Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Daylily Christmas Party, 2013!

Hello Daylily Friends,

I've been cleaning the Greenhouse, and repotting practically every plant.  I've also finally decided to take a number of the dormant conversions, and plant them outside.   These conversions were left in their pots, and will ultimately be brought back into the Greenhouse about the middle of January, 2014.  I've likewise taken all of the HEAVENLY SUNRISE daylilies from their pots and planted them outside  It should be so much fun to see the HEAVENLY SUNRISE plants when they bloom this coming summer.  I took a second picture to show the plants after they were hit last night with a cold frost.

I also must report about the wonderful Christmas Party held by our Daylily Club on Sunday night.  Wow!  It was so, so much fun.  The decorations were done by Glenn & Yvonne McKenney, and everybody brought a separate dish.  Our Club President, Mark Franklin, cooked the Turkey.  And friends, it was a big, big Turkey.  We all got in line and ate as much as we pleased.  Then, there were desserts.  Everything from Coconut Cake to Pumpkin Pie to Pecan Pie, and even Chocolate Cake.  Christmas is such a wonderful time, even for a daylily club.  Then there was another wonderful surprise.  Our friends, Jack and Cynthia Rigsby, were awarded the first Trophy for outstanding work for the Club.  Jack has been our Club's only Treasurer, serving over 9 years, and Jack and Cynthia have together been in charge of our luncheons at our Daylily Shows since the beginning.  Indeed, they do so much that their contributions can't all be listed here.  Needless to say, the award was definitely earned.  We had 52 members present for the party.

I took Diana's picture standing beside our Christmas Tree.  Diana has our home beautifully decorated, and tomorrow we're looking forward to Little Lily Rae's visit for the week-end.  We're so excited.  I must also announce that today is my 68th birthday.  I enjoy growing daylilies more today than I ever have, and every year at this time I'm excited about the coming new season of blooms.  My dear wife, Diana Rae, has made today a wonderful birthday! 

On my last post, on December 6, 2013, I mentioned a daylily that I'm trying to convert named LORI'S BLOND CURLS.  I treated two plants, and I believe that I've got both converted.  I took two pictures with my Canon T3i Camera, and so I'm showing the picture of Plant #2.  Plant #1 was shown on Dec. 6.  I'm particularly showing the new roots on Plant #2..  As I previously mentioned, when the new roots appear there is much hope that the conversion has occurred. 

Now that the pain has passed from watching Georgia Tech play Georgia two weeks ago, I can tell you about a picture that Diana took of myself and Little Lily Rae as we watched the game together.  Little Lily Rae was holding her Tech helmet, and Georgia was making a "comeback," and would ultimately win the game.  When Diana took her picture you can see the concern on my face, and surprisingly, I think that we can see the concern on Little Lily Rae's face.  It was a tough loss.  Oh well, maybe next year.  Anyway, watching the game with Little Lily Rae was a treat.

Bill

4 comments:

  1. Happy Birthday Bill. My birthday is Dec 30th and I know you probably feel like I do with so many activities going on that I forget until it's here. I haven't posted lately but I enjoyed your conversion work and would love to learn the craft one day myself. We too had our club Christmas party Sunday and we had a blast. Charles was telling me you felt confident that Heidi's Papa Goose is converted. I have to tell you that Papa Goose is an outstanding daylily and will win many more awards in the future. Your new intros look great and should sell very well! I can report that the one's I received last year performed well and I look forward to even better bloom with a year in the ground. Take Care

    Marlon

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  2. Hi Marlon,

    So glad to have your note. I am so proud of TET. PAPA GOOSE, and I have four (4) plants growing from using its pollen. Three of the plants are from a cross with KENNESAW MOUNTAIN HAYRIDE, and the other plant is from a cross with MARIETTA MELON. All four plants are of strong size, and will bloom this coming spring. I hope to get the conversion to Heidi soon.

    Our daylily Christmas party always is a treat. I love the company.

    As four "our birthdays," well they are really starting to count for me. However, I still feel reasonably strong for being 68, and I haven't stopped any garden work. There are many other competing activities in December, but it is still a wonderful month for a birthday. My wife always treats me extra special nice on my birthday, and takes me to special places for supper. I like my birthday.

    I know that you have BLAZING CANNONS, and I particularly hope that it is doing well. I really like this big red beauty. It is one of my favorites. I now have a good supply again, with quite a few growing outside, and about 20 plants growing extremely well in the Greenhouse.

    Merry Christmas!

    Bill

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  3. I have about 8 fans of Blazing Cannons and feel pretty good about 2 prolifs I have rooted. I bought Diana's Irish Dream and I was able to use the pollen a good bit last year. The Tet. Orange Velvet plant was slow to get established and I only had two blooms which had very little pollen as you already know happens with Tet conversions. I did get a couple of pods but I plan on using it as much as possible this year. The plant has adjusted well now and has already gone Dormant for the winter. Merry Christmas and God Bless!

    Marlon

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  4. Marlon, what an incredible report! I'm astonished. BLAZING CANNONS is a wonderful red that stands the winter very well, and its proliferations are just a plus, plus, plus. Glad to hear about DIANA'S IRISH DREAM, but the news about TET. ORANGE VELVET is just as wonderful. You will reap only wonderful results from using TET. ORANGE VELVET.

    I am looking forward this coming spring to seeing results from using TET. PINK STRIPES and TET. SUNGLASSES NEEDED. I have many more plants growing from conversions that I've made, and I am anxious to see the new blooms. In fact, I'm so anxious to see the new blooms that I'm almost like a child, waiting for Santa to bring the first bicycle.

    And Happy New Year.

    Bill

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