"If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need." ~ Marcus Tullius Cicero

Sitting outdoors in a rocker, on a porch swing or in a lounge chair on a sunlite, breezy afternoon with a book by your favorite author, with a cold glass of sweetened ice tea .... well what better way is there to spend a few hours? Both my sister and sister-in-law love to read. One with her books on a Kindle other with her books in paper form. :)

Or do you have a stack of seed/plant catalogs at your feet, perusing each with intrigue and ideas? The catalogs should be filling your mailbox on a weekly basis. Have previously mentioned several publications that I like. I picked up a Mother Earth News magazine last week at Tractor Supply, a fav here. Numerous others, hope you will pick one today and enjoy.

Be sure and keep your daylily list handy. Daylilies are a great perennial that require minimal care, are super hardy and come a large variety of colors.

Well, looks like time for posters. Have a good day and until next time, Happy Gardening.

When weeding, the best way to make sure you are removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it. If it comes out of the ground easily, it is a valuable plant. ~Author Unknown

Are there weeds in your flowerbed, in your garden area, or are weeds just in your way? We had a good amount of rain this past weekend, very welcome I must say. Have had sunshine for the past two days, again very welcome. And today as I look out amongst flowerbeds in the yard ... WOW, the weeds have really grown! Shooting up the grapevine, into the bushes, around the iris and in the daylilies. What must be done? Sounds like a day to be pulling weeds, spraying weeds, saying good bye to weeds!

Guess I better begin. Hope you have a good day and until next time, Happy Gardening.

To forget how to dig the earth and to tend the soil is to forget ourselves. ~Mohandas K. Gandhi

Blogging, what is it all about? I like to make notes, show photos, share ideas and a blog is a good place. I frequent other blogs, do you? And oh my, blogs come in so many styles and forms. So blog away ... Oakville Farm.

Today, weather is coolish, more seasonable, in the low 60's. Abundant sunshine and breezy. Indeed a day for a jacket, hat/hood, long pants, gloves ... all for gardening. Unlike yesterday, when we were outdoors in shorts, sandals, sleeveless tops. Our weather always available at OFW.

Have been doing inventory on daylilies. And oh it looks like time to divide and separate. Some clumps of daylilies have two fans, other clumps have forty or more fans! So best get outdoors with garden spade and get started. Hope you have a good day and until next time, Happy Gardening.

PS, oh wow, was looking over previous blog entries and found a misspelled word and that the photos were in the wrong place.
All has been corrected. :)

In the spring I have counted one hundred and thirty-six different kinds of weather inside of four and twenty hours. ~Mark Twain


Weather here at OFW, today, well one can say it is WET. Yes, almost an inch of rain since midnight. And we are very glad. The hues of green that abound are vast and simply beautiful.

Oakville Farm website is moving along nicely. Daylily photos and prices are now being added. There are price reductions, newly added cultivars, out of stock items. Stay tuned for the new re-grand opening of Oakville Farm.

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

Why try to explain miracles to your kids when you can just have them plant a garden. ~Author Unknown

Are you formulating your garden ideas? Vegetable garden ... Water garden ... Rock garden ... Flower garden ... Oooooh, just to name a few.

Was talking to an inqusitive gardener yesterday about daylilies. They think that daylilies only come in the color "Orange". They do come in orange, however, with over 60,000 daylily cultivars, the colors are almost endless. From creamy white to light dusty pink to coral red to lavender to yellow to red orange to reddish black. The color scheme for daylilies is so wide!!! With no true white nor true blue daylilies, hybridizers are working feverishly to correct this. Never know what new colors are on the horizon.

We are in Region 15 of the American Hemerocallis Society, which includes North and South Carolina. The summer meeting will be held in Morganton, North Carolina in June ... the beautiful mountains and foothills. If you are in or around that area, might want to make plans to visit daylily farms. Home grown daylilies, directly out of the field are a true treasure.

When you are near us, Oakville Farm, Macon, North Carolina, 1122 Wise Five Forks Rd. .... stop on by. We have over 200 daylily cultivars to peruse, goats to see, dogs to throw balls for and one lazy kitty!

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

PS. Harvested first asparagus this week. Oh, the first treat of the year. Love it raw, grilled, boiled, broiled. What is your favorite? Yum

All through the long winter, I dream of my garden. On the first day of spring, I dig my fingers deep into the soft earth. I can feel its energy, and my spirits soar.
~Helen Hayes

Oh yes, hope you see and feel earth's energy today. Our weather forecast is for above normal temperatures with a chance of rain showers each day. Weather more like June than March. See what is happening here at Oakville Farm at OFW

In an earlier blog, was talking about cleaning up around daylilies vs leaving decaying leaves as mulch. Took two photos, maybe that will help you decide what to do.



BEFORE.....




AFTER.....









It truly is personal preference, which works best for your daylilies and you. My sister has a red mulch around her daylilies, so she wants them groomed, where a friend has hers in amongst many many plants and trees and chooses not to "demulch".

