I like your daylilies, the poly is nice. Also like dianthus, very pretty. We have garden snakes, too, but a couple of years ago, we had that Eastern Cottonmouth in the daylilies. That one had to be dispatched. Take care when you are out, I carry a hoe or big stick to poke around foliage to check in case there might be an unpleasant surprise waiting.

I like Lions and Tigers and bears...also that the snake is there and eats voles. I try to forgive the ferals that roam my large and leave me regular deposits...I can do it when I see them carrying off a vole, but a bluebird?! Not so much Love the dianthus

kay

Lilies are pretty. Dianthus is also. I have a similar bunch in a lily bed. They provide early color that lasts a long time. Actually planted more this year. We found a snake as well and my thoughts were same as yours. Please find the voles!! Good advice, Avedon!

Kate

I think Striped Fantastic has a gorgeous poly bloom, and the foliage is a break in hybridizing. Are you trying to hybridize for varigated foliage?

The dianthus group is lovely. I had some that came back four years in a row before they died out. I bought a couple of perennial dianthus with a spicy scent on closeout a couple of weeks ago. They didn't have many blooms left, but I look forward to that lovely fragrance next spring.

The snake would scare me senseless. What kind is it? We used to have a lot of garter snakes here, but my group of feral cats finally killed them all. I'm glad you're happy about the reptiles eating the voles! Either the vole population is down here, or my cats are too well fed to hunt anymore. They do bring me the occasional lizard.

Debra

It will be interesting to see how Striped Fantastic works out for you! I hope you get something good with a cross.

Sherry

Hard to believe that you did not get much rain lately. We (southeast of Columbus OH) have received ample rains including over an inch yesterday. Scapes are starting to pop, including Tiffany Art Glass which arrived from Florida last wednesday. Martha Lowry planted last fall has three scapes.

Debra, Bob and I have always loved variegated plants. We do hope to breed with Striped Fantastic but it is difficult because there are so few variegated daylilies. We have two seedlings with some variegation, but the variegation is not stable. Identity Crisis is variegated but it is unstable for us. It is so slow to increase and tends to want to go all green or white. I did get a few seeds from crossing our two seedlings last season. We hope to get a few more seed this year.

Nancy

Every time I look at that Lions and Tigers and Bears, I like it even better.

kay

I quite like the flower on Striped, does it open that flat with a normal flower? I don't have any striped foliage daylilies. I have 3 bearded iris with variegated foliage, had them several years with never a bloom. The foliage is neat, and there all summer, but I am all about the flowers.

I've seen striped daylilies announced over the decades but sadly none seem to end up a stable in the garden. I'd sure like to see one hybridized that would be vigorous and pretty to boot. Also, I don't think the flower on the striped one is blah. It looks quite attractive to me in your picture. Nice Polychrome.......Not a fan of snakes. My cat caught a small one in the garage the other day and now he's afraid of the black extension cord stretched out on the floor. Wouldn't cross it to get back into the house..........Maryl

We have now seen 3 flowers on Striped Fantastic. Two were rather deformed and the wind blew petals off of one today. The polytepal was the flat one. It would be nice if they were all flat, but the jury is still out on that characteristic.

Very nice blooms. The dianthus is very pretty as well. Not a fan of snakes, but they do take care of some pests.

Maryl - funny story about your cat and the extension cord!

Lori