Lupines are a big deal in New England. People take day trips in June to view them growing in fields and up mountainsides. I tried to persuade my lupines to leave my garden and grow out in our fields, but they were having none of it. Instead, they arranged themselves artfully along our "rustic" fence.
Over the years I have spent hundreds of dollars on sprays, granules, and gizmos that mutter and flash in an effort to keep deer out of my daylilies. Their good effects have been limited, and during this year of drought, when all kinds of critters have preyed with unusual voracity on everyone’s vegetables and flowers, deer had nearly decimated my daylilies by the end of July. An electric fence seemed like the only answer left, but when I went to inquire about the mechanics and expenses of same, an employee suggested that I simply hang a white rectangle of cloth between two stakes near the garden. The white cloth simulates the rear end of a fleeing deer: white tail up, white rump exposed. To the deer behind, white means danger. It worked for his mother, he told me. And it worked for me!
I bought some white stakes, found two white pillowcases in the attic, and attached them to the stakes. I placed them on the paths that lead to the woods, and, voila, no more deer damage! The late daylilies recovered, and we will enjoy them far into September.
Of course, this will not work for a flower garden close to the front of your house (assuming you have a problem with very bold deer) because it would disrupt the garden’s beauty. But if your garden is away from the house or in the back or is a vegetable garden where beauty is not an issue, this is a low cost remedy for marauding deer.
A white pillowcase between two white stakes frightens deer away.
The late daylilies recovered. Seen here: Back to School and Vermont River Promenade
Preppy Pink
Frequently overlooked and seldom purchased, Preppy Pink and Ruby Stella are this summer’s unsung daylily heroes. Preppy pink has survived deer and drought. Both began blooming in mid-July and are still hanging on despite this summer’s challenges. Ruby Stella was billed as a “rebloomer,” (like Stella d’oro for which she is obviously named), but, in fact, once she starts blooming she just keeps on for about six weeks.
Ruby Stella
As per an earlier post, you can bring daylily stems inside, put them in water, and they will bloom. Recently I brought in a branch with very small buds, thinking that if they bloomed at all, the blossoms would be tiny, but to my amazement, the buds grew. Unfortunately, when they reached full-size, one of our cats bit them off--darn! I picked the buds up off the floor, and, unwilling to give up on them, placed them in a tiny pot of water--not expecting much. But the next day, they bloomed!!
We had some unusual early birds this year: Spacecoast Starburst first bloomed June 9 (!) and Cordovan Skies bloomed today, several weeks ahead of schedule.
Spacecoast Starburst
Cordovan Skies
Apollodorus has been in continuous bloom since July 27! One more bud to go, and it will be done for the season.
Pink Charm is the first pink daylily ever developed and was derived from the common daylily or tiger lily. Cordovan Skies likewise bears a close resemblance to the common daylily but with a purple/maroon color (as in cordovan leather goods). These friends are planted in front of a bed of their close relatives, common orange daylilies, some of which are visible in the background.
All her fellow charmers had disappeared by August 21, leaving one tiny bud. On August 31 the last Pink Charm of the season finally bloomed! Developed from the common tiger lily, Pink Charm was the first pink daylily.