that is very promising.  The bloomers are my trusty EE, "Elizabeth" (the first to bloom in almost anyone's garden, really) and a new acquisition, "Witches Wink".  It had a hormonal head start in its old home, so arrived ready willing and able to send up an early scape.  That bloom was rather soggy when I saw it, but there is one bud ready to pop soon -- tomorrow?  

I took a nice pic today of the rain on one of my peonies, "Charlie's Pride" but this blog is about Daylilies, so I'll refrain from posting other plant pics.  At least for the FIRST photos!