Ms. Toody Goo Shoes

Ms. Toody Goo Shoes

I want to go everywhere I haven't been, and back to everywhere I have been.

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Where The Daylilies Bloom...Or Not


There were orange daylilies blooming everywhere. 

Everywhere...but not at my house.

Lovely Lilies by Ms. Toody Goo Shoes
Photo by Mr. Goo Shoes


Lovely Lilies by Ms. Toody Goo Shoes
Photo by Mr. Goo Shoes

The neighbors had them; the gas station had them; even empty lots had them.

But not moi.

I was enamored with their long and lanky, stems. 

Lovely Lilies by Ms. Toody Goo Shoes
Photo by Mr. Goo Shoes

Wherever they grew, they looked so natural, and at ease...not "planted" or "planned." 

Lovely Lilies by Ms. Toody Goo Shoes
Photo by Mr. Goo Shoes
I had to have them.

I looked all over NJ. 

And New York.

Even Massachuesetts. 

Not one nursery stocked them.

"We don't carry them any more because they're too invasive."

Well, hello, that's exactly why I wanted them.  I wanted them to multiply and spread like wildfire...or at least, like wildflowers.

Lovely Lilies by Ms. Toody Goo Shoes

And, what, exactly, did they mean by "too invasive?" 

Like Little Shop Of Horrors, invasive? 

Were the lilies going to start singing "Feed Me, Seymour?" Yeah, I could see how that would be annoying.

But since I hadn't yet seen any of the neighbors' homes being strangled by daylilies, this "invasive" thing didn't scare me.

I wanted some. 

And I was determined to get them.  

Lovely Lilies by Ms. Toody Goo Shoes
Photo by Mr. Goo Shoes

I considered sneaking out in the middle of the night with a shovel to dig a few up from the side of the road, but I just couldn't, because...

...well, because they don't call me Ms. Goody Two Shoes Ms.Toody Goo Shoes for nothing. 

Lovely Lilies by Ms. Toody Goo Shoes
Photo by Mr. Goo Shoes
One day, when I went to pick up Junior Goo Shoes at a friend's house, his parents were outside thinning their patch of orange lilies.

I hit pay dirt...

...they  were ready to toss them in the garbage, and were happy to give me some. 

I only took about eight plants, because I figured that in no time, they'd run riot in the yard. As much as I didn't quite believe all this "invasive" business, I didn't want to chance it, and have them start growing out of my kitchen faucet. 

In hindsight, I should have taken as many as I could fit in a Louis Vuitton Neverfull Tote Bag.

Invasive?

Here they are, four years later.  While they've definitely multiplied, frankly, I'm a bit disappointed that they haven't lived up to their aggressive reputation. 

Lovely Lilies by Ms. Toody Goo Shoes

Granted, they've had a tough go of it. Last year, the deer ate the buds before they had a chance to bloom. 

This year, they did blossom, thanks to Mr. Goo Shoes' diligence with deer repellent spray.

Lovely Lilies by Ms. Toody Goo Shoes

Over the years, I planted other varieties of lilies...

Lovely Lilies by Ms. Toody Goo Shoes
Lovely Lilies by Ms. Toody Goo Shoes
Lovely Lilies by Ms. Toody Goo Shoes
Lovely Lilies by Ms. Toody Goo Shoes

But I'm partial to my favorite...

Lovely Lilies by Ms. Toody Goo Shoes
Lovely Lilies by Ms. Toody Goo Shoes

The lilies are starting to fade, which means that summer is winding down.

At least I know they'll be back again next June...

...as long as I can keep the deer from devouring them at their annual "all-you-can-eat" buffet in my garden.

Linking With:

 Ms. Toody

38 comments:

  1. They're gorgeous! I had no idea they were "invasive." I wouldn't mind having them take over...much better than weeds taking over!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree, Michelle! I wanted them to take over the property! ;)

      Delete
  2. oh, that peach one just stole my heart! Is it invasive juts like the bright orange ones?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No, Magali, I planted those about three years ago, and they haven't really multiplied that much. It is pretty, isn't it?

      Delete
  3. Those lilies - like you, I see them in vacant lots, in ditches and growing out of gravel, for goodness sake! Like California poppies, that grow out of absolutely nothing.....and won't do more than make a very tepid showing in my garden. What is that all about?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Wonderful post Amy! Nature is always amazing

    Hugs from Jerez

    ReplyDelete
  5. I am so thankful we don't have deer in the suburbs. I think if you move the small "babies" and plant them your patch will begin to multiply. I got my original group from my aunt. I've brought them with me to each house and have spread them around the yard. I love them because they make me think of her and my granny. Invasive? That's an invasion I would welcome.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I will give that a try, Katie. And thanks for the idea of taking them when you move…I would never have thought of that! Not that I have any plans to move anytime soon, but…storing that in my memory bank!

