Hawthorn Hill Daylily Farm

Before I tell you about the lily farm, I must thank a very good blogging friend for the above award. I've been remiss, since sweet Susie of Susie's Space presented me with this award several weeks ago. Because I recently turned 60 (yes, I'm blaming that momentous, over-the-hill milestone), my mind doesn't seem to retain things that need to be remembered quite so well anymore! I make lists, and then forget to read them. I think there's just too much information to remember.........and not as much room left to store it, after years of accumulated "stuff" :) Does anyone else have this problem?
I truly appreciate the compliment Susie. Thank you so much.

It's been two and a half weeks since our visit to the lily farm, and I've managed to find homes in our gardens for the 7 new lilies we came home with. I've also moved a couple that I planted last year, and still have more to move. The 2 lilies in the foreground of the above picture are not among our newest choices, but they look like good candidates for next year's consideration....

As you can see by the photos, there are so many lilies to choose from!! It truly is a paradise.

The owners, Sandy and Dick deRosa are both retired now, and obviously spend countless hours keeping this large area looking as beautiful as it does, not to mention all the other work it takes to run a business. So I guess they're really not retired :)

Here's Sandy picking off spent blooms......something she does automatically, as she patiently answers questions, explains helpful information, and names the various lilies.

This picture was actually taken last year with my little Canon PowerShot.

Adding to the beauty are perennials interplanted among the lilies.

This hummingbird moth visited the liatris while I was close by with the camera.

The beautiful pink Mariska was one of my first choices.



Here's a closer view.

White Temptation is another that came home with us.

Closer view



Third choice, Abstract Art.



Fourth choice, Strutter's Ball. This one looks like velvet!



The name tag was missing from this lovely, very tall purple, so it is "Unknown Purple". Hopefully we'll find out a name for it eventually.

We bought a clump of this gorgeous light yellow Atlanta Moonlight.

Sandy and Dick are clearing some of the lily beds and will use the space to grow organic vegetables. They're planning to downsize their operation in order to have more free time for travel, and visits to the grandbaby. So there are some specials....and this was one of them. There was a 25% discount, and we could buy a whole clump for double the price of one plant (which is always more than one fan).......so we did.....and ended up with about 9 or 10 fans for $9! What a bargain!

And now............drumroll...........will the real Janice Brown please stand up?

In the last post I mentioned that my "Janice Brown" had a story to tell. Well, during last year's visit I noticed that "my Janice" didn't have the rose pink eye that their Janice B. did. Sandy offered to give me a replacement then, but I wasn't at all disappointed in "my Janice" and said no. As you can see, she's truly beautiful and one of my absolute favorites.
I certainly wasn't complaining........but this year Sandy absolutely insisted that the "real" Janice Brown was coming home with us, by hook or by crook!

So now, I proudly present to you the true Janice Brown!

But now my soft peachy pink beauty doesn't have a name!

Here are a few others that caught my fancy. This one is Flutterby and looks rather like the unknown purple above, but is a bit shorter and a more bluish-purple.

Smith Brothers was pictured recently on Karen's blog (she has a fantastic collection of daylilies). It's a real beauty!



Lady Fingers is very tall, and shaped like my gorgeous Cleo. I love this yellow-green lily.



Buddha...dark and dramatic.

Bama Music........pretty in pink! Another very tall one.

And here's Ross patiently waiting while I was taking these photos :) We thoroughly enjoyed our morning in this wonderful place, and Ross truly seems to love being there just as much as I do. It's become something that we look forward to doing together each year.

This weekend's weather promises to be fair, after a very wet Thursday evening and Friday morning. We've had "inside" weather today, which has given us a chance to catch up on some indoor chores.
If you like poetry, and especially William Wordsworth (of clouds and daffodil fame), check out my good friend Judy's new blog. She posts beautiful photos at Seeing Anew, and has recently begun a new blog called Walking With Wordsworth where she has recorded a series of Podcasts of Wordsworth's "The Prelude". You can read along on her blog as you listen, or you can download the podcast and listen on your iPod as you take a walk. I think it's a lovely idea.

Have a great weekend everyone!