Brrr . . . it’s cold outside, isn’t it? Yesterday, I wore flip flops and a sleeveless shirt, and today, it’s jeans, a sweatshirt and wool socks. Good grief, it’s April 10, not January!
Frozen garden on April 10, 2013
The weather this spring has been weird, but never fear, things will improve. If, like me, you already planted some of your annuals, you’ll want to cover them tonight unless replacement is your plan. I’ll cover my favorites, but I’m waiting for the rain/freezing rain to end. The ground is so warm it’s not sticking here in north central Oklahoma, but things could change. Below is the same view last April 9th. Weather is a funny thing.
Lower garden April 9, 2013. Remember how hot everything got in summer though.
Because I’m stalling on an article I’m not sure how to approach, I’ve been bidding on daylilies, my June favorites. Going through my photos of springs in former years is dangerous. To spread the love and warm you up, I’ll share photos of my garden last summer. We can’t change the weather, but we can change our attitudes, right? So, let’s return to last June and enjoy ourselves. Maybe I’ll tempt you to buy a few daylilies too.
Back garden with art and Rosa ‘April Moon’ and R. ‘Cramoisi Supérieur’
Wait, those are roses. Two that don’t need much care, and a favorite shot of the garden in early June. Rosa ‘April Moon’ is a Griffith Buck rose, and R. ‘Cramoisi Supérieur’ is an even older beauty. See, things will improve. How about a shot of the tiered beds from mid-June?
The tiered garden from the side.
With daylilies and roses, you have so many choices in color, texture and form. Find ones that work well for you. For a walk on the dark side, try evening purple shades. Yes, daylilies eventually melt in our heat, but I’ve had great luck with Hemerocallis ‘Bela Lugosi,’ ‘Ninja Storm,’ and ‘Killer.’ Those dark purples have such funny names.
Hemerocallis ‘Bella Lugosi’ from the side.
Or, how about ‘Brooklyn Twist?’ What a great plant it is. I am partial to the purples and reds in daylily love, but sometimes, you need other colors too.
H. ‘A Green Desire’ would be a good spacer between red and pink or apricot.
Green daylilies are great neutrals to place between contrasting shades of pink and apricot for instance. They are also beautiful by themselves if they have great form like this one.
H. ‘Brooklyn Twist’
If you don’t like purple or red though, how about pink?
Hemerocallis ‘South Sea Enchantment’ is an older daylily, but old doesn’t mean bad. It’s a great one.
Pink daylilies that have a blue cast are very beautiful in the morning sun. By afternoon, though, they become more orange/pink in appearance. Daylilies are composed mostly of water so they change in color as the blooms age.
Hemerocallis ‘Blue Pink Beauty’ looks good against the fence and grass behind her.
A special shout-out to the Guthrie Jonquil Club and the Logan County Master Gardeners. . . I loved talking meeting and talking with all of you. Here’s hoping I got your motors running. Now, go cover those plants.
Dee, I knew I’d been in the garden for two months already, daily, by this time last year. Your photos of your garden on April 9 2013 and same day, 2012, though, are staggering! What contrast! It’s great that you did that! Thanks! As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.
Our average day of frost is a month later than yours and your current garden looks much like mine. Lots of gray. We had snow blooms for GBBD. All melted now, but still sooo cold.
Hey, Dee! Its even a bit chilly in Southern California- If my son in Wyoming reads this, he will LOL! I like the charm of your garden
Lydia, thanks for stopping by. It’s warm one day and chilly the next. We are supposed to have another freeze Friday morning. I am a gardener in frustration.
Dee,
I just love that third shot of your garden. It’s just beautiful. Isn’t it amazing how different the weather is from year to year?
Sounds like a common theme across the country. It seems like one step forward, two steps back this spring. All the critters and birds appear a little confused, too. Thanks for the hopeful view of Daylilies–you helped my sour mood. 😉
At the beginning of this week, I only saw buds on one daylily but lots of them are sporting scapes now. Won’t be long!
This weather does nothing we can count on. What is the fragrance of those lilies? I’m thinking they do not smell as lovely as they look.
Our weather has been up and down, too–one day I set out my overwintered geraniums to finally get some sun, and the next day I was bringing them back in so they wouldn’t freeze. My garden motor is running, but I’m stuck in first gear:) It keeps raining, so I can’t get out to finish clean-up, but I keep reminding myself of the drought last year, so I shouldn’t complain.
Showing me all these beautiful daylilies is like showing a dieter pictures of rich desserts:)
I didn’t think you would still be having bursts of winter. I’m in the same boat. But I have enough bare ground that I am thinking of planting more daylilies and topping off my Daylily BAnk. They are such wonderful plants.
Planting annuals??? My goodness, I’ve not even thought about that yet. You are brave. I hope they make it through this cold spell. Then maybe we will have some real planting weather. I love the plethora of daylily blooms you have. Beautiful.
Even your frozen garden looks wonderful. We had exactly the same here. Shorts one day then jeans the next but no hail this time. I think life was a lot easier when we couldn’t plant until after May 24th. I was smart enough then not to try.
I know…we were 75 yesterday and sleet is coming in Boston. Magnolias are just opening and they will be crushed. Spring can be cruel and beautiful all at once.
So sorry the ice hit your garden. I hope there wasn’t a lot of damage. I was looking back at the photos of last April – SOOO different than this year! Love the daylilies – especially the dark ones. Very dramatic!
Jeans and a sweatshirt is normal attire around here for April. I like your Daylilies!
Day Lilies are so pretty!
Crazy weather here, too – hot one day, cold the next. Severe thunderstorms in the forecast for today in Mississippi.
Lea
Lea’s Menagerie
Color me tempted to plant all of it, Dee!! Beautiful. Of course. xoxo
Spring has been frustratingly slow,and the cold rains seem to continue here in our Zone 8 environment. I have decided to start doing a walk about the neighborhood each day and I have been amazed at how much is actually blooming that I have failed to see. The trilliums, bleeding hearts, and osmanthus are all in full bloom. It is amazing how that little bit of spring cam realy help melt a bad mood.
Ouch can’t believe you have ice…now here we are going to get ice…no tend plants out yet and not for another moth at least.
Beautiful, can’t wait to see it tomorrow. Not too many empty spots but I bet we can find something anyway. I’m double checking the catalog before we go:)
My dear, you know, daylilies were my first love and you’re tempting me with all the cool twisted spider types. I am sorry about the ice and cold and hope it remains above freezing. My garden is two weeks or so behind last year, too. Strange days. xogail
I hope your garden has no damage, Dee, such strange happenings weatherwise. Looking at happier times in the garden always is cheering. I have Bela Lugosi, he is mighty fine!
Where can you buy pretty colored daylilies? Or, do you have to order them – haven’t had much luck doing that.
Alice Fowler
Hi Alice,
If you’re local, my daylily club, Central Oklahoma Hemerocallis Society, is having a sale this weekend on Saturday, starting at 9:00 a.m., I think. Also, you can check the daylily auction. They have really pretty ones too. One of my friends, Clint Barnes, also has a daylily farm. I hope that helps.