Todaylily

Megan Skinner's Earlybird Orangeade bloomed today, a couple of days after her Earlybird Sunshine. She has some more recent Earlybird registrations, but I don't have them. If you like early daylilies, you should try some.
This is a real surprise: Bayou Bride blooming in Philadelphia in MAY! And Kathy D'Alessandro has it blooming too! Salter registered it as a Midseason (1995). My theory: our early warm spring fooled Bayou Bride into thinking it was in Florida.
I just wanted to get a photo of my Tricolor Beech before the sun scorches the leaf edges. I have to do something (shade cloth?) to protect it from afternoon sun. This is a prima donna tree until it gets established- needs even moisture and sun / wind protection, but it will be worth it if I can get it established. I was really surprised it made it through its first winter, so here's hoping.

Earlybird Sunshine (Megan Skinner of Allentown, PA 2001) is my first 2008 daylily bloom in Philadelphia, PA. She says it reliably beats Stella by a couple of weeks. The Skinners, who presented their latest seedlings at the GSDG May 18 meeting, distribute their introductions through Manatawny Creek Farm near Pottstown, PA, which has a website at http://www.manatawnycreekfarm.com/
This is the last two feet of my 2008 bed expansion, which I hand dig in the "double dug" method, except I 100% screen the top foot to remove rocks before adding 25% compost. That rock pile in the background came out of two 14.5 by 4 foot beds. Using 4 by 4 timber borders lets me elevate the beds slightly.
People ask me why I fence all my daylily and hosta beds. Any more questions? Meet Sutra and Karma.
Dog #3 is Shih Tzu Bunny. (She's 3, the Tibetian Spaniels are 10.) Ugly dog fence around garden beds also keeps out local rabbits, and I can tent over the top with deer net if needed.