A day’s difference

What a difference a day, and especially two, make at this time of year. Two days ago only the cherry trees had leafed out. Today this site was common.

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Yesterday our ninebarks hadn’t leafed out. Today they looked like this.

Two days ago the clematis was inches closer to the ground. Today it looked like this.

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The tulip are starting to show buds. The sedum are starting to round out. The daylilies are up 4-6″. The asian lilies are popping up in back. Even the new red asian lilies I planted in front popped up overnight. And a few hostas are starting to come up. Not as many as I’m used to this time of year, and that slightly concerns me. We lost some very healthy full hostas during the 2017-2018 winter and I was at a loss as to what happened. I’m hoping it doesn’t happen again.

But almost all the daylilies are up, including one from last year’s seedlings. And THAT is very exciting.

Wait! That’s a daylily cluster!

Just had an awesome discovery – check it out.

Yes, that is a new cluster of daylilies! I looked online and it sounds like ‘Just Plum Happy’ daylilies re-bloom. I did not know that. This is our most mature ‘Just Plum Happy’ daylily and this is the first year it has re-bloomed. Very exciting!

Not another frost in the forecast for 10 days so maybe … at least some of the buds will have enough runway to bloom.

Very glad I harvested those seeds. Can’t wait to see if they revert to the parentage or create something entirely new.

Fall clean up begins

I need to begin fall cleanup today. It usually takes six Saturdays, and I am right on the edge of running late. Saturday is the day, because compost is open until 2 pm on Saturdays in the fall.

It’s always a little sad to start this process, but I cut everything back by hand (no weed whipping – yet) and if I don’t get going, it will be bitterly cold when the last bit needs to be done. (Experience talking here) Plus, there are those few things to be transplanted, or given to neighbors. And then there’s that bag of 30 tulips.

The past few falls it stayed nice enough that some of the hosta leaves were able to turn colors before they wilted from frost.

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So I will leave those for another week. I’ll start with the asian lilies, the fading hostas, and the daylilies whose leaves are browning up.

Yup. I need to get started. No more hanging on. It’s time. We have our “guest in the garden” this weekend. He can lend moral support. In 30 minutes.

If it were April/May, I’d be all over a day to get out in the garden early, but Brrr! Who wants to leave the comfy house with cozy throws to go out and cut down the garden?

It does help that part of the garden came in the house last night – the hibiscus, shamrocks and amaryllis. They are still in the entryway acclimating before I put them in their locations for the next 6 months. Maybe I’ll enjoy them inside for just a few more minutes.

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No? Okay, here we go. Once I get going it will be fun? Or at least familiar …

Onward

My cloud photo reminders (This day in 2017, 2016 …) are kind of tough to look at right now. I had three huge ‘Touch of Class’ hostas that bloomed about this time of year, cheering up the garden after the daylilies finished blooming, and drawing the hummingbirds and bees.

Something got them over the winter/early spring. Only one came back, and that one is about 1/4 of the size of previous years. I am sad. But I used that space for more daylilies this year, some of which were seeds planted directly in the ground. I also used some of that space to add the two new ‘Hush Little Baby’ daylilies I enjoyed so much. And I took the opportunity to buy another ‘Rainforest Sunrise’ hosta to put in that space. I am fairly in love with those, similar to my affinity for ‘Blue Mouse Ears’! Multiples, multiples.

So onward and upward – gardens evolve. Which leads me back to the ‘Rainforest Sunrise’. Could there be a more beautiful leaf? And combined with the purple scapes and lavender blooms, no wonder they draw the attention in the garden this time of year.

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I think I “need” an arch of them, similar to the arch of ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ that bloom so profusely in early summer.

Last daylily of the 2018 season

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Today our last daylily of the 2018 season bloomed.

I was fortunate that none bloomed while we were up north. Yesterday none bloomed either. But the inevitable day came today. I wished it was Saturday so I could have enjoyed it all day, but alas, it was a work day. Still, it was a gorgeous night – just on the edge of brisk. We grilled out, watched the birds, including a hummingbird who absolutely loves our hostas that are blooming (more on that tomorrow), had a squirrel stop by, and I took plenty of pictures of our last daylily of the season.

Hay there!

We were up in northern Minnesota for a few days and saw that there are a multitude of hay bales already in the fields.

We also saw quite a few does, some with fawns, including this one with her two.

Back home, one of our white squirrels greeted us, and then proceeded with dinner.

Today the last Purple D’Oro daylily bloomed.

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And there are only two ‘Marque Moon’ buds left. Two bloomed yesterday (“twins”) and two bloomed today.

Fall is on our heels.

Last ‘Just Plum Happy’ daylily of the season

Today the last ‘Just Plum Happy’ daylily bud of the season bloomed. We are going to miss them. They are so cheerful!

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All that’s left now of the daylilies are a few ‘Purple D’Oro’ buds and about a dozen ‘Marque Moon’ buds.

There’s been just a tinge of “fall’s coming” in the air the past few mornings. The air here was hazy for a few days due to the Canadian wildfires, but has now cleared. Our thoughts are with all who have been affected.

Saturdays in the garden

I cherish and protect my Saturday mornings in the garden. The work week may be hectic and even stressful, but come Saturday morning, it’s garden time. I may go to the farmer’s market, and/or go for a walk, but I need Saturday mornings as down time. And today is Saturday!

I have come to like a tidy look. It’s not everyone’s preference, but for a modestly sized garden like ours I can keep up with trimming daylily stems and hosta scapes. This morning there was a bunch of that. And then there’s the inevitable weeds and tree sprouts. “Pampering the Garden” is a lot of fun, but the best part is when it’s done. There’s nothing like sitting in a peaceful garden.

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Soon I also need to decide whether to harvest the hosta seeds from the Aureomarginatas.

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I’m leaning toward no, and just trimming them. Despite losing 5 hostas this spring, I don’t have much space to spare. It was a bit crowded in the back and side gardens last year.

We’ll see. Maybe give it another week to decide. I’m definitely trimming the other hostas as soon as they are done blooming 🙂

Do any of you have experience with harvesting and growing hosta seeds? How did they turn out?

More twins

Our ‘Marque Moon’ daylilies had three sets of what I call “twins” the other day, four sets yesterday, and more again today. It’s by no means a technical term, but when there are two blooms on the same day on the same scape, I call them “twins”. Just a little extra fun.

I bought the ‘Marque Moon’ fans on clearance (online) through Wayside, I think about five years ago. I didn’t expect much. I just put them in the ground and waited to see what would happen. I was not disappointed! They just get better each year!

Mid-August

Today the last ‘Hush Little Baby’ bud bloomed, and the last ‘Purple D’ Oro’ daylily on one of the 3 plants bloomed today as well.

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It happens every year. I’m not surprised. But once again, I’m not quite ready. The daylilies are winding down. I already miss their profusion of color, even on the same bloom.

This time of year, especially, I have to remind myself to stay in the moment. The lilies are still blooming. They are not done yet. Then there will be the gorgeous ‘Rainforest Sunrise’ hosta scapes, and the sedum’s slow progression of color, and if we’re lucky and get a long fall, the hosta leaves will even put on a color show. But for today, lilies. Gorgeous lilies.

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