Excellent observations there wrt daytime and nighttime temperatures, and humidity, Ken!
I too have long since gravitated towards daylilies that recurve at least a little, because they seem to open better. (At worst, on cool mornings, they will open flat.) Those spiders and UFs that I have had (not many) also seem to reliably open well.
Fwiw, your image of 'Heavenly Dragon Fire' shows some recurve on the petals, whereas mine only seems to manage it on the sepals. At least, in those images that I have of it.
Interesting thought of yours, that our "long, drawn-out spring weather" isn't great for the early bloomers. Given the bloom early this season (still more or less fresh in my mind), I have to agree. All the more reason to go for the CMOs, the recurved, and the UFs for that period of the bloom season.
