Tag Archives: Hemerocallis (Daylily)

Early July Notables

It is hot and humid, typical for summer in North Carolina. As we enter July the garden is thirsty. I’m hand watering every other day which has the benefit of keeping close check on the progress of individual plants. Since June 7 daylilies have been flowering. I can’t get enough of this particular one. It seems to have swallowed the morning sun.

Hemerocallis (Daylily)

This week brought a first-of-year garden sighting of a butterfly only ever observed here once before, in July 2019. It didn’t stay put very long.

Variegated Fritillary (Euptoieta claudia)

A Snowberry Clearwing made a brief buzz-by. This butterfly bush was a busy hub today, also hosting a variety of bees, several skippers and a worn swallowtail.

Snowberry Clearwing (Hemaris diffinis)

Ocola Skipper (Panoquina ocola) and Silver-spotted Skipper (Epargyreus clarus)

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus)

Dahlias planted in early April have grown slowly. The first flower of D. ‘Noordwijks Glorie’ opened up this week. It is showy in the garden itself and promises to be valuable in arrangements as well.

Dahlia Decorative ‘Noordwijks Glorie’

Happy Sunday!

Notes On Lilies

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Some recent reader comments set me thinking about the lilies currently blooming in my garden. It turns out most of what I think of as lilies are not lilies.

Lilium ‘Black Out’ (Asiatic lily)

Lilium ‘Royal Sunset’ and L. ‘Black Out’ (Asiatic lily) – True lilies belong to the Lilium genus and grow from bulbs.

I don’t remember buying L. ‘Black Out’ in 2016 from a local big box store, as my notes indicate, but since then I have discovered Asiatic lilies are great for use in floral design. The fragrance is minimal (none in my experience) unlike the overwhelming scent of an Oriental lily. Several commenters this week were surprised when I used 15 stems of ‘Black Out’ in this week’s Monday vase, but since May 2017 these lilies have bloomed reliably from their home in a large ceramic container. Over the years they have multiplied and they usually open all at once.

Lilium ‘Black Out’ (Asiatic lily)

Piggybacking on their success has not been easy. Lilium ‘Royal Sunset’ planted in the ground in 2020 has been nibbled by rabbits. Most of these have never bloomed but one survived this year and excelled. This single stalk had many buds, unlike the red ones growing in my large container.

Lily Asiatic ‘Royal Sunset’

Crinum × powellii (Crinum lily) – Grows from bulbs but oops! Actually in the Amaryllis family.

When I moved into this neighborhood 21 years ago we had a neighbor who also had just moved in also. She was a horticulturalist who quickly joined the grounds committee, organized a community garden club, and set out to fill her yard with interesting plants. One plant she advocated for as typical in a southern garden was Crinum lily. I had never heard of it and don’t think I’ve ever seen one in anyone else’s garden, but a quick web search will support this as a classic southern pass-along. I’m not wedded to this plant. It’s huge and grows new “pups” each year. It blooms reliably but almost aways looks to be sweltering from hot summer weather. We’re not officially in summer but already have had a lot of hot weather and very little rain. Perhaps because I’ve been better about watering the past few weeks I’ve been able to catch my Crinum in a pretty fair mood, but today it was pouty in the mid-day heat. This is its normal demeanor in my garden.

Crinum × powellii (Crinum lily)

Here is the crinum on its rare best behavior.

Crinum × powellii (Crinum lily)

Hemerocallis (Daylily) – Oops again! Common names can be confusing. Daylilies are not true lilies.

Hemerocallis (Daylily)

The garden has three daylilies, gifts from my sister when she took my daughter and me to visit a daylily farm a number of years ago. One red daylily opened yesterday followed by a large, darker one this morning. A tangerine one is always the last to flower and hasn’t opened yet this year.

Hemerocallis (Daylily)

Hemerocallis (Daylily) – This red was the first to open.

Two other lilies that are not lilies will be in bloom later:

Lycoris radiata, known as the red spider lily, is a plant in the amaryllis family. It blooms in September.

