Special 2013 Daylily Introductions | Having a Purpose!

<posted August 21, 2013>
On the left is a photo of one of the raised beds filled with my seedlings.  These are daylilies that I have sprouted from seed and grown into adult plants.

I make and sprout just a few hundred seeds each year - it's a super small operation- and I am excited to announce that two introductions for 2013 are here - two daylily introductions that are hopefully going to make a difference this school year for kids in Worden, Illinois!

Last year, you might remember I introduced H.'Blessings In A Backpack' to benefit an organization that makes sure our elementary school kids eat on the weekends and maintain their self esteem along the way.  (The daylily sold out quickly and we fed 15 kids for the 2012-13 school year with the sales from that one daylily!) 

My ultimate goal was not to just donate to a faceless charity helping kids somewhere else, but to raise money to affect my own little village of 900.  

Here is your chance to help again this year!  UPDATE:  As of Friday, August 23, both selections are sold out!  From my heart, thank you.

Worden Elementary (where we have just started 3rd grade) is working to establish a "backpack" program via Blessings In A Backpack right now!  Letters are written, proposals are pending and yet kids are still hungry.  In our school of 300, about 60 need weekend help.  I want these daylilies to help raise the minimum $5,000 needed to start our program. I need your help.  

For many elementary school kids, the cafeteria meal is the only one they get and on the weekends, nothing.  The Blessings In A Backpack organization provides backpacks full of nourishing food and gives the child the peace of mind knowing they will eat that weekend.  It builds self-esteem and feeds their minds and bodies.  It is a cause I think we should all get behind - feeding our own first.  

Wanna help?  You can by purchasing one or both of the below plants!  UPDATE:  As of Friday, August 23, both selections are sold out!  From my heart, thank you.

This gal came from seed made by Bobbie Brooks many, many years ago.  I bought these seeds maybe seven years ago from her at the Region 2 Winter Symposium and bloomed it the following summer.  It is from Valente / Stamile breeding and has been a happy face in my garden since its first season.  (The registration is pending with the AHS Registrar at this time and should be complete within the next 30 days.)

I tried to abuse it.  I tried to kill it.  I put different divisions in shade, in hot sun and in awesome soil.  On the left, below, is a triple fan blooming in a neglected pot behind my dad's garage.  On the right, below, is it blooming in the best soil in my garden.

At 4:30pm on a 90 degree day in full sun, it looks like the below left shot.  And there is a shot of its scape, buds and branching on the below right.

If you're interested in growing this one in your garden, use one of the methods to purchase it at the end of this post.  I'm only releasing 5 divisions (triple fans) at this time.  Act Fast!

And now, here's your second opportunity to help feed kids:  UPDATE:  As of Friday, August 23, both selections are sold out!  From my heart, thank you.

I've loved this dark and brooding gentleman since I first saw it years ago.  It is moody and mysterious and holds on tight to its color all day - much like I grip the vivid memories of my college-age adventures on Singer Island.  His sepals twist and fall like the angry midnight waves of the Atlantic and the form is always enjoyable.

The scapes, seen in the below left photo, are very tall and the blooms dance well above the foliage (which stays a nice, clean green all season.)  It shows in the small flower section of the show, which is a plus for a flower of this color.  Most of the small sections I see are full of pastels and light colored things- this one stands out in the genre.

Like H. 'Lime Salted Love,' I'm only releasing 5 divisions (triple fans) at this time. 

Of all the new, cutting edge, fancy, huge, super daylilies available, why did I select these two plants?

1.  They are both great garden plants, which means they are good if you grow one daylily or 500 - these clump nicely and have symmetrical all-around characteristics that add nice balance as a specimen in any garden.

2.  They are proven in Michigan winters and Texas summers, putting on a "bouquet show" each day.

3. Both bloom mid to late season when other colorful things are winding down.

4.  Both hold very well in hot, full sun with little color or substance loss.

5.  They have both received blue or purple ribbons in AHS-accredited daylily shows, which means a panel of trained judges have seen merit in these daylilies as show exhibits.

These two daylilies are ready to ship.  Each division is at least two, large, blooming size fans.  In most cases, the line outs (done in fall of 2012) are triple fans.  They are not recently divided plants.

One purchased daylily = one happy kid!

4 ways to get your daylily (or two):  UPDATE:  As of Friday, August 23, both selections are sold out!  From my heart, thank you.

It only takes $80 to feed a single child through this program for the whole school year, so these daylilies are priced at $80ea + $10 shipping.  

1.  Call 248-739-9006 or email to reserve your plant and make payment arrangements.

2.  Paypal $90.00 (inc. shipping) to schmiths71@gmail.com 

3.  Mail $90.00 (US funds / inc. shipping) to:

Nikki Schmith | 424 Pheasant Court | Worden, Illinois | 62097

4.  You may also donate $80.00 directly to BIAB through their website and then contact me to receive your plant.  

I hope you can help me help them.  UPDATE:  As of Friday, August 23, both selections are sold out!  From my heart, thank you.  Although I am sold out of the daylilies, you can still donate to Blessings In A Backpack or the Worden PTO directly if you are so moved.  Email me for more info if desired.

It's important.