Tuesday, July 04, 2017

Connecting With A Daylily

Growing up there was a perennial at my parent's house I loved. It was tall and orange with a little yellow in it. Favorite colors. It grows wild in our area. It spreads easily too. Only recently I confirmed it's specific name.

It's a "Tawny" Daylily. Last year I decided to propagate two. Propagate is when you dig up part of a perennial and plant it somewhere else. Turning one plant into two. Perennials have to be about three years old before you can do it. But, I took mine from plants that had been there when my parents got the house!!! Hidden in the corner near the sun room. A place that doesn't get noticed much anyway. So the missing parts of the flower aren't noticed.

I put some potting soil into two pots and went to their house. Once propagated, I planted them in the pots and watered. One home, I dug them up from the pots and planted in the spaces I wanted them.

But, I ended up moving one. Around the corner of the building a small dead shrub had recently been pulled out by the landscapers. This daylily wasn't taking as well as the other one. So, I moved it. Later, I propagated another one for where I originally planted this. Now I have three!

It's the first to bloom. Pictured below. It opened for the first time on Saturday, June 1st. Ever since I moved out I wanted my own "Tawny" Daylily at my place. I finally have it!!! The other two sprouted this year as well. They are both growing. But, they don't even have stems yet, just leaves. It will be fun watching them grow.  

It was hard to confirm. It was either a "Tawny" Daylily or a "Bright Sunset" Daylily. I consulted a grower. They said the "Bright Sunset" Daylilies are rare. Because they are hybrids. It has to be a "Tawny" Daylily because they grow wild. There are subtle appearance differences too.

I did it!!! With care I was able to take part of a beloved flower and have it in my garden! I have always loved it. It's always been my favorite perennial. Now I have it here!!!

My "Tawny" Daylily!!!  first day bloomed. Ivy from nearby is growing around it since that's where I water.

Zach Photo bombing the daylily

What should I name her? The flower hiding in the back to the left hand side is a black-eyed Susan. It too was moved. Sore subject though.

To the left hand side here you will see the forsythia we planted this year too. What was once an empty space is filling with beauty.

So, that rock. It's really big and super heavy. Josh has moved it for me like five times. I hope I'm done but that space gets wonderful sunlight!

It was in bloom when we moved into my parent's house in July of 1984. My mom was very pregnant with my brother. I was three. It probably was in bloom the first time my parents took me to see the house. My anxiety has been with me all my life. It gets worse as I get older. I generally have trouble with a lot of big changes at once.

I connected with those daylilies. Maybe that's what made the house feel like home. I remember seeing the house before we moved in. I remember declaring who get's which bedroom. Mine had light blue walls. I have always loved blue so it worked for me!

Looking at the daylilies I realize they may have been my height at the time. Yellow has always been my first favorite color and orange my second. The landscape of the front and back yard at my parent's house has changed a lot over time. The tiny three inch tall maple sapling that used to be first base is now quite tall, for example. But, those daylilies haven't changed.

Because they grow wild, they are familiar. I had to have seen them all over before moving into that house. To me, they remind me of home. That's why I wanted some here. A garden of mine just doesn't look right without them!

It sounds odd, right? Connecting with a daylily. Who connects with a specific plant? I think most gardeners have at least one plant they connect with. A plant that's special to them. It's not such a silly idea. I connected with a daylily long ago. Now, even after my parents move, I'll have at least one with me.

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