Lycoris radiata (Spider Lily)

Hedychium coronarium (Ginger lily). Although they are commonly called ginger lily, they are not a true lily (genus Lilium) or a true ginger plant (genus Zingiber). It blooms in late August or sometimes not until October when the frost catches it.

Hedychium coronarium (Ginger lily)

Do you grow a favorite lily or lily-nicknamed flower?

Wordless Wednesday – June Flowers

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Spiderwort and Nasturtium ‘Vesuvius’

Salvia nemorosa ‘Blue Hill’ (Meadow Sage)

Hydrangea macrophylla

Cleome hassleriana (Spider Flower)

Yellow dot at center right is Firefly! Cleome hassleriana (Spider Flower)

Hemerocallis (Daylily)

Lily Asiatic ‘Royal Sunset’

Sky At Sunset June 14, 2021

Lilium ‘Black Out’ (Asiatic lily) At Sunset June 14, 2021

Notes On The Garden

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Hemerocallis x ‘Stella de Oro’

After a cold, wet Wednesday, yesterday there remained a chill in the morning air as I took an early saunter around the garden. Water drops clung to leaves and petals in places the sun had yet to reach. It was quiet except for calming notes of birdsong.

In front of the house (which faces east) a couple of plants rescued last year during a neighbor’s border renovation project were catching the early rays. (I think I have identified them correctly.)

Tulbaghia violacea (society garlic)

Hemerocallis x ‘Stella de Oro’

In a border along the south side of the drive ascelpias is making good progress. This area also has lots of echinacea popping through.

Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Plant) Readying to Bloom

Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Plant)

This spring the southern side path heading toward the back garden has been flourishing with daffodils, irises, baptisia, and clematis. Unfortunately this bed has a terrible infestation of bermuda grass that seems impossible to manage. I hired an organic company to help with it, to dig it up, but dosed with a great deal of mansplaining, their expensive efforts in March have proved to be merely cosmetic.

(I am focused on trying to keep it from getting further into the main garden and in two places have used layers of cardboard and piles of mulch to smother it. This can take two years from what I have read. I think this grass came in a few years ago in some bad mulch at a time I was not able to pay attention to the garden. I am trying to avoid spraying harmful products but frankly it is overwhelming to manage.)

So even as this ginger lily emerges with vigor, the grass continues its rampage on this border.

Hedychium coronarium (Ginger lily)

In the midst of my indecisiveness about this dilemma I came across a white form of rose campion having an identity crisis!

Lychnis coronaria (Rose Campion)

Wordless Wednesday – Deep Color In Late June

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Virgie’s Rose

Salvia guaranitica ‘Black and Blue’

Salvia greggii ‘Furman’s Red’ (Autumn Sage)

Hemerocallis (Daylily) from Mercers’ in Fayetteville, NC

Dahlia ‘David Howard’

Bumblebee (Bombas) on Salvia uliginosa ‘Blue Sky’ (Bog sage)

In A Vase On Monday – Scarlet

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In A Vase On Monday – Scarlet

Each Monday Cathy from Rambling In The Garden invites us to share a vase assembled from materials collected in our gardens.

Scarlet Beebalm with its spicy, minty scent has been blooming several weeks. I have been planning all week to showcase it in today’s vase, along with red daylilies.

In A Vase On Monday – Scarlet

Unfortunately Sunday was a resting day for the daylilies and the only blooms open were pretty tired. Think of the pair in the vase as placeholders.

In A Vase On Monday – Scarlet

Here are a few that were blooming Saturday—they really have been beautiful this year and more will open soon.

Hemerocallis (Daylily)

For filler I chose Salvia greggii, which is blooming better than usual now that some trees are cut and it gets more sun. All these red flowers were most uncooperative when I tried to photograph the arrangement late yesterday afternoon—lots of dark shadow and blobs.

I had Shasta daisies ready to step up and add light but I decided against them. A black and white image underscores the overall dark tones of the arrangement. Next time I would try to balance the lights and darks better. Also I feel the Monarda (beebalm) is a lost against the shaggy foliage of the salvia, the textures are similarly sagging and loose. In person this is much easier to read.

