Summer of 2015
I don't know what happened this year. The daylilies are looking better than ever- great budcount, beautiful foliage, and good branching. There is no sign of thrip or other insect damage on the blooms! Daylily cultivars that have rarely had a "good hair day" are looking gorgeous!
Now if I could only keep the deer at bay, I'd be a happy camper! Growing over 600 cultivars in a heterogeneous setting has allowed me to have a daylily season. The deer wiped out a mostly daylily bed that is adjacent to an old apple tree. I'm sure that the fallen apples are drawing the deer to this area. There is also a huge oak tree nearby. Deer love acorns. I can't blame them for visiting my garden when I'm offering deer candy! They really trimmed back my shrubs in the early spring. Again, having a huge diversity in trees and shrubs has spared many so far. I'm hoping that they will eat at a slow rate so that I can make it through the summer. I'm afraid to jinx myself, but they haven't touched the hydrangeas and mostly chomped on hosta blooms.
Every morning when I tour the garden, I hold my breath wondering what will be next! I'm saddened by the daylilies I won't see bloom this year, but thankful for what remains untouched! Maybe a fence is in my future, but it seems like an overwhelming option in my setting.
To plant a garden is to believe in tomorrow.
~Audrey Hepburn
~Audrey Hepburn