That’s a pretty cool deer fence, simple and unobtrusive. Hope it continues to work. I love your clump shots, the daylilies are thriving in your gardens. You aren’t the only one with short scapes, that is a prOblem here along with bud drop like you are experience.

Sherry

Thanks for posting your photos of Dearest Valentine! It has wonderful, rich color in both. I agree with your assessment that it opens best when nights are in the 70s - exactly what most of my nights are during a typical daylily season. How often would you have nights in the 70s? I would think that might be rare for you. I love all the clump shots - especially Clown Parade, Rambunctious Rosie, and Make It Snappy. Your deer fortress is a great idea. I did something along those lines for one of my seedling beds - bamboo stakes with Vicks Vapor rub smeared on them.

Debra

My Margo Reed has been a major disappointment for many years. Actually bloomed better this year but still on short scapes. Rambunctious Rosie and Clown Parade clumps are so pretty. And Thundercat looks great. Whatever works with deer!

When I posted this morning about needing rain, someone must have been listening as we got thunderstorms rolling through with heavy downpours this afternoon. More rain expected later. Every little bit helps. The temps dropped 20 degrees after the storm. Feels like air conditioning outside now.

Debra: It depends on the season. Late July to Mid August is usually when nighttime temps will stay above 70. This season has been out of whack since it began.

So many daylilies have not bloomed yet but when they do, I think there will be many disappointments that I'm not use to seeing here. Winter Treasure foliage looked anemic early in the season from lack of rain and it too has very short scapes and minimum buds. I don't recall ever seeing it this way before.

Julia

I'm so glad you finally got some rain. We have rain in the forecast for the middle of this week. I sure hope it materializes.

Debra

Julia,

My Clown Parade is also not as intense in color as usual, but it is still a great plant and bloom. I do like the look of RAMBUNCTIOUS ROSIE and MAUI SUNRISE. I reached out Margo Reed about one of hers that I grow, NORTH POLE, because it has been half the height ever since I've grown it. The flowers look like the picture, but who can see it when it is supposed to be around 36 inches and it is only 18 inches. She said water water water. It is surrounded by others who are supposed to be that tall and they reach that height. I may move it and see what happens.

David

Julia, I can tell you that in this deep south garden the blooms also do not like to open well if it is less than very high 60s. I am so glad Clown Parade is doing well. It will sometimes lighten her when it has bloomed a while. Your clumps are beautiful. I really like the colors of Maui Sunrise. Do you think moving retarded some of the blooming in Concrete Blond? I have noticed it retards them, sometimes completely stopping them fora year here, but they then pick up and do so well. Of course, I love Rambunctious Rosie and think of you every year when it blooms. Carnival in Mexico looks very good, and Dearest Valentine is a beauty; I got mine from DEbra, but that weird twist that happens here sometimes, it appears a lovely bicolor. I really like the darker color on yours. I hope you get come rain. I am watering here and will be a good part of the day. NO rain in sight either.

kay

Kay; I'm not sure why Concrete Blonde took longer to rebound but am glad it did. The blooms are very big on it this year. Debra's Dearest Valentine had a rough first opening because of our temps but seems to have smoothed out now. New bloom(s) each day now. Just a bit lighter this morning.

David: This year is a challenge for height and bud drops. I can't water like I know so many of you can do since we are on a well and need to keep that for household use so I depend solely on rain to water the gardens Most years that works but not this year. I started using the rain barrel water to water one of the hydrangeas here called Little Limelight since it looked like it was drying out and some leaves were dropping.

Planning on live heading tonight to start with a clean slate tomorrow. The weeds have no problem growing and are starting to overtake some of the plants.

Julia

I don't know how long you have had No More Tears, but it took me a couple of years to see it at it's best. That was this year. It was true love for me............I like Carnival in Mexico. What's the base color look like in person? Is it beigey or peachy or pinky or what?.......Of course my favorite outside of NMT and CIM would be Concrete Blonde. That is a dynamic yellow for sure............. Oh yes, I meant to add how neat I think your deer deterrent is. Simple and not as expensive or obvious as fencing. I hope it works for you........... Maryl

Concrete Blond looks good. I like Thundercat too. I have come close to getting Rambunctious Rosie, but keep talking myself out of it. I am surprised you and Kate both have problems with MargoReed Indeed. It is a great plant here. This year I have a couple of scapes with 25 and 28 buds, others are less but in upper teens. And far from short. I think it is supposed to be 28" tall, and the shortest may be. Most are between 35 to 39". I even divided some off to share this spring. It has never been less that 30" tall.

Clown Parade was on shorter scapes this year--late spring freezes. Haven't noticed crowding on Boss Lady but plant is not a clump as big as yours. Margo Reed Indeed blooms at foliage height--an admitted flaw by hybridizer.