Daylily Confusion

Friday, July 1, 2011

A drippy, wet morning here on the mountain, 55°, windless, quiet. A walk with Karl the Wonder Dog stretched halfway to Peacham Pond and back but it was eventless with no wildlife to see or hear. Perhaps the birds and animals are still waking up like me.

Daylily bloom has started at the nursery but again I am confused by when certain flowers are supposed to bloom. Last summer set a new record for the warmest summer since weather and temperature records were first recorded in the 1880's. The daylilies really confused everyone because they bloomed out early because of the heat. Gail kept everything in the pots well watered and fertilized and there were always nice daylilies to see and buy but the fields that normally had color through August were mostly green and visitors expecting color asked one after another, "What happened?"

Spring and early summer 2011 is a different story. The growing fields have been wet since the snows melted and as such the weeds are terrible and the grasses stretch above the daylily scapes in places. There's little we can do as equipment sinks in the mud and we have been very involved with picking up after the floods of late May. Just the same, the daylilies are beginning to bloom now even though I ask Gail every day to remind me what is happening with them. They will be spectacular and alluring but I'm not sure when. The constant rain has kept the average temperatures down a bit and this has contributed to the confused bloom.

I have mentioned before that the old standbay, Lemon Lollipop, which blooms in profusion now and will continue to do so through September. It looks great. Bella Lugosi is standing in water and blooming away and Beth Barth has started for why I don't know. Up top here is a picture of Selma Rose, a nice pink, and that has been joined by a couple other pinks including a new one that Gail only describes as "I think I paid too much for it." I don't remember names that begin with that type description as I have always tried to offer plants that are hardy, dependable and not expensive. I better learn this new one.

Jersey Spider is not a spider daylily at all but when it first blooms, some might think so. It grows to 3 feet tall over time and it will be blooming when the season ends. When established, the flowers are large. When you hear conversations about daylilies you often hear a lot of "I have all the yellows and oranges already". That's probably never true and collections around here often overlook the strength of Jersey Spider as it exhibits a luminescence that sparkles in the evening garden.



Yesterday Gail had blooms of about 15 daylilies picked and displayed in Mason jars on the table. She was interrupted in her picking and never finished but there were probably a couple dozen daylilies in bloom. Today as the temperature warms, we'll try to get everything picked and get in the habit of displaying for everyone. Here's a picture from last year showing how we do it. It takes time to prepare each morning but it gives visitors a good idea of "what blooms when" around here without having to walk the fields. It also makes it easy for customers to ask questions about bloom time, bud size and count, and height. Everyone likes the idea and we do too!

Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where I am wearing a big smile this morning. Five hours ago my third grandson was born. Another Seattle boy, joining his two brothers. I am awaiting the details but all is well and others beside me are smiling too. Wish I could hold him.

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm: Where we'll help you grow your green thumb! Promise.
On Facebook at Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens and also George Africa
On Twitter as vtflowerfarm

Busy Sunday

Sunday, June 27, 2010

A quiet morning here on the mountain after a wet day yesterday and a climatic downpour for 20 minutes last evening. Gail and Karl the Wonder Dog left me to my arthritic self discussions this morning as I rose slowly from bed and tried to work out some tight joints and a stiff back. Gardening for older folks sometimes requires a deliberate stretching and today was one of those days. Guess that's why I recommend that people do a little stretching this time of year when they decide they absolutely "must" divide and move those 6 year old daylilies.

Despite yesterday's rain, Gail had a very good day at the nursery with customers arriving and leaving in almost perfect cadence so she could devote time with each before moving on to the next. This is how Gail wants it to be so people are not rushed and so she can catch up on what has happened since the last visit. She was so very pleased yesterday when Herb and Julie returned to see us. They lived in Burlington for years and had a beautiful tour garden around their home. They often traveled to Peacham Pond Road to match Julie's list with our flowers. Every visit was a fun time! Now they live in Rochester, NY to be with the grand kids but Gail and I are certain Vermont will always remain special to them.

I have to get to the nursery in minutes and get things organized. Alex and I are going to the Vermont History Expo in Tunbridge this morning and Gail and Worker Bee Gail T. will handle the place. I think friend Mike will arrive around 7:30 to help with rototiller problems and probably Eric from Boston will arrive by 8 to discuss birds and moose and remind me again that retirement must be as good as life in Vermont is. Morning discussions at the nursery are part of the pleasure of what Gail and I do.

Daylilies are off this year and that means that they are blooming earlier than usual. I tried to take a few pictures of some early bloomers but the rain was not helpful. Just the same, here are some examples. As this morning warms, I expect there will be another dozen in bloom today to match the 15 that were out yesterday. Here are some quick comments. Nothing will replace a visit today as besides the daylilies, Gail always has something on sale for a "too good" price.

First below is Strawberry Candy. This picture doesn't do justice to a great flower which blooms and blooms and gets better every year. It is very popular. I remember about 5 years ago some friends with a giant daylily collection sold more Strawberry Candy than any other daylily. When a plant is bright with blooms, one look and you will agree.

