June 2011, almost over?

Gardening is about enjoying the smell of things growing in the soil, getting dirty without feeling guilty, and generally taking the time to soak up a little peace and serenity. ~Lindley Karstens

And daylilies absolutely help with the Peace and Serenity. They are such a calm, yet robust, plant that is a true asset to any yard/garden.

Just sent out an email response to Bobbie this AM, saying that the daylily, El Desperado is my fav! It began blooming last weekend and even throughout this drought, it is just looking superb! Goin' out now to check it out. Will return in a while.......










"I'm back!" And it is quite showy this morning...El Desperado is a late season blooming daylily here in Zone 7. It is mustard yellow with a dark purple eyezone and green throat. El Desperado has a large bloom, about 5 inches. This sells for $12.00 per double fan here at Oakville Farm.

Hope you have a good day. And until next time, Happy Gardening.

Wednesday ...

Old gardeners never die, they just go to seed ~Author Unknown

Phew, is it just soooo hot and dry here in central North Carolina or what? Daytime high hit 90 degrees. And guess what? That high is supposed to be the coolest in the next seven day forecast!

How are your daylilies fairing in this heat? Ours, well, the daylilies, they continue to produce scapes/buds/blossoms. As I say so many times, it brings a smile to ones face to walk among the daylilies and see the newly opened blooms. Hope you are finding the pleasure as well.

Check us out at Oakville Farm daylilies and
Oakville Farm Weather, (OFW).

Want to showcase the daylily, Pat Mercer. This daylily presents a bright orange with a lighter halo and green throat. The term halo refers to an eye that is relatively narrow. This daylily bloom is large, over 6" in diameter. A good sturdy daylily which we offer for $6.00 per double fan.



A nice double daylily which is popular is called Double Dribble. The term double refers to the daylily blossoms as having more than one layer of tepals. The Double Dribble daylily, not rising far out of the green foliage, is a pretty "coral self" plus is a rebloomer. It's 5" bloom is quite pretty and sells for $5.00 per double fan.


Want to say hello to all who have made recent purchases. Thank you and hope you will shop again. And say to Hollie ... hope you like your "new do!".

All for this time. Hope you have a restful evening. Until Next time, Happy Gardening.

Monday ...

Give a weed an Inch and it will take a Yard! ~Author Unknown

"Ya, Think?" Yes, weeds, they do seem to want to try to take over. Nutt grass, Horse nettle, Wire grass ... unwanted in the yard with daylilies. I say, plant lots and lots of daylilies. Daylilies grow quickly, are tolerant of varied soil types, and show much beauty during the boiling sun of summer.

A good daylily cultivar is Tuscawilla Tigress. This large blossom daylily is bright orange with a dark eyezone and yellow-green throat. It is a rebloomer. Tuscawilla Tigress stands about 32" tall. It is a tetraploid. And this indicates a thick blossom, brighter color, stronger stem. We sell this "beaut" of a daylily at Oakville Farm for $9.00 per double fan.

All for this day. Have a restful night and until next time, Happy Gardening.

Rest

Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass on a summer day listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is hardly a waste of time. ~John Lubbock

... And watch the daylilies, with their ever opening blossoms. Each day one daylily blossom is spent and another opens. Such a treat to walk among the daylilies. Hope you will enjoy your day....may it include looking for newly opened daylily blossoms.

Want to share more "pet photos"...






































Check out our daylilies at Oakville Farm Time for me to walk among the daylilies. Hope you have a good day. And until next time, Happy Gardening.

Family & Daylilies ....

Friends are flowers in the garden of life. ~Author Unknown

How many friends do you have? How many flowers do you have? Correlation? Don't know! Do know that both friends and flowers are a wonderful part of ones life. Hope you have both, nurture both, keep both. :)

Going to a family reunion? There are several family reunions in our area this weekend. The weather is supposed to be good. The tents are in place, pool is ready, cornhole game is set up, relatives invited, pig cooking ... Can you sense the activity?

Was thinking about animals and how during this heat they need to be looked after. If your animal(s) live outside, we think that they can take care of themselves. Pretty much! However, with dogs, for example, we can assist with fresh water, shade, tick control, worm medicine. And with other pets, provide for them what we would want if/when outdoors!