      Delete
  6. Wow those are beautiful photos! I too love the orange lilies. I hope you keep the deer away and they grow even more abundantly! Loved the "feed me Seymour" reference!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Beautiful photos, love lilies!

    Found you via the weekend blog hop :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Jenn, Thanks for coming by. Appreciate that you are "following." Going over to your blog now to return the favor.

      Delete
  8. Those yellow lilies are everywhere here on Cape Cod. Our yard, the neighbors yards, all along the roads. Yours was the first post I picked out of the blogroll because my own post is about lilies too. Email me if you ever get out to the Cape - I'll let you have as many orange lilies as you like!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I saw your lily picture, Frances -- it was stunning! Oh how I would love to take you up on your offer! Thanks!

      Delete
  9. Hi Amy,

    I loved your 'angle' in this post, the way you presented the invasive nature of these most lovely lilies, (gotta say, I'm partial to the pretty peachy ones)! I can't stop staring at pic #6, with the house in the background...is it your house? What idyllic surroundings! Thanks for the chuckle and the charm!

    Poppy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Poppy! Glad you enjoyed…I wish the house in pic 6 was mine -- it's not. It's across the street from the Waterfall House that we rented earlier this summer. I love that from this angle, it looks lost in a field of lilies.

      Delete
  10. I, too am in love with lilies and had no idea the orange ones were so invasive... but, when it comes to lilies or weeds - I'll definitely take the lilies... love your pics - they are beautiful... stopping by from Debbiedoos....

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oh, carry me, to where daylilies bloom .... ;-)
    In my old neighborhood, on the New Continent, there is a meadow where daylilies are given free reign, for decades now, and they have still not overtaken the world.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That made me smile, Merisi! I guess there could be worse things than the world being overtaken by lilies ;)

      Delete
  12. Ahhh I love lilies so much. Beautiful pictures, as always. And - lol - "Little Shop of Horrors". Too funny.
    On behalf of Lisa, Cindy & myself, thanks so much for sharing at our "Best Of The Weekend party"! I have pinned this to our party board and to another big board too.
    Have a great weekend Amy!
    XO

    ReplyDelete
  13. Beautiful Daylilies!! Would love for you to share at Simple & Sweet Fridays! New Follower!

    Jody

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Jody, Thank you for stopping by…I did share at Simple and Sweet Fridays, and I am now following your blog!

      Delete
  14. Your daylilies are beautiful, I love the colors

    ReplyDelete
  15. I love daylilies too, but have had the same problem with those. I received some from my neighbor many years ago. At first, they thrived, but now they aren't reblooming like they once did. Some have died altogether too! I'm like you and wouldn't have a problem with them multiplying like crazy. I'd love to have my entire back yard framed in them! Yours look healthy though. Maybe they're just fickle. LOL! Glad you finally got some in your yard to enjoy.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It makes you wonder why they stopped selling them…at least around here. Thanks for reading!

      Delete
  16. Hi Amy, I think they're gorgeous too, and I just have a few of them, nothing prolific going on over here either, but on a trip up I44 in Missouri last month they were EVERYWHERE and growing beside the Highway for Pete Sake!! Anyone with a Neverful LV tote is a gal after my heart!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Debra! I would have been so tempted to pull over and dig some out! Glad you appreciate my LV reference! Thanks for stopping by!

      Delete
  17. I love flowers. I dream of our yard overrun with wild flowers. Alas I have a brown thumb. Or maybe not patience. And if it doesn't talk to me, I forget to feed it!

    ReplyDelete
  18. My MIL always referred to them as 'ditch lilies' and they do seem to mulitiply like crazy in ditches and on the side of the road! They must thrive on benign neglect and poor soil :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ah, Mary, finally some concrete advice! I'm going to try neglecting them! Thank you - I think it just might work!

      Delete
  19. Oh, my Dear! If you were here in Georgia you'd find them EVERYWHERE! We often see clumps in the ditch alongside the roadways - I always tell Dearest, 'there's more Daylilies in the ditch'! Yes! You should have taken as much as your heart wanted - the photos are gorgeous! I am delighted that you shared with Home and Garden Thursday,
    Kathy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Next time I go to Georgia, I'm bringing a shovel ;) Thanks for hosting H & G Thursday!

      Delete

PRIVACY POLICY: I will never share your email information with others. I use your email to respond to your comments on my blog, or to interact socially with you.