Spellbinder is an orange but not just another orange. It is luminescent, big and bright and it fares well by the edge of a perimeter garden visible from the house, deck, patio, street, walkway late afternoon or early evening. It is a beacon that guides and draws attention.

Lemon Lollypop is next. This is not just a yellow daylily and certainly not one to discount.
Gardeners are always striving for season-long bloom and this one offers continuous bloom on 26-28" scapes. If you chance to visit, when you get out of the car look towards Marshfield village and you'll see the 3000 square foot hosta display garden I am working on. On the grass perimeter you will notice five blocks of 25-35 of the same daylily. The one block blooming now is Lemon Lollypop. Count the scapes and 6-8-10 will not be uncommon. This is a good one.

Jersey Spider is not a spider, it just carries that name. It becomes a 36" tall plant with tons of flowers. The flower scapes have an interesting pointedness to them as they reach higher and continue to bloom. This is a strong daylily and a popular one among collectors even though they often have to tell those who are not in the know that "No, it's not a real spider....in name only." Most gardeners do not care for the merit of the plant overrides all else.

Cherry Cheeks is another big flowered, good blooming plant. Sales always challenge me because I can't seem to keep it divided and growing on. At some point we should buy some more in to keep ahead of the popularity. It's not that it's such a great plant, it's just that it is a color that works very well with about anything. The scapes are strong and it commands a number of "What's that?" as visitors pass. Gail has grown it since almost the beginning of Vermont Flower Farm.

Bitsy has been blooming for three weeks now and its heritage makes it popular. It's a small flower on a tall, darker scape and it is always popular. Like Cherry Cheeks we sometimes run out. I have a few that need to be divided--haven't checked--maybe Michelle got to those on Friday. I hope!

Anne Warner is an older daylily that was the most popular three years ago when we opened on Route 2. It was a surprise when so many sold. I thought it might have been it's proximity to the front sales table but people repeated that they liked the old fashionedness and the pastel colors which work well with various blues. I'll leave it at that. We like it too!


And way up top is Wineberry Candy that started blooming on Thursday. The flowers seem a little smaller than usual but of course this spring has been unusual too. As this daylily matures the flowers are larger and the bloom time is incredible. The darker throat catches attention but the color contrast and 28" height work in many situations. Another that you won't regret.

Just heard a breakfast plate hit the table. That's a signal to get going. If you are out and about today, stop by and say hi to Gail. I should be back by 3 for afternoon travelers.


Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where 59 degrees and fog are giving way to some light over the pond. Three wet turkeys are eating breakfast in the field outside my office window. Last spring there were five in this group. Nature affects everyone.

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm
On Facebook as Vermont Flower Farm and Gardens
On twitter as vtflowerfarm

Remember: Nice Japanese lilacs, yellow and also dwarf Ninebarks available today

Finding Garden Color

Thursday, August 28, 2008

60.8 degrees here on the hill. The sun is long since passed and clouds hang above the fir balsams leaving wonder about tomorrow's weather. I hear the sound of water exiting the 3/4's inch line from the house to Gail, the Waterer, who is saturating next year's hostas. Perennials in this part of New England really need late summer water and the hostas that are getting it tonight are no exception. Gail said she spotted the drooping Little Sunspot when she came home tonight so she volunteered for the task. That's good because this gardener hasn't felt too sharp for a couple days now.

Karl the Wonder Dog begged for a walk and although I didn't feel like leaving the news I knew he was asking for a reason. We headed out and I decided to note tonight's garden colors. There's 700 feet difference between our home gardens and the nursery so different plants do different things at different times.

At the top of the page is a picture of gooseneck loosestrife, a disobedient plant which florists like but gardeners do not. I bought a 4" pot a few years back and the sea of wavy necks is everywhere now. It pulls up easily but don't toss a handful anyplace or you'll have an experiment in propagation not found in most gardening manuals.

The yellow trollius are a fine plant, slightly more refined and larger than the buttercups we are most familiar with. Save for the new Alabaster variety which didn't fare that well this year, all the other varieties Gail has are growing well. As long as you pinch the seed heads early on they will bloom again around Labor Day. They make a fine cut flower and work very well with zinnias which prevail in many gardens now.

Many daylilies have continued to bloom this summer because of the constant rains. This one is Jersey Spider which is blooming again. The flowers are smaller now because of the summer age of the plant but this is a nice tall daylily that grows very well. We have several in bud right now.


The daylily, Joylene Nicole, has always been admired by Gail and a friend of hers who passed on a couple years back. It has bloomed for several weeks now and is on a good run right now. I like taller scapes but the flowers are nice and the edge is consistent.

Crocosmia is a wildflower from the southern African plains. I have trouble getting pictures of the bright reds which resemble little gladiolas. The corms look like glads too and in 3-4 years time a group for 4-5-6 glads will form a large clump nearly 4 feet high and loaded with flower scapes. It's hardy here although the white, pink or yellow varieties are not. This one is 'Lucifer'.

