Tag Archives: Hemerocallis

Sunday Album – Early Morning Light

Early Morning LIght – Buddleja davidii ‘Adokeep’; Dahlia, Rudbeckia laciniata (Green-Headed Coneflower)

A little over three months ago I would have risen early on Sunday morning and prepared to teach a gentle yoga class, which I always concluded with a guided meditation. Some classes are resuming this week but on a limited schedule and with a much different format. I feel it will be a long time before I am back in that world, although I am optimistic it will happen.

I spent this early morning photographing the garden in the midst of calm and solitude. Quiet but for birds running through their morning routine. Even bees were asleep. There is a clarity the garden invites, a stillness not still. Presence, knowing, awareness. The garden makes it possible.

Our house faces east and hides the morning sun from the back garden. Light slips in first from either side softly tapping the back fence and working its way into the western border.

Western Border – Dahlias

Dahlia ‘Gallery Art Deco’ and Buddleja davidii ‘Adokeep’

Dahlia ‘Tsuku Yori No Shisha’

Here is one of the sleeping bees.

Dahlia ‘Labyrinth’

Dahlia ‘Tsuku Yori No Shisha’ and D. ‘Labyrinth’; Buddleja davidii ‘Adokeep’

Dahlia ‘Labyrinth’

Dahlia ‘Gallery Art Deco’

Dahlia ‘David Howard’

Southern Border – Sweet Pea and Daylily

Lathyrus latifolius (Everlasting sweet pea)

Hemerocallis (Daylily)

Salvia guaranitica ‘Black and Blue’

Western Border – Oakleaf Hydrangea

Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Ruby Slippers’ (Lil’ Ruby dwarf Oakleaf Hydrangea)

Hope your Sunday has been full of light

Rain At Last

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Finally a couple of nice rains this week brought a boost to relieve the stressed plants in the garden. Suddenly lavender is flowering, along with Cleome and Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian Sage).

This morning six American Goldfinches were gathered around stalks of Verbena bonariensis (Tall Verbena). Bees are feasting on the lavender, Monarda didyma (Scarlet Beebalm) and Tradescantia (Spiderwort), bringing a satisfying and familiar hum to the garden.

Yesterday I noticed a few daylily buds and then today, a bloom. This first daylily is open a full week earlier than last year. The plant was dug in 2006 from Roger Mercers’ daylily fields in Fayetteville, NC during a special outing with my sister and daughter.

Hemerocallis (Daylily)

A couple of years ago I planted ~~Allium Atropurpureum~~ Allium sphaerocephalon (Dumstick allium) and they finally are taking off. The florets are small but I really like the dark, rich color.

Allium sphaerocephalon (Dumstick allium) [ I had misidentified as Allium Atropurpureum]

In front of a grouping of Dusty Miller and Tradescantia in the western border, a foxglove is about to bloom. This is Digitalis ferruginea (Rusty Foxglove). I am not especially fond of this color but it returns faithfully each year and sometimes that’s enough reason to be pleased with a plant. My reasoning does not hold for the Tradescantia though—I love the color but am still trying to get rid of it.

Digitalis ferruginea (Rusty Foxglove)

Summer Orange

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The temperature in late afternoon is 90°F. Even early this morning the garden was hot and bright. Orange hues prevailed. The deer have returned recently, but somehow missed this daylily, aptly named ‘Tangerine.’

Tangerine

Hemerocallis ‘Tangerine’ (Daylily)

Flame, Pumpkin, Rust

Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower)

Tomato, Vermillion, Orange-red, Coral

Lantana camara (Common lantana)

Drought-free Vignettes

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Gladiolus and Liatris Spicata

Today it was announced North Carolina is completely drought-free for the first time in two years.

This could change, as surely many hot summer days are ahead, but this remarkable spring with its generous rains has been a welcoming one for flowers in this Chapel Hill garden.

Gladioli and Liatris spicata have grown strong and tall and Hemerocallis (Daylily) looks well nourished. Even native and drought-tolerant perennials such as Monarda and Echinacea are noticeably healthier, with richer foliage and color.

This evening temperature is 79°F, still quite sunny with blue sky.