Why I Continue To Blog | Daylily Haiku Thursday

<posted August 8, 2013>  The daylily in this week's Haiku Thursday is H. 'The Blue Parrot' by Dan Trimmer.  It is registered as 25" tall with a 6.5" bloom.

I saw this one for the first time in Valdosta, Georgia a few years ago and almost gasped out loud at the sight of it.  Such a glowing, neon purple.  So vivid.  So real.  So fabulous.  I bought it and planted it in a hot spot in my garden and this year it was a great performer.

The garden is winding down here; rebloom scapes are putting on a second show and I am enjoying it very much.  I have more rebloom this year than I ever have had in any garden I have owned.  Yesterday I counted 22 cultivars with substantial rebloom scapes.  I'm thrilled- most thrilled with the second scapes of H. 'Betty Harwood', H. 'A Thousand Sweet Kisses', H. 'A Force to be Reckoned With', and H. 'Art In Motion.'  

Here is what was blooming in the garden last Saturday.  I took this tray of blooms to the daylily sale in Springfield, Illinois and it was quite a hit.

I am also thrilled with the late season stunner, H. 'Thelma Douglas' from Browns Ferry Gardens.  This late in the season, it is rare to have something as fancy as H. 'Thelma Douglas' blooming in the garden.  There are about 20 buds left on each of the many scapes this plant has sent up for me to enjoy, so I have at least another week or two of this gorgeousness. 

This one is named for Charles' mother, and if you don't grow it, you should consider it for your late season garden.  Check out Browns Ferry Gardens website, they are having a massive markdown sale right now...

Something that is on my mind today is the thought that many people recently have asked why I continue to blog. 

“Why not just Facebook or Twitter?” 

“It’s so much easier to tweet.  Why blog?”

Aside from the known facts that blogs are free and are more highly-rated as "fresh content" with search engines, each time I blog, in my mind I am starting a conversation at a party with hundreds of my closest friends who are interested in what’s going on in my place in space. 

Why not JUST Facebook or Twitter?  Well, Facebook gives me an instant place to share quick thoughts and jump in on a passing conversation, and I am very active in a few daylily-specific groups like the AHS page and the Daylilies page, but it is too fast for gently massaging one topic for a day or two.

Twitter moves way too fast for my style and my purpose.  Plus, I don’t like the words “hash tag” or the number 140.

The blog allows me a place to showcase pictures of my adventures and write an unlimited amount of easily digestible text on the Internet.  

I can start a conversation about daylilies anytime I want to by simply publishing a post.  

From each blog post, I typically get many email responses– each email results in a chain of exchanges about the post, almost always meandering off-topic, sometimes heavenly and sometimes hostile, yet always fulfilling.

H. 'Supermodel' (Gossard 2008)

Just recently I have received quick emails from Adele, Susan, Shelly, Heidi, Jim, Ann, Barbara and Mike as spin offs of something I posted on this blog.  8 conversations.  8 connections that are worth cultivating.

That’s why I blog.  Those connections.  Those conversations.

To talk and share and laugh and let everyone take it in at their own pace.  

Plus, we can all do it in our jammies – which is much less work than real party clothes.  ;)