Right now I have some reading that has to be finished before work tomorrow. The day holds great promise and that's the way I want to start a weekend. It will be more than a Labor Day for Gail and me but with bright sun and a little breeze, we will be happy. Tomorrow is Austins's last day before he returns to UVM in Burlington. It's been a fun summer at our new nursery despite the torrents of rain. Walking the gardens at night reminds us of our accomplishments. Hope you have had some gardening success too!

Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where the little birds of the forest are bringing this night's choral event to a close.

Good gardening wishes to each of you!

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm
Vermont Gardens

Diamond Dusted Balsams

Friday, January 11, 2008

An interesting early morning here at the missing-flower-farm where the landscape remains white and our flowers are buried deep in snow. Sleet is pounding the side of the house and rain is dripping down the windows. It's dark like a pocket outside and the sun will surely be slow to want to wake up Marshfield this morning. Even Karl the wonder dog doesn't want to go out even though it's past his time. I've already been out to check the ice on the truck doors and wipers and I have that warming up for this morning's ride to Newport. Life in Vermont offers driving challenges and it's always best to be prepared.

Gail and I are busy at planning our spring activities. We met with a neighbor two nights ago and it looks like he will help construct our building at our new location. I had given this a lot of thought and was almost set on buying a prefab building that could come in on a flatbed and be open for business within half a day. Trouble was that the more I thought about the timing, the less convinced I was that I could get all the site work finished and the building unloaded without getting the tractor trailer stuck in the wet spring clay.

On one side I didn't want to spend a couple weeks working all kinds of hours doing construction and on the other side, the thought of saving some money and avoiding a big headache seemed more appealing. My neighbor will work up a materials list and I'll do some pricing and scouting for exterior ship lap and we'll go from there.

This morning's darkness needs some color and the thought of daylilies is one way to brighten things. We like daylilies and have hundreds of names to choose from. Gail likes the older varieties and I am partial to tall ones. Our daylily journals have had recent communication about a rebirth in interest in tall varieties. This is exactly where I want some hybridizing to go in a few more years when I have more time. In the world of daylilies, this has already gone full cycle more than once. For the past ten years the emphasis has been on edges and stem count and bud count on reasonably sized plants probably in the 26-28 inch range. Now people are showing interest in "tall" and that makes me happy.

At the top of the page is Arctic Snow. This is another one of the earlier attempts at a pure white daylily. This is a very dependable daylily which catches your eye and mixes well with all plants. It has good stem count and doesn't seem to get nailed by earwigs like some of the lighter ones do. It is average size and not tall.

Just below is Along The Way. This is a favorite of mine because it has thick stems that are high wind/rain strong, has lots of buds and blooms for a long time. 34" tall would not be uncommon. The petals have good substance and the throat color combination and height catch your attention.

There are hundreds and hundreds of reds out there but Baja is a good one for many purposes. The petal and throat contrast nicely and draw your attention from afar. Baja has good genes and is in many hybridizer collections. I like any daylily that gardeners can afford and be happy with and this is one.

When I mention tall I often think about Autumn Prince (below). This is an old daylily as daylilies go. It dates to 1941 but it will never be forgotten. It's 42 inches or taller (ours are +5 feet now), late blooming as in Labor Day and later, and the flowers are very fragrant. The flower count on three or four year old plants is very good and to have attention getting plants after we have probably had a frost or two here is another positive. There's something likable about walking around your garden at the end of the season when you're tired and being able to avoid bending to see and smell nice blooms. This isn't a fancy flower but it deserves a look-see.

If you have stopped by to visit and had the misfortune to ask daylily questions of me, (Gail is the authority here!) I have probably asked my standard question about where you intend to plant and what colors you have in mind. I always try to find out if gardeners enjoy their gardens late afternoon and evenings and if they can see them from inside the house, a patio, walkway, or recreation area. There is a reason to my madness because certain flowers draw attention to your entire garden. I encourage people to plant some big yellows or golds that stand out as the sun fades. Such plants catch a visitors eye and bring reoccurring "atta boys" and "atta girls" to the actual planter. The golds of the Chicago series and plants such as this Jersey Spider do what I am suggesting you consider.



There is a group of gardeners who are interested in whatever is the latest daylily registration. These folks are "have to have" gardeners and they have the dollars to spend on those new releases. Gail and I are farmers so we know what poor means but we also know that you don't have to spend a lot of money to have nice flowers. We encourage most people to develop a color scheme they like and then work in the more expensive looking varieties as they can. "Expensive looking" doesn't have to be expensive.

About five years ago now I gave Alex a Gilbert H Wild catalog and told him to pick 20 daylilies he liked. I didn't put any restriction on price. Every one that he picked has turned out to be a very good seller including Catherine Neal pictured below. Give this some thought and you'll understand my message.



Well, things are lightening up outside as the sleet is turning to rain. I have to get out of here as I still don't know what the main roads will be like. The top half of all the fir balsam trees is diamond dusted with ice which has brought beauty to a not-so-nice day.


From the mountain above Peacham Pond where three red squirrels are cleaning up sunflowers that a picky blue jay is kicking off the platform feeder. I don't like birds with bad manners!

George Africa
The Vermont Gardener

Vermont Flower Farm
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