Outer Banks...

Took a short trip to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. My Dad lives in Colington and I drove down to do a bit of yard work for him. And as always, I like to drive along the beach rode and catch a glimpse of the ocean. This time, the waves were so very calm. Don't see them like this very often. So I pulled into a public access area and started snapping. The autumn is an enjoyable time at the beach.....well actually.....the beach is enjoyable most anytime.
Have a great day!

Kitty....

Every farm has to have a "mouse catcher", right? Well, our Kitty catches birds. Well, so it seems. We find many many bird feathers on the barn floor. Have not seen her with a bird in her mouth, but discarding the goats or us as bird catchers, she is the most obvious.
Glad to have her around.

Garden Spider...

Oh look what has joined our Farm. A garden spider. I think that they are a magnificent creature. She (of course it is a female...she keeps such a clean and tidy web :) catches food on a daily basis....Eats....and waits patiently for more. She is not bothered by folks walking by. And she has grown so much in the short two weeks that she has been there. She is a welcome treat to other autumn sights and sounds.

Bale..

Yes, the hay baling process was a success. As you can see, wonderful Farmer is checking out the twine on the bale. We were able to get 38 round bales, which will feed the goats for the majority of the winter. We also supplement their nutriental needs with pellets and peanut hay. Some say that it is not necessary to feed grass hay when pasture is sufficient, however it is offered to them. My wonderful Farmer says that I spoil the goats....
And that is OK by me!!!!

Hay time....

Yes, we are still here. Along with selling of daylilies, we are preparing to cut/bale grass hay for the goats for winter.
Our goat herd is about 40 head, with 23 of those being breed does that will start kidding in the middle of October. Their graze area is about 6 acres. We have about 15 acres we keep as open pasture. And if weather permits we have two cuttings a year. Had one in May of this year and are working on the second.
Here is Sherman raking hay into rows. The hay has been cut, dried for several days, then teddered. If time permits, we will begin baling this evening.
So guess I better take my wonderful farmer a glass of iced tea.
Should be back tomorrow.
Bye

Hannah...

Hannah is headed out! She made landfall in the wee hours of the morning. And we here at Oakville Farm have been receiving a nice rain shower since last night. The winds certainly picked up about noon today. Guess that is her moving north.
The grasses, daylilies, even weeds are looking so thankful.
The goats on the other hand are under shelter. They do not like to get wet. But they certainly will reap the rewards of the the rains and forthcoming sunshine......
Enjoy the day.

Raincloud......

Hello...
Went on a trip to southern Florida. Landed shortly after TS Fay hit. All was well then.
However, the entire trip was full of off/on showers. But, if you have ever been to Florida in August, you know that is fairly common. Had a wonderful time.
We were able to take a dinner cruise one evening. As you can tell by the photo, a rain cloud was on the horizon. A smooth cruise, delicious dinner.
Then returned home to rain showers from Fay. Nice treat. The reblooming daylilies, ie Martha Fawcett, Siloam June Bug and Wally, are showing some color. We have been lining out several varieties this weekend.
Now is a good time to purchase daylilies. Soil should be workable and daylilies planted.
Enjoy the day.....

Lining out...

Our non reblooming daylilies have finished blooming. Now we begin the task of lining out. We locate daylilies that are three years old or older. It is time for them to be separated. The daylily "clumps" (plants) are dug up, separated into 2-3 fans and replanted in a new row. By next spring, those fans should be clumps of 8 or more plants. We will fertilize with 10-10-10 this fall and then Mother Nature showers them with water....Away they "grow"!
Happy Gardening

"Somewhere over the.....

...rainbow".

Yes, there it was. Right out the back window. And after a few minutes, a second rainbow appeared. Such a calming sight.

"Make it a double, Joe"....

Nope...not exactly what I mean.
I want to tell you about is a daylily called, Dublin Elaine. A nice reblooming pink double. The term "double" means that the bloom has more than the usual six segments. The bloom size is called "large", since the diameter is larger than 4.5". Dublin Elaine stands approximately 3 feet tall. Makes a nice growing daylily for the back of a display in a garden.

