Right now... | Daylily Haiku Thursday


It is officially Fall and many tasks associated with the garden are in full swing.  First, you must meet the newest member of the family, Floyd.  He is a Boston Terrier and at 10 weeks old is the biggest tornado in a cute suit that I have ever seen.  He is full of energy and curiousity about the garden.  So far he has only uprooted one plant tag and eaten a few daylily leaves.  Oh, Floyd.

This is also my favorite time of year to get all the plant tags updated and replaced so that I know what is where when the snow melts in 2013.  I went to using a new tag this year (thanks, Nic) but still love the Avery 5160 clear labels.  I run them through a laser printer and have great success.  Some tags I have had printed this way and in the garden for a decade.  I don't notice any fading in the label at all.  The trick is to USE A LASER PRINTER and not your inkjet.  In some cases, the metal stakes have rotted before the label is out of life.  This is the only label I have ever used and do not experience peeling or fading in the least.  Office Depot carries a 3M version of this label that is cheaper, and works just as well.  I bought this after my huge supply of Averys were gone.

These are the tags I needed for last summer and early fall purchases.  I really made great strides in my "one-in-one-out" rule for new purchases.  If I want to buy something, it must be better than something I already have in order to make room for it.  Although I have tons of space now, I have only been here one season and Im resisting the urge to just dig beds all over the place simply because I can. I want the beds to be mixed perennial beds that have color, texture and deliberate  rhythm.  I cant do that if Im just bailing water to get daylilies in the ground.  I am already stressed out about the 40 or so pots that are still waiting for homes.  I look at those pots and think - did I really need to buy this so it could sit in a pot and wait for a home?  Nope.  So, I regret some impulse purchases made this summer.  Some that I bought I "needed" because I was in love with a photo I had taken of it or in love with the memory of when I saw it for the first time.  From now on, Ill love the photo and the memory instead of insisting I own it.  I'm afraid some of those things I HAD to have wont make it to see Spring and that's all my fault.  "Ill try to not make that mistake next year."  (said everyone.)  But the good news is that all the plants in the ground have proper markers and are almost ready for winter.  One last application of Milorganite to the whole collection and I will be done.  Ill probably do that after Halloween, just in time for the early winter rains.

The rebloom has been the star of fall here, and I am amazed at the amount I have here this year.  Here is H. 'Spacecoast Color Scheme' blooming on its second set of rebloom scapes.  These buds have a large amount of thrip damage to them - more than earlier bloom cycles.  I'm sure the critters in the garden are enjoying the late show as much as I am.

The small circle garden I put in last year to divert some water flow and raise a low spot in the yard is already getting a a revamp.  This is what happens when you rush to do something.  I enjoyed the show in it this summer, but the colors didn't play well with one another and it didn't have enough textural contrast for my tastes.  So, as you see below, I have selected a new crop of "better" daylilies to feature in this spot and also have two upright Japanese Maples ready to go in here to add height.  Everything in here will be dug out and reset.  This bed is also where I saw the garter snake for the first time.  It slithered out from between the wall bricks and headed toward that back island.  Behind that island is where I inadvertently ran it over with the lawnmower.  :(  


Below is the photo that I have on my desktop right now, full of Fall and waiting for Winter.  So many textures and colors and flower sizes here.  The sedum (or "Live Forever" as my grandmother called it) is actually from her garden and now must be 60 years old.  I took starts from her house in 1990, 10 years after she had passed away.  My mom has photos of that patch of sedum from 1956, and it looked established then.  I love having these same flowers, not just the same kind, but the actual same root stock in my own yard.


Those hardy pink mallow in the background bloomed up to 12" flowers when it first started flowering.  I just planted those last fall, and now I am in love.  This one is Hibiscus 'Peppermint Schnapps' and it is spectacular with its red veining. 
   
I'd like a pink daylily THIS pink.  Look at rebloom on H. 'Kings Cloak' in the foreground above.  It looks almost tan compared to the pink of the mallow.  I like REAL pink.  I have H. 'Pistachio Eyes' and H. 'Cerise Masterpiece' and H. 'Cotton Candy Pink' and tons of other "pinks."  

Who's got some recommendations for THIS pink? 


In the meantime, Ill keep enjoying the photo below of the raspberry-kissed eye of H. 'Thundercat' by Jamie Gossard.  This photo below was taken in his yard during the National Convention.  My kindred spirit, Teresa gave me this as a gift this summer so I am very excited to see it bloom here!



right now is turning
into the what-should-have-beens.
jack frost is coming!


8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Love seeing your Floyd photos!!! What a face! :-) Hope you are liking those new plant tags as much as I am! So much easier. I think they look a bit nicer too.
Love you girl! Nic

Nikki Schmith said...

Floyd is such a joy. And I am LOVING these new tags.
XOXOX
N

Gardens at Waters East said...

First, Floyd is cute! Second, I just planted a number of day lilies (35) that were given as gifts to me. The original plants were all within the area of 200 - 250 a plant. Can you believe that! The gardener has now died and they are being divided up and I was one of the lucky one to get them. I've seen them in bloom and they are exceptional. Next year I will be posting them on the blog. All this time I thought all those I had hybridized and have posted on my blog were so special. I think I have been out done! Jack

Bethany Benton Art said...

Hey, Nikki, What a great tag system! I need to do that. I'm operating off of a chart right now. LOL The photos of your beds are lovely! I enjoyed the garden tour. Love the haiku. All the best! :-)

Bethany Benton Art said...

P.S. Floyd is adorable!

roses said...

Marvelous…..
rosesandgifts.com

Dollybelle said...

Love your posts! Love your daylily pictures! Please let us know what system you use to keep track of your daylilies and how did you get all that info on the labels?
Thanks Nikki!

Nikki Schmith said...

I use the PlantStep software program to track all my daylilies. It also has a built in label making program that integrates with MS Word, Avery 5662labels and a laser printer. The program is simple to use, affordable to own, and SO WORTH IT! Many, many daylily folk use it and I would totally recommend it. The website has some great tutorials to help you decide! Google "plantstep software" and you will find it. Great product, and I am not being paid for my opinion! LOL!!!

 

5 Most Visited Posts. Ever.

The Entire Vault

My New Podcast - Click Below!