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

It's spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you've got it, you want - oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so! ~Mark Twain


2012 Spring Equinox Yes, it began at 1:14 AM. Found this info about it, Spring.....

What images/thoughts do you have when someone says spring?

Spring training
Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, DC
Blooming tulips
Spring cleaning
Spring fever
College spring break
Easter
Month of March
Shorts/tank tops
Pollen

Oh my! I just like the word spring. It sounds fun, intriguing , means the beginning of something new.











If you live in Zone 7 or higher, your daylilies should also be popping up. Here at Oakville Farm, daylilies are showing anywhere from just a spot of green to over twelve inches out of the ground. The anticipation of them growing, sending up scapes and blooming is so exciting.

Hope you find time to spend outdoors today. Have a good day and until next time, Happy Gardening.

'When March comes in like a lion it goes out like a lamb.'

'A dry March and a wet May
Fill barns and bays with corn and hay.'

'As it rains in March so it rains in June.'

'March winds and April showers
Bring forth May flowers.'

There are just a few sayings that I have heard about the month of March. If there are others, please share.

How are your daylilies growing? Was out amongest our daylilies and the growth is strong and vigorous. This time of year, we pull off decayed leaves left from last year, inventory plants, transplant where necessary. Also check for pests, deer invasion. As scapes rise, provide daylilies with about an inch of water per week. And if needed, daylilies can be divided. A little work is needed to get beautiful foliage and bloom in the summer.

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

May luck be our companion
May friends stand by our side
May history remind us all
Of Ireland's faith and pride.
May God bless us with happiness
May love and faith abide. ~Author Unknown

Happy St Patrick's Day to all. Be sure and wear GREEN today, don't want to get pinched, ya know.

March Madness ... what is all the fuss? NCAA College Basketball. WOW. 64 teams began, games have been played, 2 days have past, who will win? The Duke Blue Devils, well, they could not pull it out last night. One of our ACC teams, going home for this year. Hey, hey, hey, it's OK ... go home now, rest a bit and come back larger and stronger next season. Thanks for great basketball in 2011-2012.

Will be watching UNC, NCSU, FSU. Go ACC teams!

Hope everyone has a good day. Please spend a few moments (or more) outdoors. Until next time, Happy Gardening.

Enjoy the posters!

"The sun is brilliant in the sky but its warmth does not reach my face.
The breeze stirs the trees but leaves my hair unmoved.
The cooling rain will feed the grass but will not slake my thirst.
It is all inches away but further from me than my dreams."
- M. Romeo LaFlamme

Doesn't that sound like the month of March? Winter of 2012, however, has brought bright blaring sun. Our high temperature today was 84 degrees, well over our 63 degree average! What is comin' next? Spring, no wait, appears that the summertime temps are here. Oh my, the weather is all askew!

Daylilies are tolerating this weather. Growing more and more daily. While outdoors yesterday, was looking at the dormant varieties. Last years daylily leaves are laying on the ground around the plants as mulch. Some say to let last years old dried leaves lay, others prefer to remove it. If you want to clean up around daylilies, be very careful if cleaning now. The new growth which is emerging from the ground is tender and should not be rudely disrupted. Gently remove the decay and discard. If leaving the decay as mulch, daylilies like that as well. It is personal preference, so try it both ways. If you like it well groomed, clean away the material. And if you live in a colder climate and want a light mulch, leave the material for the winter. Heavy mulch should be cleared away in the spring.

So while outdoors today, peruse around and think outside the box and try something different ... decaying leaves vs well groomed. Hope you have a good day and until next time, Happy Gardening.

In the end, there is really nothing more important
than taking care of the earth and letting it take care of you.

What a beautiful sunrise this morning. Very mild, springlike temperatures. Have the window open ... hear a few cars passing by, dogs barking, goats bleating, birds chirping, even hear turkeys off in the distance. And while on the porch, saw a heron fly over, birds eating out of the feeder, kitty walking in the pasture. When a morning begins like this, it is gonna be a GREAT day.

Talking yesterday, Ms Mildred asked why love daylilies? Hmmm, did not take long to answer ...

Cost effective ... daylilies are a good overall value, long-lived while producing much
Soil ... daylilies tolerate most any soil type, showing best blooms with good composted soil

Sun ... daylilies prefer 6-8 hours of sunlight per day to produce most and best blooms

Low Maintenance ... few pests bother daylilies, drought tolerant,
Ease ... daylilies are easy to grow
Division ... daylilies are divided every 3-5 years, after clumps are large
Foliage ... daylilies have beautiful green foliage that can be curved, thin, wide, enhancing blooms beauty
Variety ... there are more than 60,000 daylily cultivars to choose from
Color ... daylilies come in a vast range of colors, not true blue nor brown, other than that the color palette is open!!

