I almost can't believe it! Bill Norris decided to open today! This is the earliest I've had any daylilies open as far back as I can remember, other than the ditch lilies, and a few Stella's that decided to make an appearance this year. I usually don't get my first bloom until about July 4th, so I'm really excited! Looks like a few others will be blooming in the next few days!

I got Bill Norris in the fall two years ago. It bloomed last year, and I was sure that I had the wrong plant because it was so awful. It just needed some time to settle in because it looks great this year!

Very pretty. I had my first established daylily (not counting Stella) open today, and checking my records, it is a full 3 weeks ahead of last year. ~Jan

Hi Jan! I'm glad I'm not the only one getting blooms earlier than normal! It's so exciting! We had a really dry winter, so I didn't know what to expect. I guess if the early blooms are because of that, I won't complain as much about the lack of water.

How are your seedlings doing in your raised beds? You've probably posted an update on them somewhere, but I wouldn't know where to begin looking! Have you had any blooms on them yet?

About 1/3 have scapes. Some are pretty tall. I have one that I thought would bloom over the weekend, and nope, nothing yet. It looks like it is ready to "pop" but I guess it isn't full grown! It was my first visible scape, and I have been watching it for a month now!

(can you tell I am a bit anxious to meet it?) It's a Tooth x Unk, one of Sandy's seeds. ~Jan

Jan, I can't wait to see pictures! So far I've only got 4 scapes growing out of about 100 seedlings! You're doing so much better than I am! I am kind of hoping that the flowers aren't fantastic on the ones I've got growing because I gave the parents to my Dad last year! I called him the other day to warn him that I may be at his house digging them up if these seedlings look amazing! He told me that he's installing an electric fence around them because he's not giving them up! We had a good laugh over that one!

I'm so excited about the seedlings! I've got some huge fans that have no scapes, and the ones that have scapes are kind of small. Then I've got a few more that don't look like they have grown much at all since I planted them last fall, but they have multiplied a lot! This has been such a great learning experience!

It's been a great learning experience for me, too. I suspect that the milder than normal winter, and the hotter than normal spring, have encouraged my seedlings to produce more than usual. Can't wait to see some of them, especially this Tooth seedling. I also have to remember to be patient ~Jan

Jan, when you figure out how to be patient, please fill me in! I'm going nuts!

We've had a super hot spring, and have set lots of records because of it. That, with the dry winter, has taken a toll on my plants. I've had to water way earlier than I can ever remember, and it's just dry as a bone out there the next day. Hopefully these daylilies are as tough as people say they are!

Bill Norris is a really nice daylily.

Glad you are starting to see bloom, but not so good that it is starting a couple weeks early. I think it is going to be a very short bloom season here. Everything seems mixed up in bloom time.

So glad you are getting blooms! I am starting to get some now too!!

Lovely bloom Natalie!!

daylily, I really don't mind them blooming a couple of weeks early. We go out of state every October, and there are always a few seed pods that aren't ready, and I have to have my son get the seeds for me. I'm hoping that I'll be able to collect all of them myself this year before we leave. I'm also glad that I'll be able to make some crosses in June instead of not getting to until July. It's really hot this year, so I can imagine that July will be horrible! I seem to have much better luck when it's not as hot, and it's rare that we get a cool day in July!

We just got home from a short camping trip, and several more have bloomed. I'll have to post a picture or two later after getting the trailer unloaded.

Here's the second bloom on Song Writer. I missed the first bloom as the first bloom was yesterday or the day before, when we were gone. I just bought it last year, so I expect it to get much better. It's huge though, which I love! The color is a little mottled, but I'm sure that will get better. It sure is pretty! Now if I could just figure out how to use my camera to make the color match a little better. It's a little darker than the photo.

Here are twins on Always Afternoon. The first bloom Wednesday morning was not all that impressive, so I'm glad it got better! All three blooms on it now are really nice!

Natalie, those are lovely blooms.

Decided not to go camping this weekend, it is supposed to rain Saturday and Sunday.

We usually don't camp at all in the summer because it's too crowded. We really like camping in the winter, when it's snowing! Keeps the crowds down to almost zero, and we can have all the peace and quiet we want! Our first two trips in the new trailer were awesome, as we had the place to ourselves, and the heater works really good! The following two trips were wonderful, and it was a lot warmer out. This was before school was out for the summer, so we had the place almost to ourselves. This trip was also wonderful, but there were a lot more campers! Our big trip in October should be great, with no screaming kids, and it should be cold enough to keep most people at home. I'm not going camping again for a while because my seedlings should start blooming before too long. Looks like one will open in the next few days, and I'm not about to miss it! My DH has other plans and is insisting that he wants to go again in a couple of weeks, but if I've got a seedling about to bloom, I'm not budging! He can go by himself if he really wants to go!

Our next rain may be on Tuesday and Wednesday, but I'd be surprised if we actually get any. It's so dry here this year, and we're way below normal. The last several years have been way above normal, so I think it feels even drier than it is, if that's possible. We sure were spoiled last year and didn't have to turn on the water until the middle of June! This year I had to water some of the plants in March.

We usually camp in June before the kids are out of school, and then again after the July 1st, long weekend, that's like your 4th and it gets crazy, then again in September after Labor Day. But with the trailer at the park for the summer I can go whenever I want to, so far the weather has mostly been crummy. I really don't know why the DH should get upset just because you want to stay home and see your baby bloom, they just don't get it!!!

Don't worry, he wasn't upset. I'm sure he was just teasing me. He's a wonderful guy and is so easy going! We're just having so much fun camping, and I think he's enjoying it even more than I am, since he can totally relax when we're away. He has been informed that I'm not about to leave when one of my babies is about to hatch! He offered to dig it up for me so that we can take it along. Wasn't that sweet of him? We got a good laugh out of it!

Pot that baby up into a 5 gallon pot, put it in the car and give it tender loving care on your camping trip and everyone will be very happy.

Too funny! That's what my hubby suggested, just after I told him that it really wasn't okay to pluck off the bloom before it opens! Looks like it may open tomorrow, so I doubt I'll get any sleep! I gave all the plants a good soaking tonight, and noticed a few more scapes on the seedlings, so I'm even happier than I was! Hopefully I'll have a picture to post soon. I can't believe I'm going to see my very first seedling bloom soon! It's small, and will probably be really ugly, but I don't care! After 2 years of waiting, I'll be happy no matter what!