Here are a few photos of family and friend's pets! Hope you enjoy.


























Until next time, Happy Gardening.

Almost weekend ...

Each flower is a soul opening out to nature. - Gerald De Nerval

Daylilies present a pretty flower. A bloom that opens for one day. Each scape (stem) has many many buds which open, day after day after day, for a nice beauty.

Want to showcase the daylily, Pandora's Box. This daylily is looking quite showy this season. Pandora's Box is a cream colored daylily with a purple eyezone. It is a rebloomer. Bloom size is approximately four inches. Stands about three tall. Oakville Farm, offers this "beaut" for $5.00 per double fan.

We periodically look at the NC drought report. Check it out.

Gonna dart out to see what new "finds" are lurking in the daylilies. Hope you have a good day. Until next time, Happy Gardening.

Another hot one ...

Plants give us oxygen for the lungs and for the soul. ~Linda Solegato

There are many wildfires currently along the coast in North Carolina. It is said that the fires were started by lightning strikes. The winds have blown smoke our way. Makes it difficult for some to stay outside and breathe. So, please be careful and mindful. The daylily beauty can be seen thru the windows, for now!

First full day ...

...of summer.

Summer has set in with its usual severity. ~Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Yes, severity it has, ie, heat, sun, thunderstorms, winds, downpours, drought, record breaking temps .. on and on and on. We here at Oakville Farm have not experienced all types of weather ... drought being our nemesis at this time!!! And this is just the first full day of summer, the summer of 2011, WOW. Daylilies would be a great addition to your summer 2011 find!!

Want to showcase the daylily, Hooper Connell. It is looking very good this season. It stands out on a scape, high above the foliage. A green over yellow color with a bright green throat. It is a rebloomer and blooms here in mid June. A great, great find for $4.00 per double fan.

Glad you could make it out this morning, Libba ... Your excitement and enthusiasm over the daylilies was just in line with us daylily lovers!

Hope you have a good day. Until next time, Happy Gardening.

Summer Solstice ....

Then followed that beautiful season... Summer....
Filled was the air with a dreamy and magical light; and the landscape
Lay as if new created in all the freshness of childhood. ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
At 1:16 PM today, Tuesday, June 21, 2011, the Summer Solstice will begin. This major celestial event, results in the longest day and the shortest night of the year. The sun is directly overhead at its most northern point at "high noon" on this day in the Northern Hemisphere. We will witness 14 hours and 33 minutes of daylight. Welcome Summer!

Daylilies, yes, they prefer 6-8 hours of sunlight per day. They can be planted in less sun, however, they may not bloom as profusely, nor have as strong color in blooms. Sunlight, combined with an inch of rain/water per week and daylilies will provide many many years of pleasure.

What be your daylily pleasure in the garden today? Pink daylily? Yellow daylily?

Let us look at Always Afternoon. It is mauve with a purple eyezone and green throat. The petals are crimped with thin buff edges. It is a midseason rebloomer. Bloom size is over 5". We sell this great specimen for $5.00 per double fan. Take a look!




Or what about Jan's Twister? A peach spider with a green throat. It is a rebloomer. Being of the spider form, it is over 11". Long, narrow tepals. A real cutie.


As always, www.oakvillefarm.com. Hope you have a good day and until next time, Happy Gardening.

June 20

The earth laughs in flowers. ~Emerson

Oh yes, daylily flowers are in abundance at this time of year. And looking out among the flowers will certainly bring a smile to your face. So, laugh, laugh, laugh, I say!

And while you are laughing, look at these daylilies ....


Martha Fawcett daylily is a nice reblooming dayily. It is a midseason bloomer, currently in bloom. It is light pink with a dark pink eyezone. The petals have ruffled edges. Bloom size is over 4 inches and it stands about 2 1/2 feet tall. Martha Fawcett is a tetraploid. It is on Special here at Oakville Farm for $5.00 per double fan.



