Visiting the Birmingham Daylily Society

Hello Daylily Friends,

It is always good to have visitors stop by the garden to visit.  This happened about two weeks ago when Dave and Pat Prill stopped by; they were traveling from their home in Wisconsin to go and experience the balmy, warm weather in South Florida.  I showed the garden to Dave and Pat, and then we made our way to the Greenhouse.  They purchased CHOO CHOO CABOOSE and BIG KISS, and I game them FULLY BLESSED as a bonus.  Can't wait to learn how the flowers do for them in their garden.

I also have to tell you about Diana and her leaves.  For years Diana has wanted a "shredding machine" that would grind up her leaves to make them easier to use in her garden.  She finally found just the product she needed, and she has been busy putting it to good use.  She uses her "Worx" machine to grind up the leaves, which fall into a black plastic bag.  This makes the leaves quite useful, and the first place she put her shredded leaves was over the ground where her tomatoes will be planted.  She then put the leaves around her seedlings, and then around some of her favorite named daylilies.  I also like the Worx product, which was recommended to Diana by Paul Pratt from Wisconsin.

I am also really pleased that three seedlings from FOUR BEASTS IN ONE have emerged.  These plants look so healthy.  I know that these plants are dormants, but to see them go through the winter, and then emerge, is a nice thing to experience.  Di Decaire has done a wonderful thing with this plant, because she produced the circular rings in the eye of the plant, and the dormancy is very important.  I've already used FOUR BEASTS IN ONE as a pollen parent, and I'm now waiting to see the seedlings bloom.  I have plans this Spring to use it again with my seedlings that also have circular eyes.  And thanks to my friend Larry Grace who gave me this wonderful plant!


I have to tell a quick story about our neighborhood.  Our next door neighbors, Sue and Hugh Moore, wanted to show me the "Civil War Breastworks" that are just behind their property.  So, we walked through the woods and climbed up a large hill that overlooks the area.  This time of year it is easy to see the hilltop because there are no leaves on the trees.  The area is so pristine, and then when I saw the Breastworks, they were easily recognizable.  A soldier could stand in the "trench" and look down the hill and have a height advantage.  Just such a sight to see so close to our house.  I just had to tell this story; wish these Breastworks could be seen by visitors this summer, but it would be a struggle walking through the woods.

I also have to tell this bit of information about my 70th year of life.  I am a retired lawyer, but throughout my 40 years of practicing law, I've had to attend 12 hours of "legal education seminars" each year.  Since I will be 70 this year, the State Bar has delightfully decreed that I no longer have to attend the seminars.  This is a very, very good thing!  I can save the money that I would have to pay to attend the seminars, and I have even more time with my garden.

Speaking of my garden, I'm having early blooms in the Greenhouse.  One flower that has bloomed is TET. CARIBBEAN WHITLEY LYNN.  Such an incredible conversion that was done by my friend Larry Grace.  I want to use this conversion with some of my dormants, so for now I'm just freezing the pollen.  The substance of the flower is just so thick, and there are magnificent ruffles, but the flower is not pod fertile.  Nevertheless the pollen works very well.

The road in front of our house has a "Speed Hump" across it, and there have been signs giving driver's notice of the Speed Hump.  Then, someone, for some odd reason, removed one of the signs.  Diana notified the County, and today a truck was here and they replaced the stolen sign.  It is good to have the Speed Hump because it slows the traffic that travels along McDaniel Road.  I also have to report that the "deer are back"!  They come across Sue's property, and head towards our garden.  Fortunately, the deer haven't done any harm, but we've got to start paying more attention and begin by putting "Milorganite" in our daylily beds.  This Milorganite product comes from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and it really stinks.  It is good for the daylilies and the deer can't tolerate the smell, so it keeps them away from the daylilies.


I've also got to tell about our wonderful visit with the Birmingham Daylily Society this past week-end.  Diana drove over to Birmingham, and believe it or not, she got 42.5 miles per gallon on the trip.  This Lincoln MKZ is a great automobile.  When we reached Birmingham we immediately saw our friends, Jim and Kay Chappell.  Jim & Kay were in the picture from several years ago when our 10" double first bloomed.  It was good to visit with the Birmingham Club, and they had such wonderful sandwiches and desserts.

One of the members present was Sharon Beecher who is the President of the North Alabama Daylily Club.  Sharon grows many of our flowers, and she particularly likes LYDIA'S REGAL ROBE.  LYDIA received 36 votes in 2014 for the AHS Award of Merit honor, but 43 votes were needed.  I encouraged Sharon to have more voters come and look at LYDIA in her garden, and she promised that she would.  Thanks Sharon for giving LYDIA your vote of confidence.

More news soon.

Bill