Daylily Season 2014 Begins

Suzy Wong (Kennedy 1962)

The first of the dayliles to bloom this year was Suzy Wong, a very reliable older hybrid introduced in 1962. She’s the leader of the pack as the daylily season gets underway, the annual highlight of the garden calendar.

Coyote Moon (Kirchhoff 1994)

Just a day later was Coyote Moon. This prolific bloomer was introduced in 1994. It’s one of my favorites, with its bright round flowers touched by just a hint of copper.

Longstocking (Stamile 1997)

Third place goes to the large spider Longstocking. This plant had been overshadowed by a large bush, and I moved it to a sunnier location in the spring. Longstocking clearly appreciated the improved access to sunlight.

Tangerine Horses (Kaskel 1996)

After a streak of intensely hot, humid days, we enjoyed a couple of days of light rain. This morning when I walked out into the garden, I found another half-dozen daylilies beginning to bloom, their first flowers freckled with raindrops. Here are this morning’s starlets.

Prince Redbird (Sellers 1986)

Hold Your Horses (Trimmer 2004)

Serena Dancer (Marshall 1986)

Pixie Parasol (Hudson 1975)

Broken Heart (Kroll 1993)

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Daylily Season Returns

August Morn

The most anticipated event in the summer garden is the daylily season. A few plants have been opening flowers for the last week or so, but the main show has just begun this week. There are plenty of flower scapes and buds and it should be a good year for daylilies. Here are a baker’s dozen of the first flowers to bloom. Hold Your Horses was new to the garden this spring and has already produced several scapes, boding well for its future contribution to the annual display.

Railguy and I are taking a few days of vacation to travel into New York state with the goal of visiting a few gardens south of the border. Be back on the weekend!

Blonde is Beautiful

Born Yesterday

Chesapeake Crablegs

Coyote Moon

Helter Skelter

Hold Your Horses

Hurricane Sky

Longstocking

Pixie Parasol

Prince Redbird

Slow Burn

Suzy Wong

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Daylilies Today: July 30th

Frans Hals (Flory 1955)

It’s been an amazing summer for daylilies here. Although it has been very hot and dry, a few thunderstorms have rolled through and kept things from becoming totally parched. Some of the plants have put on wonderful displayed, but the daylily season is beginning to wind down now. Early bloomers are finished, middle bloomers are getting down to their last few buds, and there are only two or three plants left that are just now about to open their first flowers. Here is a display of some of the flowers that have been brightening the garden this week, everything from an old favorite, Frans Hals, introduced in 1955 to Old King Cole, a new spring arrival in my garden.

Priscilla's Dream (Shooter 1993)

Prince Redbird (Sellers 1986)

Dragon Dreams (Salter 1991)

Old King Cole (Moldovan 1995)

Red Patent Leather (Wild 1977)

Umbrella Parade (Temple 1990)

Moonlight Orchid (Talbott 1986)

Cat Dancer (Moore 1992)

Later Alligator (Reed 1997)

Eloquent Silence (Salter 1993)

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