El Desperado is also a nice daylily. It is a late blooming daylily, blooming here in late June/early July. It is a mustard yellow with a wine purple eyezone and green throat. Bloom size is approximately 5" and is also a tetraploid. It is a rebloomer. One customer suggested that it had a nice light fragrance, I have not yet noticed that. We offer
El Desperado for $12.00 per double fan.



Whooperee is a red daylily with a darker eyezone and green throat. It has a large bloom, ie over 6", is a rebloomer and is a tetraploid. We sell the daylily for $8.00 per double fan.






Just a note .... stated earlier was the term tetraploid. Tetraploid refers to the plant as having two sets of chromosomes ie, 44 chromosomes instead of the usual 22. It is said that a tetraploid gives the plant thicker scapes and tepals, the blooms are larger and the plant grows a bit slower than others.

Hope you have a good day. It is Monday! ... sometimes Monday's can be a bit hectic/troublesome/busy! If things get tense, just take a deep breath and think what beauty in Nature awaits you. If you are inside, near a computer and can peruse the internet, check out our website www.oakvillefarm.com. Looking at daylilies should bring a smile to your face and a calmness to your soul.

Until next time, Happy Gardening.

Father's Day ...

"A man's children and his garden both reflect the amount of weeding done during the growing season". -- Unknown

Dad
Father
Papa
Father-in-law
Pops
Daddy
Pop
Stepfather
Padre ......

Happy Father's Day to all men on this, the third Sunday in June. This is the day that Father's Day is celebrated in the USA. In 1910, the first celebration occurred. In 1924, President Coolidge recommended that it be a national holiday. In 1966, President Johnson made Father's Day to be celebrated the third Sunday in June. In 1972, President Nixon signed it into law as a permanent national holiday.



Fathers & sons, oh my! ......









































Father & daughter ....




















How will you celebrate? Cook out? Going out to eat? Do you have a special moment with your father that brings a smile to your heart? Remember those times. And if you can, call that special Dad and say "Hello".

Hope you make it a great day. Spend it with family and friends.

And ya know, Dad might like to have a daylily to plant in his yard, or better yet, might like you to plant it in his yard for him! Each time that he sees it, he will think of you. :)


Until next time, Happy Gardening.

Weekend ...

I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in. ~John Muir, 1913

Daylilies ... oh yes, they are certainly a great perennial. Can you tell that I really like them?

Charles, Linda & I were talking on Thursday and said that an annual is great, however, a perennial, costing a bit more, is well worth the expense. A perennial is considered a plant that lives for more than two years. A perennial grows well in the spring and summer, dies back in the fall and winter, returns in the spring from the root stock. And perennials bring the element of joy by coming back with more vigor than year before. Perennials ... a must have in your yard/garden.

Sights from our area ......












Thanks to the Paynter's for a fun visit and allowing their garden/yard/coop to be photographed. See you again, soon.

Hope you have a good day. Make a time to walk outside. Until next time, Happy Gardening.

Almost the weekend ...

It is every man's obligation to put back into the world at least the equivalent of what he takes out of it. ~Albert Einstein

Daylilies are a great perennial to "put back into the world", wouldn't you agree? Plants that grow quickly, look nice, take little care and are reasonably priced ... who could ask for anything more? :)

Today, the daylily showcase is Parade of Peacocks. This daylily is a late season bloomer, ie blooming in late July here at Oakville Farm. It is a spider ... rosy peach spider with a rose eyezone and bright throat. Bloom size is over seven inches. It is on sale for $5.00 per double fan.

Looks like the heat will be returning beginning this weekend and continuing thru next week. 90+ degrees, Yikes! To all of us gardeners, please stay hydrated (with water, ya know), wear sunscreen and take frequent breaks in the shade. You can watch Oakville Farm weather stats at www.weatherlink.com/user/oakvillefarm/

Visit www.oakvillefarm.com when you get a chance. Until next time, Happy Gardening.

Thursday

Many hands make light work. ~John Heywood

Was thinking about that quote ... yes, the more hands in the garden ... pulling weeds, deadheading daylilies, watering with the hose, spreading mulch, sprinkling fertilizer ... makes a lighter load for everyone. And oh the garden will be so thankful. It will show you many many times over how grateful it is with vigorous plant growth, showy blossoms, cleaner ground. The many generous hands taking care of that special garden/yard, yes, it will make light work for all. Get out and enjoy ....