Panda Bear...

Sometimes called black-and-white, cat-foot; a kind of mammal from the bear family? Well, not exactly.
This daylily is called Panda Bear. A yellow reblooming daylily which is short in stature; grows to about 2 feet tall. It has a maroon/wine colored eye with a yellow throat. The wine color is also found around the edge. Very showy in a late blooming garden.

Starstruck...

I'm back! Having been under the weather lately, I am feeling much better this morning.
We had a nice rain last night. Everything is looking refreshed. The daylilies have a "pick me up " look to them.
Our feature for today is called Starstruck. It is a late blooming deep golden yellow daylily. The daylily is fragrant and grows to about 2 feet tall. It would make a nice lower growing daylily for the front of a flower bed or shrub or shed.

Bonanza......

Remember the show? Hoss, Little Joe, Adam, Ben Cartwright and Hop Sing. They would have all starved to death without Hop Sing! What a great western!!
But, the Bonanza I want to showcase is a great reblooming daylily. Bonanza grows well in full to partial sun and grows to about 2 feet tall. Bloom is orange and is large; 4 inches or larger. A nice growing, drought tolerant daylily that would be showy in any garden!

Near White

We have three late blooming daylilies that are really showing their beauty now. I will promote one each day for you.
Today's beauty is called "White Temptation". Although there are not any true white daylilies, this is called near white. It is a strong, medium bud count daylily. It stands out well next to a dark contrast color daylily. It stands about 3 feet tall and has a large bloom, approximately 5". It is not a rebloomer, therefore the beauty is enjoyed now and for about 3 weeks.

Eyezone

Have you ever wondered what the "colored ring" in the daylily is called? It is called the "Eyezone" of the flower. It is the darker area on the sepals and petals just above the throat. Here it is shown on the daylily, Pirate's Promise.

Bitone

I hope most of us in climate Zone 7 have a garden/yard full of beautiful bloomers. We have over 200 different daylily cultivars here at Oakville Farm and it is hard to choose a favorite. But today the Moonlight Orchid caught my eye. It is a bicolor. A bicolor daylily has petals (inner segments) that are of a completely different color than its sepals (outer segments). The soft colors have a very calming affect.
One of our fellow bloggers likes the Indian Dreams daylily.
Does anyone else have a favorite? Would love to know.....

Hummingbirds....

Aren't "hummers" interesting birds? Around May 15 of each year, we fill up one hummingbird feeder and hang it out under the grapevine in the back yard. Once a hummer is spotted, we move the feeder to the porch and place out as many as four other feeders. And the hummers come in by the dozens. Last year, we counted 27 hummingbirds in and around the feeders at one time. This year, we have seen 8 at one time.
Enjoy Mother Nature....she certainly is beautiful.

Spiders...

This variety of daylily is called a "Spider". The American Hemerocallis Society states that "spider" is a flower whose petal length is four times the petal's width or more, a ratio of 4.0:1 or greater. There are many spiders out in the daylily world. This is an unknown variety that was given to us several years ago. It makes for an interesting addition to any garden.

Spent blooms, seed pods and things....

This photo shows both spent blooms and seed pods which appear on daylilies. The spent blooms (at the top of the photo) should be pinched off and discarded on a routine basis. If not, then the seed pod will appear as shown here. Seed pods should also be removed from the scape and discarded. That way, energy will go toward producing new scapes and blooms, thus extending bloom time.
Ever wondered what a "scape" is? Scape is the term for the stalk on a daylily plant. We appreciate Sandra for asking that question.....

Spent Bloom....

This is what is termed a "spent bloom". After the daylily has bloomed (in one day), the bloom closes. It must now be deadheaded. Pinch the bloom off at its base and discard. This provides energy to other blooms.
Have fun...

Fruit....