In A Vase On Monday – Scarlet

Materials
Flowers
Hemerocallis (Daylily)
Monarda didyma (Scarlet Beebalm)
Salvia greggii ‘Furman’s Red’ (Autumn Sage)
Foliage
Container
Porcelain Ikebana vase, Georgetown Pottery, Maine. Rectangle Blue Zen (6.75L x 3.75W x 2H inches)

In A Vase On Monday – Scarlet

Many thanks to Cathy at Rambling In The Garden for hosting and giving us an opportunity to share flower designs across the world. Visit her to discover what she and others found to place In A Vase On Monday.

Kissed By The Rain

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Friday and Saturday the garden gratefully welcomed more rainfall. By mid-morning Saturday the showers had stopped and I hurried out to see the first daylily blooms of the summer.

Hemerocallis (Daylily) (red in southern border from Mercers’ may be ‘Michael Arnholt’

The garden is taking on a summer look.

Lathyrus latifolius (Everlasting sweet pea)

Salvia guaranitica ‘Black and Blue’

Verbena bonariensis (Tall Verbena) and Artemisia ‘Powis Castle’ (Wormwood)

Only a few Shasta daisies have opened. There are many tight buds.

Leucanthemum x superbum (Shasta Daisy) just starting to open

Monarda and cleome have been blooming about a week.

Monarda didyma (Scarlet Beebalm)

Cleome hassleriana (Spider Flower)

Though not very tall, much of this pink yarrow was flattened by the rain.

Achillea filipendulina (Fern-leaf Yarrow)

Scattered throughout the borders, Purple coneflower is having a good year. Last year it scarcely made an impact at all.

Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower) backed by Canna

The color and form varies widely.

Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower)

I especially like the white echinacea, but it does not spread like its pink relatives.

Echinacea purpurea ‘White Swan’ (Coneflower)

Wordless Wednesday—Yellow

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Rudbeckia fulgida ‘Goldsturm’ (Black-eyed Susan)

Daylily

Lantana camara (Common lantana)

Tanacetum vulgare (Tansy)

Post 550—Flowers And Insects

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Hemerocallis (Daylily)

It is just a number, but having arrived here, I like the idea of marking my 550th post.

Most days this week I have enjoyed the garden by getting up early, between 5:00-6:00 a.m., to take pictures, water certain plants and spend some time in quiet reflection before the neighborhood starts bustling. A red Daylily started flowering a week ago, this yellow one opened today.

Wednesday I noticed a colorful creature spiraling an Allium Atropurpureum. Perhaps someone will be able to help me identify it.

Allium Atropurpureum

Scattered all around the garden, Echinacea purpurea has been reliable in the heat. Some planting of echinacea received no extra water during this drought, but I watered this section fairly regularly since I was watering nearby. Even drought-tolerant plants such as this one respond positively to some attention.

Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower) Along Back of Northern Border

Bees are becoming active at this early time of day, but frequently during my walks I have come upon them asleep on Echinacea and once, on Nepeta ‘Walker’s Low’ (Catmint).

Nepeta ‘Walker’s Low’ (Catmint)

Another bee pair was lazily hanging out on the spire of a Liatris spicata. This one is the only liatris that has kept its dignity during the recent heat wave.

Liatris spicata

Phlox paniculata (Garden Phlox) came into its own this week. Along with Cleome it helped to fill in some gaps along the fence in the western border, attracting more bees at the same time.

Phlox paniculata (Garden Phlox)

Cleome hassleriana (Spider Flower)

Bee on Phlox paniculata (Garden Phlox)

A recent addition to the garden, Ruellia brittoniana ‘Purple Showers’ (Mexican petunia) is taking its time getting adjusted to its new home. Eventually it should make a nice large clump and overwinter, I hope. There are a couple of new flowers each morning, gone later in the day—the bunny or some other phenomenon? I have not seen the rabbits in 4 or 5 days nor have I come upon an abandoned little blue velvet jacket.

Ruellia brittoniana ‘Purple Showers’ (Mexican petunia)

Under the screened porch a long border was overtaken years ago by Shasta Daisies. When they first come into bloom they are fresh and inviting.

