Little Lily Rae and Randy, Jr.

Hello Daylily Friends,

So much has happened during the past two weeks, and I must post an update.  I often have something unusual and bizarre to happen in the Greenhouse whenever all the systems begin to operate as summer approaches.  This time it was one of my large fans.  Specifically, the fan just above my small refrigerator stopped working.  Fortunately, my friend, Tommy Bell, who lives just down the street, came to "restore order," but it took a full days work.  By sundown, all was working well again.  Thanks Tommy for your help, and your "electrical insight."

I have been so pleased with many of the new blooms in the Greenhouse, and I've posted a few pictures, and now I have another that I want to show.  It is Seedling 4-538.  It is a cross between a Guy Pierce seedling, and my own, 11-81.  I really like the clean color, and it seemed to me that the edges on the petals and sepals were "orange" teeth, but my beautiful wife tells me that the color is yellow.  So, I now think the color is orange "waffling" to yellow.  It is fertile, and I'm using it trying to produce more daylilies with "orange/yellow teeth."

I've also been watching the daylilies bloom in the outside garden, and today was the best day that I've seen.  One of my daylilies that bloomed today is Seedling 11-266.  Back in 2011 it initially bloomed, and I've always liked it because of its red color and its white teeth.  I tried to use it in the Greenhouse, but this is difficult since it is a dormant.  Also, I wasn't quite sure about the measurements, but today this all changed.  It bloomed as it was beginning to rain, and I took a picture.  I also took a picture of the row where I have only 11-266 planted.  I used the measuring tape to show the extent of the height and branching.  I will probably introduce 11-266, perhaps during 2015, when the National Convention arrives in Atlanta. 

Little Lily Rae has sure been having fun.  Like on Sunday, she met Randy, Jr., our famous box turtle.  She just followed Randy all over the yard, but I was watching her, and she knew not to touch Randy, except to perhaps touch the "back" of his shell.  Randy has a long neck, and he can administer a wicked bite.  Anyway, Lily Rae just laughed and laughed as she enjoyed Randy's company.

You may also remember that Diana and I went on a trip to South Africa back in January with Georgia's great gardener, Walter Reeves.  It was such a wonderful adventure, and we were privileged this past Tuesday that Walter and our friends from the trip all got together here at the house, and remembered our "once in a lifetime" travel.  We had breakfast together, and then walked the garden together.  Diana even picked a few of her tomatoes, and we think that Walter was "impressed" that we have tomatoes long before the first week in July.

Thanks for reading my blog!

Bill