And The Versatile Blogger Award Nomination Goes To ...

There is hope!  I was just nominated for The Versatile Blogger award by Kevin at Nitty Gritty Dirt Man.  How cool is that?  I must wear my special movie star gardening hat today (yes, I do have a collection complete with a “movie star” gardening hat), and drink my water from a martini glass.  This should turn the tables on my dear son should he catch a glimpse of the resident gardener … he just "thinks" he has a unique style of dress. ;-)  I’ve pinched myself several times today thinking “Me?  My Blog?”  Needless to say, I’m going to have an extra, extra sparkling day today.  Thank you Kevin. :-)  To the left are the rules for nominees should they choose to adhere.  I have proudly added the award plaque to Daylily Soup, thanked Kevin at Nitty Gritty Dirt Man, and will write seven random secrets about myself below.  Also, I am fairly new to the blogosphere, so I don't quite have fifteen fellow bloggers to nominate yet.  I'll nominate those I have so far.

Seven random secrets about me:

1. I am terrified of snakes and will literally take flight if one surprises me.  There have been many laughs on the part of others over this (some of my Lucille Ball moments).
2. My favorite dog breed is the poodle.  I’d love to have a standard poodle in the future when I have time in my life.  I understand they are the 2^nd smartest breed, and require a lot of attention to keep them out of mischief.
3. I am a true Libra ... a lover of harmony, balance and tranquility.
4. Favorite daylily so far (this changes often) is Spacecoast Jimbo Saddler http://www.kinnebrewdaylilygarden.com/spring2007/SCJimboSaddler.htm 
5. My favorite color is purple.
6. My favorite drink is water.
7. My favorite herb is sweet basil. 

My nominations are all talented bloggers with inspiring, entertaining blogs - each is a true joy to visit.  And the nominations for The Versatile Blogger are:

Annabelle Serendipity
Nitty Gritty Dirt Man 
Lee May's Gardening Life 
Zoomin' Blooms - A Daylily Blog 
Tidy Gardens by Jane 
Blogging in Myrtle Glen 
Roses and Other Gardening Joys
The Sage Butterfly 
Aberdeen Gardening 
Obsessivecomplusivegardening's Blog 
Romantic Gardening 
The Essential Herbal Blog 
The Garden Diaries 
 

Here's to Martha!

Martha's Garden

Each year, I take vacation from work for the week of Good Friday.  I call it my “Gardening Galore” vacation.  This is the first “Gardening Galore” week without Martha, my gardening buddy, so I thought a post in her honor would be fitting.  I don't intend this to be a sad post, but a post to remember someone dear who I had great gardening times with, and who taught me a lot about gardening.  Aside from being my gardening buddy, she was also my mother-in-law and fellow daylily addict.  Martha was the only person I’ve known who was more obsessed with daylilies than I am.  Actually, SHE started my addiction (to her delight)!  One of the first daylilies I remember Martha giving me was one named Orange Crush.  I still have it.    In her last days, Martha told me I’d have to carry on in the gardening world without her.  She knew I would.  The most treasured items I have from her are some precious daylilies from her collection (she had hundreds).  When her daylilies were in bloom, I’d always go straight to Martha’s after work to take the daylily tour.  The great thing about daylilies aside from their beauty is that each day is a surprise!  Each bloom only lasts a day, so you have a whole new show each morning.  She was particularly fond of the daylilies with a spider form as am I.  Yesterday, I stood on the deck and looked at Martha’s garden in bloom across the fence.  She had lots of amaryllis planted, and they’re all in bloom now (daylilies should bloom in about a week).  Red was Martha’s favorite color, and it definitely shows in her garden.  For some reason, her flowers (even of the same type) always bloomed before mine.  There must be some special micro-climate over there.  We both loved hummingbirds too.  Martha accused me of mixing “special” nectar when the hummers hung around over here more than at her feeders.  The truth is, hummingbirds can just be fickle, and will fly right by with their beaks “up in the air” for no good reason sometimes.  As I begin this week of “Gardening Galore,” it will be a big adjustment not hearing the sprinkler next door, Martha’s hoe or shovel in the dirt, the squeaky wheels of her gardening cart, or not having her just pop over to see how my gardening is going.  As I told her, I will carry on in the garden ...

Martha's Garden

From Martha's Garden

Another from Martha's garden (think it's "Aztec Fire Bird)


Not sure of this one's name, but it's a beauty ...

Martha

Three special gardening tips I learned from Martha:

1. When planting the same type of plant/flower in groups, always plant three, five or seven (never an even number).
2. When combining plants, have something spiky, something ferny (cascading) and something mounding … “Spiky, Ferny, Mounded.”
3. Always taper your flower beds off on the edges, so the heights of the plants get lower as they get toward the edges/sides.  Personally, this has worked for me.  It is especially noticeable with smaller flower beds.

Martha's "Daylily Farm"

:-)

Where oh where are the iris blooms?

- Where oh where are the iris blooms? -

Today, I had to face the disheartening realization that my tall bearded irises probably won't be blooming this year.  This is probably due to the very mild winter we enjoyed as well as a very early heat wave this year.  Bearded irises are tricky to grow in lower Alabama, and this year they are just being persnickety!  If they do this next year, I know some tall bearded irises that just might be finding a new home in a northerly direction.  Well, on second thought, I'll probably keep two or three of them just for the foliage ... I think the silvery foliage is beautiful.  On to happier subjects ...

- Budding Daylily - Muscle Man -

The daylily buds are appearing overnight.  They're about six weeks early this year!  I have a chart of what is planted where, and I had to use the chart this morning, since there were so many new buds when I went out to check.  I have several pink daylilies that have buds on them, so I'll have lots of pink daylily pics to post soon.  

- Pears -

- Black and Blue Salvia -

This plant amazes me!  It has lived in this old strawberry pot for years.  Black and Blue Salvia is one of my favorite plants/flowers.  It  has bluish black stems, and the new leaves are lime green when they first unfurl.  The flowers are a striking blue color.  Black and Blue Salvia is a drought tolerant, dependable perennial.  Last but not least, hummingbirds love it! :-)