The French Frenzy daylily was really looking proud yesterday as family, friends and I were walking about! It was almost sparkling in the sun. French Frenzy is gold in color with a green throat. It is a rebloomer with a bloom about six inches in diameter. Stands about two feet tall. And it is on Special here at Oakville Farm, just $2.00 per double fan. Come by the farm and pick one up or check us out on the web: www.oakvillefarm.com

Nice meeting Charles & Linda today. Hope you enjoy your daylilies. Visit us again soon. Karen & Linda, enjoyed your visit as well.

All for now, until next time, Happy Gardening.

Wednesday ..

Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

The second full week of June, WOW. And the daylilies here at Oakville Farm are looking pretty good. How 'bout yours? Which one is your fav? I have said so many times, I have a difficult time choosing my favorite. Even this morning while walking among the daylilies, each one brings a smile to my face. Each with a unique presentation, its own special characteristic ... its own splendor.

This daylily certainly caught my eye.. Lavender Frost. Such a nice specimen. It stands out above the rest, this year. Our Lavender Frost, has appeared more showy with a large bright green throat, especially against the darker lavender tepals. This daylily presents lavender self. Self in the daylily world means that the petals and sepals are all the same color. It is a rebloomer, blooming many times during the summer season. The bloom is large, well over five inches. Pick one up today at www.oakvillefarm.com for $4.00 per double fan.

Hope you enjoy your day. I am looking forward to seeing Karen and Linda today. Drive carefully and see you soon.

Until next time, Happy Gardening.

Flag Day 2011 ...

I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives. I like to see a man live so that his place will be proud of him. ~Abraham Lincoln


June 14 .... Flag Day. Proud to be American! Display your American Flag...Proudly. Wear your American Flag...Proudly. Respect your American Flag...Proudly!

Make a flower arrangement using flowers/ribbons/vases with the colors Red, White, Blue. Such beauty!

And the temperature outside is so very nice this AM. 62 degrees earlier with a slight breeze. Have opened the windows in the house and it feels great! I saw the goats moving up the hill and the kids were jumping/hopping/chasing one another. The coolness must feel good to them as well!

Daylilies ... let us see. What are some beauties that are showing their stuff this morning. Hemerocallis Nicholas Leigh is a nice blooming daylily. This daylily grows about 3 feet tall. It is brick red in color with a green throat. With a bloom size of about 5".




Then there is Olympic Gold. What a great showy daylily. The foliage sits in the background to a thick rich golden color daylily bloom. It stands about three feet tall and is a midseason bloomer.

Both daylilies can be found at www.oakvillefarm.com. Check us out.

Hope you have a good day and until next time, Happy Gardening.

Monday

Roses are red,
Violets are blue;
But they don't get around
Like the daylilies do. ~Author Unknown

And how appropriate is that saying? "Daylilies do get around." They are a great perennial that grow well and can be shared with family and friends. :)

Daylilies are red and "bluish". To date, there are no true blue daylilies. With hybridizers working hard though, that won't be the case for long! There are many daylilies that are blue-like, purplish, if you will, that have a more blue hue than a red hue. The daylily, Prairie Blue Eyes, is a lavender daylily with a bluish halo. The halo on a daylily refers to an eye that is relatively narrow or indistinct.

Prairie Blue Eyes is a midseason bloomer with a large bloom, over 5" wide. It grows about three feet tall. It is lavender with a near blue eyezone and green throat. It is currently blooming here at Oakville Farm. Nice specimen. Check us out at www.oakvillefarm.com for this and other great deals on daylilies.

Hope you have a good day and until next time, Happy Gardening.

June 12

"There are no gardening mistakes, only experiments." -Janet Kilburn Phillips

Daylilies .... they certainly are not a mistake in your garden. Such beautiful colors, sizes, heights ... all in one place, A Garden.