Leucanthemum x superbum (Shasta Daisy)

Always too quick for my camera on a few mornings there was a single hummingbird sipping among the Monarda didyma (Scarlet Beebalm). The blooms are drying out so one time the tiny bird caught a a long red petal in its long beak instead of finding nectar—I could almost see it trying to spit it out.

Last night a huge storm passed us right by and hovered instead over the town of Chapel Hill. Several friends reported hail damage. Tonight a smaller storm carried some light rain our way for 45 minutes. The bird baths were filled only half-way, but the water should help refresh the garden. Have a great weekend.

Morning Moments In The June Garden

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Hemerocallis (Daylily) possibly ‘Michael Arnholt’

We had another nearly 100-degree day yesterday and yet, a fresh daylily greeted me in the garden first thing this morning. A thunderstorm during the night brought welcome rain and it is cooler today, a mere 91°F. Starting tomorrow temperatures will climb again into mid-90sF for another week. When summer starts officially on Sunday what surprise can it bring?

Hemerocallis (Daylily) possibly ‘Michael Arnholt’

Part of the Monarda border fell victim to the storm’s strong wind and rain, actually a small price to pay in exchange for not needing to water this morning.

Monarda didyma (Scarlet Beebalm)

I planted some new purple gladioli for cutting this year, but the first to flower is a salmon one from many years ago.

Gladiolus

Several weeks ago I pulled up last fall’s snapdragons from the meditation circle, but as an experiment I left one along the front edge of the northern border. Surprisingly it continues to bloom despite the heat, its rich blossom, still drenched from last night’s rain, seems impossibly smooth and glossy red.

Antirrhinum majus (Snapdragon)

I added several new Liatris spicata (Gayfeather) to the border this spring. Rather than opening, some of the flower tips just turned brown from the heat, but this one is off to a good start.

Liatris spicata (Gayfeather)

With the appearance of its first multicolored flowers open today, Lantana camara is making a comeback in the southern border. It had died back to the ground during this year’s cold winter.

Lantana camara (Common lantana)

Just on the other side of the fence from the lantana, one of my favorite vignettes from this morning’s garden walk is a large patch of self-seeded Cleome at the southern entrance to the garden. While the gate and much of the garden was still in shade, the flowers were bathed in the sun’s early light.

Sunny Patch of Cleome hassleriana (Spider Flower)

A nectaring bee found the cleome enticing.

Bee Nectaring on Cleome hassleriana (Spider Flower)

Fireworks

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Hemerocallis (Daylily)

I was surprised to discover this burst of color in the southern border early this July Fourth. I inherited this daylily several years ago when my daughter moved and could not take her plants. This is the first time it has bloomed in my garden.

Not really knowing its name I nicknamed it Fireworks just for today as a nod to Independence Day and the streams of color that will fill the night sky.

Hemerocallis (Daylily)

I will have to check with my daughter but I think this is one she selected at Roger Mercer’s daylily farm. The closest match I could find on his website was ‘Black Jade’ but it is certainly not one unless by accident as the price listed was $200.

Dark black-red Hemerocallis (Daylily)

Another nameless daylily, this sunny yellow, ruffly one I selected during the same daylily farm visit. Sometimes the color seems almost tangerine but not sure I would describe it as such this year. I know very little about daylilies but am becoming more interested in them this year.

Ruffled-edge Hemerocallis (Daylily)

And one more thing—I could not resist showing the first flower that has opened at the bottom of this gladiolus spike. With its nice clear magenta hue it really stood out against the grass and sedum below.

Gladiolus

pbmGarden

Sense of place, purpose, rejuvenation and joy

Tag Archives: Hemerocallis (Daylily)

Early July Notables

Notes On Lilies

Wordless Wednesday – June Flowers

Notes On The Garden

Wordless Wednesday – Deep Color In Late June

In A Vase On Monday – Scarlet

Kissed By The Rain

Wordless Wednesday—Yellow

Post 550—Flowers And Insects

Morning Moments In The June Garden

Fireworks