Daylilies just make a great perennial that provide years and years of enjoyment. So think about planting some in your yard this year. You will be pleasantly surprised. Our website, Oakville Farm, is getting closer to opening, so keep your daylily list handy and check us out.

A few of our offerings ...

Highland Lord





Black Eyed Susan







Big Apple







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

"Each leaf,
each blade of grass
vies for attention.
Even weeds
carry tiny blossoms
to astonish us."
- Marianne Poloskey

Was walking outdoors this morning and was astonished at the bright colors all around. Seems like just overnight, Mother Nature's color palette was brought to life.

Time is nature's way of keeping everything from happening at once. ~Woody Allen

Hope you remembered to move your clocks ahead an hour before retiring last night. It is said that we are now in Daylight Saving Time!! Let's see ... For many past mornings, the sun has been peeking over the eastern horizon at 630 AM. And this morning, well ... looking east, the horizon is dark and looking southwest, the bright moon against the dark sky is showy at 630 AM, this day, March 11. Yes it is ... Daylight Saving Time is upon us. How long will it take us to adjust? Oh my!

Hope you have a good day. Remember to spend time outdoors, spend time with family and friends and take a breath for yourself. Until next time, Happy Gardening.

It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade. ~Charles Dickens

Where has this month gone? Passing by so quickly. And here it is, March 10. Remember to change your clocks at 2 AM March 11, as Daylight Savings Time begins. Move 'em ahead one hour. Ya know, it does not affect all in this great United States of America. I believe part of Indiana and all of Arizona do not change. Anyone know for sure?

More posters/prints for ya. Hope you enjoy. Have a good day and until next time, Happy Gardening.

"All Nature seems at work. Slugs leave their lair
The bees are stirring, birds are on the wing,
And Winter slumbering in the open air,
Wears on his smiling face a dream of spring."
- Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Hey ... it's Friday. What plans do you have for the weekend? Hope you will find time to spend outdoors.

Look around and try to find all the new blossoms, new growth, new color that abounds. Our forsythia is beginning to send out blooms. Daffodils are up and showing their brightness. Redbud trees are budding. Fruit trees, well, their growth is so strong, one can almost hear those buds pushing from the branches!! Winter Jasmine is bright yellow. On and on and on!!!! Wow, spring is on its way.

Which of your daylilies are peeking up thru the ground? Many, many of ours are out and looking up toward the sun.

Here are some of our daylilies that will be blooming this 2012 season at Oakville Farm .....
And until next time, Happy Gardening.


Jungle Beauty





Imperial Lemon







Mosel

"Springtime is the land awakening. The March winds are the morning yawn."
- Lewis Grizzard

Winds are once again stirring. Sun is playing hide and seek in the clouds. Clouds are rolling in very quickly. Winter weather, still upon us ... spring is close behind.




Hope you are having a good day. Remember, take time to spend a
moment or two outdoors. The air, the wind, the sea, light rain, the sun ... reminders of what today is all about.





Until next time, Happy Gardening.

"The March wind roars
Like a lion in the sky,
And makes us shiver
As he passes by.
When winds are soft,
And the days are warm and clear,
Just like a gentle lamb,
Then spring is here."
- Author Unknown

Winds are blowing .... winter is still with us. Yet, March 20 and spring arrives, what will weather bring?



A few more posters, hope you enjoy ...















What are your daylilies looking like? Here at Oakville Farm ... Evergreen cultivars are 2-4" above ground. Semi-evergreen cultivars are popping up thru the ground in their finest green! And dormant cultivars are patiently waiting their turn! What a grand thing, Mother Nature.

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

“Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.”

“Today was good. Today was fun. Tomorrow is another one.”

"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.”

"You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You're on your own. And you know what you know. You are the guy who'll decide where to go." ~ Dr Seuss

March 2 is Read Across America Day. Oh yeah. Did you learn to read by reading Dr Seuss books? The rhyming. The life lessons. Great, great books! Theodor Seuss Geisel, pen name ... Dr Seuss, wrote over 50 books. Today was Geisel's birthday ... he would have been 108 years old. His books are timeless. To be read by young and old for generations to come.

Did you read the book(s) .....

The Cat in the Hat








If I Ran The Zoo











Horton Hears A Who!












.... just to name a few. Check 'em out the next time you visit your child's school Media Center or your local library.

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

"March is a month of considerable frustration - it is so near spring and yet across a great deal of the country the weather is still so violent and changeable that outdoor activity in our yards seems light years away."
- Thalassa Cruso

Happy First day of March to all!! Weather is supposed to be warm and blustery today. What is the ole proverb, "March ... in like a lion and out like a lamb"? We'll see. Remember, our weather stats can be viewed at OFW.

With the forecast of near 80 degrees today, will spend time outdoors. Trimming branches away from fence, inventory daylilies, planting a few bulbs, feeding caprine. Sounds like I better get started.

Just a few daylily photos to get you in the mind of "Spring".

Pandora's Box







Pilot Light







Streaker







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