We just returned from two trips scheduled back-to-back. We didn’t do this madness on purpose. Bill had a convention, and the other trip to Kill Devil Hills could only be taken last week. I love vacation, but I’m also glad to be home.
The garden missed me. Rain stopped in the second week, and temperatures climbed into the 90s. I also made a couple of rookie mistakes. I didn’t turn on the sprinkler system–not that big of a deal really–and I forgot to ask my son to water the pots on the deck. Surprisingly, I came home to only a couple of dead plants in the pots. All were wilted, but are now thriving that they are well watered. I choose drought tolerant stuff for the pots and use large containers, but I was still shocked they weren’t all dead. Note, I came home just in time. We are setting up the container drip system this week. The large vegetable garden still awaits its sprinkler system. Note: Bill set up both of them last night. Plus, we got some rain this morning. The rain knocked down the heat a little.
I ran the drip irrigation system for everything else. You don’t realize all that you do until you’re gone. I need to weed, deadhead and weed some more.
This morning, I didn’t want to go outside and face the deadheading and weeds, but I made myself, and I’m so glad I did. I have many new daylilies blooming. They are exquisite creatures. I’m especially fond of several new Floyd Cove Nursery introductions. I invested in newer introductions because the garden will be on regional tour in 2017. Daylily clumps need a couple of years to bulk up before being on view. If you’re a daylily nut, you may remember that Floyd Cove was previously owned by Patrick and Grace Stamile. Guy and Karen Pierce bought it from the Stamiles a few years ago. I love what the Pierces are doing with patterned eyes.
I’ve worked all spring to get the daylilies staked and labeled. I still have a few without labels, but I’m working on rectifying that. It’s a tremendous job, but I also made a spreadsheet of every daylily I own, cross-referencing it with my other lists. I can now add and subtract from it. While doing this, I identified two unknowns. Records are sometimes very important. With over 40,000 daylily cultivars, it’s vital if you’re going to show or be on tour.
The back garden felt like a fairy land this morning, but all was not well in the kingdom. Mosquitos have invaded our prairies. Because of all the rain, we have multitudes swarming around. I put on some Botanical Off, and it’s not touching them. I need to find my Burt’s Bees insect repellent, or something else. Regular Off bothers my asthma.
I also worked in the large veggie/cutting garden. I still need to do 1/4 of it, but it got too hot and sunny out there to continue yesterday. I try to do hard work in the morning in spurts, and I often rest. Otherwise, I overdo and become a grump later in the day. The veggies are all coming along fine. ‘Glass Gem’ corn is sprouted and up. I did a lot of thinning. All the tomatoes look great too. I have three kinds of green beans planted and a new type of honeydew. I need to plant summer squash in amongst the flowers. I hope to thwart the squash bugs by waiting to plant and covering with row covers. I know it won’t stop them completely so I also have duct tape on hand to pull off their eggs. I plan to sow seed tomorrow after I get some straw or other mulch for the rows. I like straw because I can till it in later. We do till this garden because we move it around. I like no-till, but with Bermuda grass, I am limited somewhat in the best thing to do. Today I used a DeWit cultivator hoe between the rows. I bought this hoe last year, and I love how precise it is.
So, that’s my garden story for today. How is your garden coming along this spring/summer?
Hi Dee, wonderful selection of daylilies. I go nuts over the ruffles, wire rims, piecrusts and especially doubles. I don’t have a lot, most of mine were bought 20 years ago or more. I love the first photo, kind of a moody, surreal feel, very nice.
Thank you so much Marna. I had to go look at the post again to see what photo was featured. I love taking photographs. I do love daylilies. They are such fun plants and new every single day. Thanks for stopping by.~~Dee
I always say I have enough daylilies and that I won’t buy any more but then I do, anyway. They’re just so pretty. But a few of mine have weirdly striped leaves which I’ve never seen before and aren’t as vigorous as they should be. Very frustrating… Your macro shots are just beautiful!
Dee, you seem to live out and have beautiful day lilies in this post. How do you keep the deer out and save the blooms from their munching?
