The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

6 years ago

Luckily there's more good than bad or ugly in my garden. But I do want to share one that is so frustrating.

Scarlet Angel is one of the best budded and branched (4-5 way) cultivars in my garden this year. But so few of the blooms open well and are unmarred that I wish it had fewer buds.

Here's an acceptable Scarlet Angel - still not perfect.

Yesterday there were nine blooms on the clump. Three that wouldn't open at all, two OK blooms, and the rest dew spotted and splotchy. It's days like this I think the name should be Scarlet Devil.

Abilene Lillian has been a real joy this season with multiple blooms open nearly every day.

Cary Grant never has a bad bloom either, and the blooms are very sunfast.

While it does have very short scapes, the blooms on Inviting Romance have been a delight.

Braided Edgings was on the move-out list after two years with very low bud counts and short scapes. This year the scapes were the registered height, it has bud counts in the high teens, and all the fans have rebloom scapes coming. Sometimes we just have to be patient until the plants settle in.

Herbgirls Cherry Moonshine - I received this as bonus one year and planted it in a raised bed. After the season was over, I decided I didn't like it and pitched it to the side of another bed. During the winter, it rooted itself and really took off. It's vigorous and well-budded and always shows off in a clump.

Memphis has improved over last year when it had two buds on one scape and three on the other. This year its at 10 and 12 buds, but no increase in fans. I love the blooms, but I wish it were more vigorous.

Crazy Ivan - Great bloom here, but its on a six-inch scape. It has never recovered from the bad winter three years ago when it lost half of its 10 fans. It has seven fans now, but only this one scaped. Before, I would have said it got too much shade. But that's not the case, since the neighbors cut down their gigantic walnut tree in July of last year. I want this one to recover, but I'm losing patience.

Texas Blue Eyes is another one that took a hit that same winter. It has not recovered either. It went from 10 fans to four. Only one scape of the four is blooming, and the plant has a 6-inch scape. Is it worth keeping plants like this?

More to come ...

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shive
Original Author

6 years ago

Banded Broadbill when it first opened on Sunday and today. The hotter it is, the less a pattern is apparent. I'm thinking I won't see the pattern very often.

Neon Flamingo on very short scapes. Notice Mantis, another dormant on short scapes!

Shelby on scapes about 10 inches shorter than last year.

Spacecoast Francis Busby with Summer Celebration to the right

Jeanne Deaver's Dream

Queen of Narnia with pink seedling to the right

The Ultimate Sacrifice

Star Bright

Seedling Persian Pattern X Tru to Whim

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Comments (14)

Maryl (Okla. Zone 7a)
6 years ago
Scarlet Angel is pretty - maybe pretty frustrating for you - but a pretty face when she gets it right. I like Cary Grant and appreciate the report. It's been on my list for awhile and that's information I welcome. I like the eye on Texas Blue Eyes, but what a shame about its decreased vigor. Wonder if a new plant altogether might do better? As to keeping disappointing plants: Just too many good daylilies to waste effort on those that are not satisfying to you........Maryl
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Maryl (Okla. Zone 7a)
6 years ago
We posted at cross purposes I think. I just wanted to add that Shelby never fails to impress me. What a lovely confection of girlie girl pinks and curls.........Maryl
organic_kitten
6 years ago
Hmmm. That is odd because Shelby and Neon Flamingo here are the regular tall scapes. Crazy Ivan was like yous, but I had moved it this year. And I had plenty of others on short scapes this time. Too many beauties to choose one, Debra.

kay
lilykate7a
6 years ago
I have some plants like that too. Pele's Tears is one that comes to mind. I will see several blooms from across the garden and rush to capture it and find them all splotched and not a single one photo worthy. And you remember I was ready to tell Private Reserve goodbye this year and after the first bloom or two, every one has been almost perfect. So, you are right, what to do? Every time you post Spacecoast Francis Busby, I think I need that lily. I think this might be the year! All are lovely.

Kate
hoosier_nan (IN z5b/6a)
6 years ago
Abilene Lillian is my pick today. We have it too and so far it has done well for us after a slow start. The plant I purchased was a rather small single fan. Shelby and Star Bright also catch my eye--so graceful. I like your seedling--nice color with a neat throat. Bob and I are beginning to like that form more and more. We used to gravitate to the bagel forms, but the narrow forms are so graceful with the way the petals curl and pinch.

Nancy
mantis__oh
6 years ago
Appreciate so much all the info you give with pictures. Just looking at pretty pictures can be so cloying--and so deceptive. Is the Ultimate Sacrifice on normal-height scapes? I do like the looks of Neon Flamingo, and for better or for worse, I got it. However, Webster's Pink Wonder was always on short scapes here.
sherrygirl zone5 N il
6 years ago
My favorites are Shelby and Starbright. I really like spiders and ufo's but I'm fussy about the colors, these two are great, I always drool over Shelby. It's too early to tell for sure but scape heights look like they will be what I usually see here. On the other side, I had to use insecticidal soap on Lee's Loss scapes, I detected some aphids, never had them before, the treatment worked. Since I spotted the earwigs I'm paying more attention to everything in the garden.

Sherry
shive
Original Author
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Mantis - The Ultimate Sacrifice has one tall scape and four short scapes. I sold a couple of fans this spring, and it didn't seem to like being divided. I have many clumps, like Jeanne Deaver's Dream above, where some scapes are about the right height and some are short.
shive
Original Author
6 years ago
Sherry - I think Shelby would work well in your climate, but I don't know about Star Bright. I'm glad your scapes will be the usual height.

Debra
tarheelgirl_7b
6 years ago
Another lovely group of blooms! The Ultimate Sacrifice, Abilene Lillian, and Herbgirls Cherry Moonshine are my favorites. Crazy Ivan had short scapes for me this year, although this is only its second year. Thank you for the commentary on Memphis. I added mine in Fall 2015 and have had no scapes and very little increase thus far. Your bloom looks very pretty though!

Lori
shive
Original Author
6 years ago
Lori - That's a shame about your Memphis not scaping. At least I get some blooms from mine. The flowers are large and gorgeous, and a bud count of 10-12 is actually pretty good for a pink in my garden this season. I'm going to try dividing Crazy Ivan and planting it in two places to see if I can get it to thrive again. For a couple of years it was one of my best clumps.

Kay - Shelby is only a couple of inches shorter than it should be. Last year it was about 6 inches taller than normal. Neon Flamingo was a new one this spring that I got from another Tennessee garden. The plant was very healthy with an excellent root system. Although I didn't expect it to be full height, I did expect it would deliver more than a 14-inch scape.

Debra
dick_in_ohio
6 years ago
You have posted two pictures of Star Bright. I really like the colors. Is it a good performer for you?
shive
Original Author
6 years ago
Dick - I just got Star Bright this spring as one fan. I can't give you info on its performance at this point. I'll let you know more next year - if it survives.

Debra

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Maryl (Okla. Zone 7a)

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