Friday, May 28, 2010
3 Eyed Yellow Early Daylilies
Another photo of Siloam Button Box, registered as 20EM4.5, but definitely EE for me this year.
Pat Garrity (Stamile 02) IS registered EE with rebloom. I remember this blooming late June / early July so that's probably its rebloom time. Registered 25 tall, 5 dia.- I like the lipstick eye with a bit of bleeding.
And my magical mystery; Betty Harwood, John Shooter and at least one other source I've identified (in Canada) bought this from Elizabeth Salter as "Echos in the Mist," probably before she (mis)registered the name as lavender. A couple of other sellers use the same name for a different cultivar, but it doesn't match the registration either (has an eye). If you like mine, it's still available on Shooters' site. Unfortunately, since it doesn't match the registration, I can't enter it in a flower show. But it's early, reblooms like crazy, has great bud count. Gets a bit dimpled in hot afternoon sun, but that's its biggest fault besides the name thing. I now call mine "Echos India Mist".Labels: early daylilies PA
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Mikado Daylily Early Oldie but Goody
It's over 90 degrees out, only 6 degrees from a Philadelphia record for this date. So Karma (male, left) and Sutra (his sister, right) are relaxing on the cool floor. There's an A/C vent at far left, pointed right at Karma's belly. They're Tibbies (Tibetian Spaniels), not real heat tolerant.
First bloom on Mikado, a 1929 Stout intro that's a bit unkempt, but a great eye AND DIAMOND DUSTED! Bet I won't look this good at 81.And it reblooms!
Second bloom on Mike Huben's Begin With a Bang (09, 34EERe5x) dormant. I wish I could keep more than just one fan for babysitting it for GSDG. It will be at the GSDG auction September 12 at Ruddy's Daylily Farm, 201 Bennett Road, Freehold NJ 07728. Kevin and Cynthia have no web site or even email, but they have lots of great daylilies, including many Betty Harwood seedlings and their own hybrids. They're open the two weekends after July 4, but they don't do immediate delivery. They take your order, then dig all orders at once in late August, and you go back to pickup then. You get better plants because they aren't just whacking off a couple of fans from the edge.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
2010 Early Early Daylilies (Philadelphia)
First daylily of the 2010 season was Earlybird Sunshine, a Megan Skinner (Allentown, PA) 2001 introduction. She says it regularly beats Stella to bloom. Available from Manatawney Creek Farms near Pottstown, PA. Website http://www.manatawneycreekfarm.com/ for mail order. Note the owners are Omish so they're closed Sundays.
A study in microclimates! View from west, so the geraniums and daylily get afternoon sun. The hosta (Sagae) on the far (east) side gets morning sun then shade from the Japanese Maple. The hosta next to the daylily gets shaded all day by the Maple, but it's Titanic, a dark green one that can deal with pretty full shade. But in better light it would be twice as big. The Heuchera Citronelle on the right will take sun OR shade, and brightens up the area.
Second daylily of 2010: Begin With a Bang by Mike Huben of Boston. This is a MUST for early hybridizers becuse IT'S NOT YELLOW!! Available from Harmon Hill Farm in New Hampshire, and possibly from Ellen Laprise of http://www.partridgehillgardens.com/ in Mass. Mike and the Skinners both hybridize on city lots of less than a quarter acre, yet have beat the "big guys" in the early early race by sticking to a narrow goal.
Is this normal? Fourth bloom of 2010 is Siloam Button Box, Henry 76. 20EM4.5 registration, but that was "down South". Is it EE for anybody else? I just got it last spring, but it came from New York, so this isn't "Florida bloom".
Third bloom for 2010 was another Megan Skinner intro, Earlybird Orangeade (2004). Another "close to species" trumpet shape, this clump had one bloom on 5/23, five yesterday and EIGHT today.The season has begun! Long live daylily season!
Labels: Early Dylily Blooms
