i literally saw a bud pop open today - Gypsy's first of the season

[thedahlialama]

sometimes its a good thing when i don't follow my own advice well enough. 

today i got home late from night shift after stopping at HD and spending too much money, and then stopping at the post office and getting two huge packages of plants from folks. so it was already 1030 am when i went out and took my covers off my sunken watergardens. the second tub had a bud i've been watching for a few days and expecting to bloom any time. it looked like it was wanting to open today. i felt guilty for holding up its sun so long. i then noticed a bit of string algae beside it and figured i would remove that before it got too bad.

as soon as i yanked off the algae, the bloom sprung open!!!

WOW, it was like watching one of those time lapse movies speeded up. within minutes it had fully unfolded and Gypsy had its first bloom of this season. i had forgotten just what a beauty this one can be. i couldn't help but share right away while i drink my coffee and prepare for a major day of planting.







i must add that Gypsy was a plant that i got as a substitution in an ebay purchase i made. the sender chose to send me this rather than the James Brydon i bought because the JB had turned pitiful in the time since she had placed it for sale. i was upset at the time and she went ahead and sent me the JB which i promptly killed. turns out she had done the right thing all the way around. once i saw it in person i liked it so much more than the pics i had seen at victoria's gallery!! i feel like i owe her a big apology. it's definitely a keeper - two more buds coming up right behind this one!!

(maybe i'll just go be a repeat buyer of her lilies soon... )

[maryvonne]

Your Gypsy is very pretty Ed. I really like your first photo. Hope you had a good day planting. I spent the day in my ponds pruning, dead heading and preparing lilies for someone to pick up tomorrow. I can't image a better way to spend a hot summer afternoon. Tonight we are entertaining friends. Too bad the lilies have closed up for the day.

Maryvonne

[miguynmkoi]

N-I-C-E...I think we all work hard to keep our ponds look Marvelous.  Obviously you did something right to have so many beautiful blooms, Gypsy included   

It's amazing to me how I have every intention to sit by the pond with my morning cup of joe and enjoy the ambiance when I find myself fiddling with this or that and then full blown working around the yard........my way I guess of relaxing.  Nothing like a sore back in the evening.

[bunny56lbc]

Your Gypsy is BEAUTIFUL !   
It's one I've put it on my wish list .
bonnie

[thepitclub]

Very pretty bloom, I agree it should be a keeper! Hope you enjoyed your day planting, I can't think of ANY better way to spend a Saturday afternoon. 

Why do you cover your sunken water gardens? (I'm guessing to keep animals out, but making sure I didn't miss anything.) 

[thedahlialama]

Thanks all. since gypsy evolves each day, i will keep this updated with each new days bloom.

Annette - there was one very sore back that went with yesterday's efforts. the kind that has me still getting back to it today and the day is almost gone!!

as for the covers - the same reason i cover them every night of the year = raccoons!! they will uproot the lillies and tear them apart if i don't.

so here's day two. note the deepening of the reds/pinks and the yellows on the inner petals. you can see it also opened much more fully despite a really overcast and cool day.

[Monica]

I've never seen one open up.  That is pretty.

[perplexed ponder]

Wow! It's like Christmas!

[Desertponder]

Gosh that's pretty!

[barb]

OH, that is very pretty.   

[joeyb5980]

Very pretty Ed!

[thedahlialama]

well, weather remained overcast for days 3 & 4 so it was just a little disappointing. day 3 it could barely hold itself up without the frame's support and hence did not open all the way but you can see a noticeable reddening



day 4 i rotated the pot and it was able to open more uniformly at least. you can really tell the difference between this and a day one bloom!



thanks to all for your appreciation