With this photo, can you hear the rain knocking on the roof & the leaves? And hear the rain rushing down the road? Can you smell the wet soil & the freshness of the water? And one can almost see the the trees/plants/shrubs growing! Rain, in moderation, is welcome!

Rain all around in NC last night. Four inches with flash flooding in some areas, downpours that kept people trapped in their cars. And the rains did not come here to Oakville Farm last night. The weather almanac shows that our average is 85 high and 63 low and it has not been that for quite a while now. It should be another hot one today. Then forecasters say a slight reprieve for a day or two. You can watch our temps over the web at www.weatherlink.com/user/oakvillefarm/


And with this photo, can you hear the crackling/popping of the fire? And feel the intense burning inferno? And take in the acute smoke smell? Amazing what one can experience with a photo.

I was watching the news about the fires in Arizona. Phew, fire takes on the look of such anger, revenge, force. Hope firefighters and pilots, are being mindful of the moment and many folks are there to provide support with water and supplies. It does take many, working together, with a common goal .... Please be careful.

Time to get outdoors, peruse daylilies, check on goats, begin the day with sights and sounds of Mother Nature. Hope you have a good day. Until next time, Happy Gardening.

Saturday

I believe that there is a subtle magnetism in Nature, which, if we unconsciously yield to it, will direct us aright. ~Henry David Thoreau

And how massive is Nature? All things does she encompass. WOW!

Phew! Sure is hot here today. Humidity is increasing, therefore heat index is pushing the temps higher and higher! It is looking like, via the internet, there is a band of rain/storms headed our way. Sure could use the rain.

Have soaker hoses on a few plants. Aren't those hoses just the best? Our friends Earl and Phyllis gave us our first soaker hose and that was it ... I was hooked. Might want to try one. I use it under the dripline of a tree, laid around newly planted bushes/shrubs or on the daylily rows. The water is more concentrated in an area, there is less overhead evaporation and it is just simply ... more effective way to water.

Heading outdoors to check move those hoses, then gonna crank up the music (Alabama and Lynyrd Skynyrd) and make a good evening. Hope you have one as well.

Until next time, Happy Gardening.

June 10

Flowers whisper "Beauty!" to the world, even as they fade, wilt, fall. ~Dr. SunWolf

And so with daylilies ... even though the daylily blooms last one day, there is another to take its place.

Want to share a few daylily blossom photos that were taken last week while at the Outer Banks ...
















Hope you have a good day. It is Friday .. last day of the work week for some. Make plans for a good weekend, filled with family and friends. Until next time, Happy Gardening.

PHEW ....

A sensitive plant in a garden grew,
And the young winds fed it with silver dew,
And it opened its fan-like leaves to the light,
and closed them beneath the kisses of night.
~Percy Bysshe Shelley, "The Sensitive Plant," 1820

Daylilies, daylilies, oh daylilies, I can see them open to the light and fade at night. They make a great perennial, wouldn't you agree?

A hardy plant, the daylily named Charles Johnston is abeautiful red rebloomer. It is currently blooming, with a large bloom, approximately 6". Charles Johnston emits a light fragrance. The fragrance will vary with the time of day and weather conditions.

Hope you have a good evening. Dusk is usually a nice time to walk thru the yard or the park, take a jog around the block, or stand with neighbor for a talk. Please enjoy ... if just for a moment. So until next time, Happy Gardening.

Tuesday

Earth laughs in flowers. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Are there daylilies laughing in your garden? I hope so. What colors are they? Any have a pleasing aroma? Any stand tall above others?

With that question posed, I found a yellow daylily, Imperial Lemon, whose bloom stands well above its foliage. And what a beautiful sight it is. A tall green slender scape with a large lemon yellow bloom atop. Oh my, it is just stunning. Imperial Lemon presents a large bloom .. over 6" wide. The scape (stalk) is about 3' tall. It is a rebloomer, meaning that it will provide many bloom cycles throughout the season. It is lemon yellow in color with a green throat. Its tepals (both petals and sepals) are very thick and sturdy. They stand out with such strength! A good speciman that I certainly recommend for your yard.

Hope you have a good day. Until next time, Happy Gardening.