April is one of the busiest gardening months of the year and my garden is no exception. Everything is growing exponentially it seems and the daylilies are no exception. The below picture of Hemerocallis 'Judge Orr' (Orr, 1939) was taken in my garden this year on April 8. 'Judge Orr' is like every daylily enthusiast - always wanting to rush the season a little, and for me, consistently throws up the first scape announcing the beginning of the daylily season. That's not to say that in some years he doesn't get hit by a late frost, but it never keeps him from trying. At 26 inches in height, and orange-yellow in color, he's always a welcome sight early in the season.
I've heard from several clubs this month about April events and it sounds as if each club has something exciting planned. Elizabeth Trotter reports that the Blue Grass Hemerocallis Society has Daylily Bingo planned for April where members play Bingo and the winners get their choice of special daylilies that have been donated by club members for the event. The Middle Tennessee Daylily Society just had a meeting featuring hybridizer Tom Polston of Pleasant Valley Gardens and their annual Plant Swap event where members bring plants from their garden to swap with others. Perennials, houseplants, bulbs - you are apt to find anything available at this event. Over in the Tri-Cities Daylily Society, Susan Okrasinski sends a note that the club had their own member and hybridizer, Bob Hale, speak on April 17 with program of local wildflower photographs. Thank You plants were also be distributed to club members from a special purchase of plants of the nursery of Memory Jordan. And last but not least, the club will begin plans to rent a van to attend the Region 10 Summer Meeting in Jackson, Tennessee. That is a wonderful segue to remind everyone to make plans now to attend the Region 10 Summer Meeting in Jackson, TN. I received an e-mail from Jimmy and Glenda Jordan in Jackson and they advised me that everything is running smoothly and on schedule for a wonderful meeting. And don't forget that if you have an opportunity to donate a plant for the auction, to let Jimmy and Glenda know. All proceeds from the auction go to the Region 10 treasury for future events and publicaton of the
Daylily Appeal. Just as a reminder, if you want your club's events featured in the Region 10 news blog, just send me a note at
wcoltharp@comcast.net.
