June is daylily season here in North Carolina. I must work hard to have uneaten blooms. It is worth all the effort to see these beautiful faces. I say their names as I visit each plant to dead-head its withered blooms.
I will share a photo of each with its name. Trying to pick a favorite is difficult. There are qualities other than bloom color that make them desirable…stem strength and length, hardiness, colorfastness, color bleeding…
Here are the ones blooming this first week of June.
Mac the Knife- fire engine red with yellowSammy Russell – smallest bloom of all here, deep dull colorNutmeg Spice- looks different in different light, love the contrasting colors and how the pollen matches the throatPeacock Alley – sweet open blooms, white marginLavender Rainbow – Stop to see this one every time I pass. Outstanding large bloomsDixie Boy – happy little bright blooms with a hint of ruffled marginSabre Salina – Delicately beautufulBreed Apart – love this color combo and ruffled marginWhooperee – A favorite of the deer herd, big juicy blooms
I have forgotten the name of the next daylily so I will stop there. There will be many more.
ATTENTION LOCAL FOLLOWERS- I will be dividing and moving these as my hip allows. Write down your favorites and I will hold some for you.
Something unusual usually happens in June. (Knock on wood)
I am going to try to remain calm and carry on.
If you stop hearing from me, somebody better come check on us.
It is hard to keep up with a garden during June here in North Carolina.
The wetness and warmness make every plant go through a growth spurt,
including the weeds.
To keep me from going through a daylily/Hemerocallis frenzy on-line,
I will share them in phases.
The first five are in bloom.
Whooperee
Whooperee bloomed first this year. It has big, juicy buds that were gobbled up by the deer last year. The spent blooms are heavy and bleed red on your hands. The deer know how to pick the most succulent blooms.
Little Lila
Little Lila is a sweet smaller daylily that fits nicely in a mixed border. The lime green throat is nice contrast to the magenta eye and delicate pink petals and sepals.
Lavender Rainbow
Lavender Rainbow shines yellow in sun. In shade it appears more creamy. I so love its blotchy lavender eye. It has slightly frilled margins which dresses is up. Fancy!
Smoky Mountain Autumn
Smoky Mountain Autumn is my favorite color of pinkish salmon. I love how its petals are darker and wider than its sepals and I love that bright yellow eye.
Breed Apart
Breed Apart is nicely detailed with a golden frilly margin to match its golden throat and pollen. Its coloration is webbed instead of solid which reminds me of Amaryllis coloration.
It is hard to pick a favorite daylily. So, I just pick a favorite for each day. There will be some more coming into bloom from now until August. I think of the daylilies as variations on a theme. I mix them in my borders, so that there are flowers blooming before them and after them.
Keep your fingers crossed for me during June. Let’s hope all goes well THIS year.
At least I have eight rabbits’ feet to improve my luck. Attached to my bunnies, of course.
Oh, oh, the habits of a hare. Oh, oh sitting ‘neath a chair. Sitting ‘neath a chair.
The first in line was Whooperee on May 30, 2015. The last to bloom was Sabre’ Salina on August 12, 2015. The parade of blooms lasted 72 days. I enjoyed every single morning of walking around with my camera.
I must admit I missed some bloomers due to a week of back pain and a week of vacation. I also left out the spiders. I omitted the six or seven that don’t have names, except for the yellow giant(pictured with Santa). That one was too big to ignore.
I have many daylilies because my best friend used to have a beautiful daylily farm. They gave me many of these. (Thanks Joyce and Jimmy.)
How do I remember all the names? My little secret is etching the names onto colored plastic knives from any party store. I use a Dremel tool, that way the names don’t fade away like when you write them with a sharpie. I stick these knives in the ground near the base of the plant. When I want the name, I look for the colored handle and pull it from the ground; instead of trying to pull the name out of my brain. It’s so much easier than trying to remember them all.
If your daylilies don’t bloom, it’s time for some fertilizer and more water. If that doesn’t work, it’s time to divide them or they are not getting enough sun.
If anyone offers you an orange, old type named Kwanso; politely say no and run away as fast as you can. It’s the kudzu of the daylily family. It will spread and is very hard to get rid of.
#1 Whooperee/May 30
#2 tied Sammy Russell and Mac The Knife/ June 2
#3 Emperor Butterfly/June 4
Smokey Mountain Autumn
Oh, no!!! Kwanso
Purple Pinwheel
Sabra Salina
Delicate Treasure
Mabel Nolan
Gentle Shepard
Kwanso again! Dig it up before it spreads some more!
Radiant Greetings
Little Lila
Lavender Rainbow
Nowhere to Hide
Sovereign Queen
Raphael Daylily
Laura Harwood
Sebastian
Last bloom 2015
Sabre’ Salina
This giant, yellow daylily is the workhorse of the bunch. Its blooms are the biggest and it blooms the longest.
I hate to tell you this, but I do not know its name.
We got it many years ago at the Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens daylily sale.
If you haven’t been to DSBG, you must visit it if you come to North Carolina.
It and Brookgreen Gardens in South Carolina are my two favorite places on this planet.
floweralley 