Our peach tree is fully loaded this year. Branches are touching the ground from all the weight. Guess we will be eating lots of peaches this winter. Anyone know the best way to can peaches?

Blackberry......

This blackberry bush is growing beside a camellia bush. Some fruit is set while other blooms are showing. Looks like there could be a delicious blackberry cobbler in the near future.

Any blooms out there?

We have had "average" springtime weather...bright sunny days, cool nighttime temps and rainshowers. Perfect for growing daylilies. Several daylily varieties are blooming, earlier than in previous years. Such fun to go out each day and look for new blossoms. What are you seeing?

Iris...

The old fashioned Iris, were a smaller purple variety. Hopefully you have seen some. The newer varieties, including Bearded Iris come in many sizes and colors: white, yellow, peach, blue, dark purple (almost black).
Two years ago we planted Iris. They did not bloom last year, however, this spring, a single plant opened up, and Lo and be behold....an orange blossom. It is truly a beautiful sight in the garden.
Has anyone else seen unusual colored Iris?

Peony....

Hello. Hope everyone's flowers are showing off this spring. We have several different peonies that are blooming. Have a white, light pink, a dark pink and the one shown above. The peony in the background is the darker. Does anyone have other colors? Would love to hear about what is out there.....

Stellas...

Yes, the stella de oro daylilies have begun this year's bloom cycle. We had a good rain Sunday evening. And this morning about a dozen plants had open blooms.
The daylily season has begun......

Gracie...

What would a farm be without a dog? This is Gracie, our Australian Cattledog pup. This morning, she watched and waited as we pulled weeds from between daylily plants. This afternoon as it was raining, she was running and trying to catch raindrops! Tomorrow....one only knows what she will do.

Busy, Busy....

Have been quite busy since we last visited.
Warren County (county in which we reside) held its 7th annual Relay for Life event this past weekend. An event which raises money for cancer research. Our local team, Just Flowers, "Blossoms for A Cure" was there selling food, beverages, angel pins, handmade cotton dishcloths. Not sure of total amount $ raised, however, all monies are well worth the cause.
Then celebrated a birthday on Saturday...will not tell how old. (Yikes)
Sold goats on Sunday and have been cutting, teddering, raking and baling hay ever since. Just put up 256 square bales of grass hay. And oh my...the goats will love it this winter.
So until next time...

Clematis...

We recycled a piece of lattice and used it as a trellis for the clematis. The plants did not do very well last year. Much too dry. This spring, though, the plants are thriving. Clematis are not drought tolerant, as are daylilies. So we find it challenging and rewarding to have a variety of plants in our yard.
Happy Planting!

Hmmmm Good...

What a wonderful find in the garden. One of our favorite vegetables. And it appears so early in the growing season here in North Carolina. Another great sign of SPRING.

Ranunculus...

Ranunculus, aka Buttercups. I grew up in Indiana. Buttercups grew in pastures, however, we did not know of the "Buttercup Superstition".....It has been told, that if you hold a buttercup bloom under your chin and a yellow light is reflected on your face...well you LIKE butter. Well it certainly worked for me.
Have a fun day.

Fog...

Walked by the living room window, looked out...what a gorgeous sight.
The daylilies are in the foreground.

Food for all...

While walking to the mailbox, I saw a patch of blue wildflowers. And upon closer inspection, saw this beautiful bee feasting...on lunch, perhaps.

Earth Day....

Happy Earth Day to all...
The Earth does take good care of us. We should be taking good care of it. Planting trees, collecting rain water, recycling. We can all do our part. Have a great day.

Yes...Frost....

Yes, we did indeed have a frost this morning. These daylilies will be in the sun within the next hour and all should be well. No damage from this one!
Our average date for the last frost is April 20. We wait until the last of April before planting any sensitive plants. Mother Nature does have a mind of her own....

Frost Warning...

