Wednesday, July 24, 2013

From Trash to Garden Treasure

 This morning I was going to tell you about something I found while out walking one day last year.  I was going to use this picture to show you where the walk began and then it occurred to me that this was just "so last month".  For that was when the Stella D'Oro daylilies were in bloom and the crepe myrtle trees had not yet bloomed.  
 Hold on, I'll be right back. . .


taken from my back door at 8:00 this morning.
Crepe myrtles in their glory, Stella D'Oro's past their prime.

 
 Anyhow, the story begins with a walk I took one day in the late Spring of 2012.
I started by going through the arbor gate which takes me to one of our neighborhood walking trails.  This is a rather short walk, but it takes me by the backyards of neighboring houses and I enjoy the chance to see what's growing in other people's gardens.
On this particular day I noticed a pile of plant trimmings that someone had dumped in one of the vacant lots.  In this pile I spied what looked like some type of daylily.  I could tell by the leaves and the tuberous root.  It was just laying there gasping for breath and I felt the need to try and save it.  So I came home and potted it up .


 Since then I've been watering it and snipping off the occasional brown leaf. 
This year in the late Spring I sprinkled a bit of time released fertilizer onto the soil.
 I've watched it grow taller and taller and multiply into five little plants.
About a month ago I watched the first bud begin to form.
I was feeling pretty sure it was going to be the yellow Stella D'Oro which is very common around here.
Yesterday my baby lily was born and I was pleasantly surprised to see this:

I'm not sure what this one is called. Anybody else out there know?
I do know that she is a beautiful (and free) addition to my garden.
So glad I decided to rescue her from the trash heap.


 " Good Things Come to Those Who Wait"




 





18 comments:

  1. It's a great rescue! I love daylilies and this is no common one. There are lots of wonderful day lily sites online...perhaps you'll find an answer or perhaps a reader will know. What a sweet gate to pass through and take a little walk. I think of photos that I can't show them because the moment has passed. Funny thinking, but I like how you got around it!

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  2. Well she is orange and absolutely beautiful. What a great gardener you are to save her!!

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  3. What a glorious garden...those trees and that rescue - nature at its finest!

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  4. What a gorgeous lily! Is it an Asiatic? Love the color. xo

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  5. It's glorious! And I was wondering if it was a type of day lily, I always think of them as being this pretty orange. What fun to wait and see what it was! Enjoy your day! We're getting a rain shower and everything here is so lush and green!

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  6. What a beautiful surprise and a great rescue! I have seen so many beautiful lilies around blogland. Someone is sure to know what it is. I only have the "ditch" lilies and Stellas. My Stellas bloomed all summer last year, but don't think they look like they will this year.

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  7. Well, she's a double and she's orange and she's gorgeous! Your state university extension office may be able to tell you the name. We have a daylily test garden here at Kansas-State and I took a quick look through some of the pages of pictures, but haven't found her so far.

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  8. Wow, what a great find! It is just gorgeous. I'm not a lily connoisseur so don't know the name of it, other than "Gorgeous Orange Double Lily". There. How's that? Your Crepe Myrtles are gorgeous too.! Your before and after photos of the back garden gate are beautiful. Enjoy the day.

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  9. Maybe you should name it "rescue". It is lovely!!

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  10. So lovely! And your story was fun, too!

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  11. Oh what a lovely story and your persistence sure paid off. I don't know what it is but it is beautiful!!

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  12. Beautiful...your trash to treasure story!

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  13. SO PRETTY! It's blooming time for ours.
    I love your garden gate, Kim!

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  14. Your lily baby is beautiful all grown up Kim. Good rescue there.

    Love your crepe myrtles - that's my favorite color, and your garden spot is gorgeous.
    Happy weekend - bit cooler and lovely with lower humidity!

    Mary

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  15. Wow, what a gorgeous view you have out your back window. Your yard is so beautiful and your crepe myrtle is outdoing itself!

    Aren't you glad you saved that poor lily..... it is beautiful!!!

    I always love looking at your beautiful home and yard!!!

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  16. You know what I thought as I looked at this post? It confirmed to me that I would love to sit at your back door, with a hot cup of coffee in the morning, and just stare at the beauty of it all.

    I love that your heart is so kind that you would rescue a poor lily, and nurse it back to health. You will be such a good grandma! Pretty lily!

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  17. Hi Kim,

    It's so cool that you rescued the lily! Not sure what type it is. Thanks for visiting me and welcoming me back to blogging. Your crepe myrtles are gorgeous! I love your colorful summer banner on your blog too!

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  18. What a beautiful day lily, Kim. Sounds like something I would do. I'm happy you rescued it. Your crape myrtles are gorgeous and you have a lovely back yard!

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