Daylily Haiku Thursday | Daylily Blog on Sexy

the swollen outsides

open with slow, steady moves-

revealing beauty.

Regardless how you measure your personal level of conservatism, gardening is sexy.  After all, everything we do in the garden pretty much contributes to and facilitates our plants reproductive needs.  But, when I say sexy, I use the term in an artsy and direct way.  Daylilies are a feast for the senses, and the buds that mature into gorgeous 24-hour jewels are quite appealing to me.

I like their coyness.  I like their tease - the come-hitherness of the swollen bud.  Some are plump, some are long, some are curved and knobbed.  Some are small, some are big and some are more distinct than the flower they unveil.

Many daylilies are specifically known for their bud shape, size, coloration or structure.  And remember, the daylily bloom is truly only open for one day - you have to try to enjoy other qualities the daylily has to offer.  I noticed buds this year more so than in the past.  I noticed that some buds open more than others on the day before bloom.  I noticed some buds carry the coloration of the flower or exhibit signs of a glorious edged bloom to come.

I like how some buds crack and unfurl at the tip, teasing pollinating insects into its depths.  See above buds from H. 'Fourth Rock' and H. 'Big Sur.'

Below on the left is a bud from H. 'Abilene Crab Claws.'  Although I do not know for sure, I think its name must have been based on its suggestive bud shape.  I adore the blushed edges and the green tip of this bud.  The outside "layer" of this bud ends up being the sepals of the bloom, and on this daylily, the sepals maintain this claw shape.  It is very distinctive.

 

The daylily buds for the most part are gone from my garden already.  The bloom season has passed here in southeastern Michigan, and I am left with my photos, notes and dreams of what once recently was. 

I already miss the scapes topped with these sexy beauties.  Can I already be counting the days until next summer when this one isn't quite over?  Say it ain't so!

H. 'Old San Juan' exhibits a long, smooth bud.