Weather forecasters are calling for a freeze warning/frost advisory for April 16 between the hours of 4:00 - 8:00 AM. For that scenario, daylilies do not have to be covered. If scapes (flower stalks) were coming up, the tips may suffer from a burn, but not detrimental. Our daylilies do not have any scapes, therefore, no longterm damage. Happy Gardening.

Great find...

As we were walking through the woods last weekend, we happened upon this fallen tree. Looks as though the woodpeckers enjoyed themselves. The goats also enjoyed themselves...they had pushed the dead tree over.

Spring has sprung...

Forsythia, a beautiful gold bush, is in full bloom. These were swaying in the warm breeze last week. A comforting sight that spring is here.

Daylilies, oh my...

We had some old poor quality hay bales and wanted to get them out of the barn. So we put them out under several old trees. When we lined out the daylilies last fall, we threw unnamed varieties on the bales...well as you can see..something is comin' up! There is much moisture in the hay bales, the winter was mild and it appears the daylilies have taken root. Anxious to see what they are.
So if you have any wonder about the hardiness of daylilies...

Shower....

Yes, we are receiving a very light rain shower this afternoon. And we are all smiling about it. We have had a dry winter and it is liking look a dry spring. Daylilies continue to grow and look good.
In our yard, we have forsythia, flowering almond and camellias which are blooming. We planted tulips and daffodils, but neither have come up, let alone bloom. Must have been a creature that ate them!!!!
What a beautiful day....have a good one.

Stella de oro daylily bloom from last year...

Hi There,
Where does the time go? Since last writing, we have seen: spring, a beautiful full moon and Easter. WOW.
How are your daylilies? Ours have broken the ground and all seem to be growing well. Our stella de oro daylilies are the earliest blooming variety that we have. Usually bloom the second week of May. Last year's photo above, projects a beautiful golden bloom. The bloom is small and will rebloom from it's beginning to the first frost. The stella is a great perennial for the novice to advanced gardener.
What is your favorite daylily?

What is that?

Sunday afternoon, while walking north to our daylilies we noticed a flock of wild turkeys in the pasture. WOW. Exciting to me, since I have never seen this large of a group of them. There were 2 toms and 10 hens. Took many photos of them until they had to flee when the dog began barking. I am anxious to see if they return today.
Needless to say .... the walk to the daylilies was delayed. Stay tuned, will give the flower report later.

Sun

Daylilies certainly are a friendly perennial. They prefer 6 hours of sun daily. Will tolerate light shade. Also like to be away from trees/bushes...so do not have to compete for water.

After the storm...

While surrounding counties battled with severe weather, we had gusty winds and a nice rain of about 1 1/2". Daylilies, all plants actually, look so renewed, alive and happier after a rain. Heading out now to check things out. Check in later for an update...or let us know what success you have with daylilies.

Fertilizing

Hello All,
What a beautiful day here at Oakville Farm. The wind is blowing in the threat of a thunderstorm. The past weekend we fertilized the daylilies. We use a 10-10-10 fertilizer and distribute it through the hopper on the Farm All 140. Sure does save "the back" from the days when we threw it by hand. Anyone remember those days?
Thanks for visiting our blog and remember to check out the entire website.

Winter Beauty

We live in north central North Carolina and occasionally we have a dusting of snow. Such was the case on Valentine's Day. The snow lay so beautifully on the rows of sleeping daylilies. The moisture was just what the plants needed. Sunny days are forecast for the near future...Let the sunshine in!

Welcome New Posters

I would like to thank everyone who has visited the Oakville Farm Web Site and blog. I invite you to become engaged with discussions posted here about daylilies. We look forward to seeing your posts and starting an online community where we can share tips with you.

Our online store is blossoming with new cultivars. Make your preorders today so get the jump on your daylily garden. Visit our store at: www.oakvillefarm.com/store/catalog/

Once again, thank you for visiting Oakville Farm Online. Leave your posts and let's start a discussion.

The Oakville Farm Staff
www.oakvillefarm.com