Hi Alice, sorry just saw your comment. Ah deer, those rascals. It’s a combination of things here. Most of the gardens are fenced, but as you know, fences don’t always stop deer either. I plant large grasses and other large foliage plants around the exterior of the garden to dissuade deer too. They don’t like going in somewhere they can’t see. I also have two large dogs who help patrol the 7.5 acres. Plus, in Oklahoma, there is hunting so deer don’t think humans are friendly. I think all of these things help tremendously. Thank you so much for stopping by.~~Dee
Hi Dee, We rarely travel. I think it was 2007 when we drove from SE Nebraska to the Outer Banks. We weren’t seasoned enough to just pick one place to stay for the duration. We stayed in 3 different locations, and I think Kill Devil Hills was one of them. We did pay different prices, though, so it was fun to have more of a splurge for a couple nights, staying in a bed and breakfast. It was there that a garden tour was going on, and we got to go to it. I got to fulfill my desire to see an ocean. The Outer Banks is awesome!
Like you, I have been needing to take breaks while gardening. We have had so much rain, though, that I have yet to water the garden. The wash tubs I have plants in have needed watering 2 or 3 times is all. What a different season, and yes, the mosquitoes are making themselves known!
I enjoyed seeing your garden and blooms. Thanks for your comment on my GBBD post. I am thankful to live in a neighborhood where people like what I’m doing, rather than one where people can only tolerate grass lawns.
Sue, I think what you’re doing with your corner garden is simply beautiful. I love the Outer Banks too. It is one of my favorite places on Earth.
I love daylilies – and plan to have more at my new garden.
I just returned from vacation too. Funny how the garden goes on by itself. The weeeds took this opportunity to mass together to greet me when I came home. I will need to get out there and work. The heat is daunting and it is dry here too. oh well, it will all get done. Welcome home.
Dee, I am a daylily nut and have quite a few, but in a small garden, they get out of hand quickly. Like you, I was away too and after having no rain for almost two months, we get lots of rain. I think going away is like doing a rain dance. It always works. Yep, mosquitoes here too. Took a few hits today from those little bombers.
Hey Donna, by “out of hand” do you mean they multiply rapidly, or do you mean the madness that is daylily addiction? If we have a rainy year, they grow and multiply rapidly, but in most years, daylilies are pretty sedate here. However, the addiction is something else. Have a beautiful Saturday my friend.~~Dee
Dee, I guess I mean both. Up here daylilies grow so well that there are many hybridizers/growers and the masses just love all the new named varieties. They are hard to split in only a couple of years in our heavy clay also, since they mature and multiply easily.
Looks like everything grew while you were away. The daylilies are gorgeous. Welcome home!
Hi Laurin, I think everything did. I bet your place is even more beautiful than when I saw it in April.~~Dee
I always enjoy the photos you share to allow us to take a walk through your garden, such a wonderful Friday treat.
Thank you so much Charlie. You’re too kind. Happy Saturday!
Dee, your day lilies are fantastic. I’m glad to know where you got them. I just pulled out some of my older ones that were not fancy. Heartless, huh?.. Might as well have fabulous instead of “okay” if you can! I’m so sorry about the mosquitos. We have them every year but this year, of course, it’s truly horrible. We really need a bubble suit before heading outside. When the gardening catalogs offer one of those, we’ll shell out whatever they ask, right?!
Hi Nancy, if you’re heartless, then so am I. I gifted my best ones to friends, but I removed so many this year. If you’re going to be on the regional tour, you need newer stock. Plus, I’ve noticed in the last couple of years, hybridizers are doing some amazing things with plants. Just amazing. We always have mosquitos too, but they are ferocious beasties this year. A breathable bubble suit would be wonderful.
hi dee, the daylilies are beautiful. we are having a terrible mosquito problem here in the eastern part of the state also. i bought an off clip-on yesterday and it works! i clipped it on my back pocket and no mosquitos, no kidding.
Great idea Wendy. I think I need one of those clip-ons. I bought some natural stuff yesterday too. I just can’t wear the Off very well anymore, but I also don’t need West Nile Disease. Thanks!
Oh I love your daylilies! And I think I may have been pulling Joe Pyeweed seedlings from my herb garden thinking they were tree seedlings. I might transplant some into a larger space and see if they really are Joe Pye. Thank you for your blog. I always learn something new.
Hi Norma, Whoops! I pull up a lot of stuff forgetting what it is from year-to-year. Thank you for your kind words about my blog.~~Dee