Saturday, July 16, 2011

Beauty for a Day


My daylilies are in full bloom!
So, I've been enjoying their exuberant color and bold form.
My husband asked me, "Do they really only last a day?" which
prompted me to look up some daylily facts.
Did you know?

* Daylilies are part of the genus Hemerocallis, which is a Greek word (hemera)
meaning day and kallos (beauty).  That's where we get "beauty for a day".
* There are over 35,000 named and registered daylilies.
* The flowers do only last for a day, but mature plants may carry between 10-40 stems,
with numerous buds per stem.
* Many parts of the daylily are edible - flower buds can be fried or used in soups,
eat the roots as a vegetable - they have an asparagus-like taste,
and flower segments (take light colored segments) give a bitter sweet taste to salads.
sources: a1daylilies.com and about-garden.com

Budding beauty...





Delightful details...




and
 Form without color...



Posted:

35 comments:

  1. Exquisitely beautiful detail. Perfect summer images!!

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  2. Stunning photos! My daylilies are also in full bloom! Stop by and see the photos of mine. I only have about a dozen varieties. I only wish I could bring a bouquet in and enjoy them for longer than a day! I am now a new follower! I found you at Cottage Flora Thursday.

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  3. Beautiful shots of the daylilies! I look forward to seeing them bloom every year. The colours are scrumptious.

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  4. My dream is to someday have a garden full of lilies. I'm on my way there but still have a long road ahead. I didn't know any of the info you shared about them. How very interesting.

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  5. Amazing colors and angles in your pictures from the lilies. Great !

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  6. You have caught some of their mystery well.

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  7. I believe the daylilies are blooming all over the US right now. So beautiful. Love your macros. :)

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  8. These are fantastic, Anna! And also so interesting to read the information - thanks so much for sharing!

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  9. Anna you are most definitely getting to grips with your macro lens. The first shot is lovely, soft focus and colors, but the fifth shot is just wonderful, such clarity of detail. Beautiful.

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  10. Oh my goodness, these are all such beautiful photographs!
    Amazing color and wonderful softness.
    Thank you for sharing info about them. I never knew they were edible!! Have to give that a try (I think!)
    xo.

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  11. Love your photographs and interesting facts about the daylily. Even though edible, I could never bring myself to eat one! Same with nasturtiums--I just can't munch on a flower!

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  12. beautiful photos and fun facts! great post.

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  13. Just stunning pictures and the color of your lilies is my favorite, burning orangered:)

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  14. Thanks for linking up to Cottage Flora Thursday's Garden Party this week! Heavenly photo's! xoxo, tracie

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  15. Superb focus in these images!

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  16. Gorgeous! You rocked those photos!

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  17. i love daylillies....and used to have hundreds of them when we lived in indiana.

    but tiger lillies, really take my breath away. but holy crap are they ever messy when you cut them and bring them inside :(

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  18. Amazing! Lovced the facts too.

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  19. someone is really enjoying her new lens... beautiful Anna..happy weekendto you

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  20. Amazing photos....those macros are stunning. Great facts too , thank you.

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  21. This is THE perfect post...stunning photos and interesting info. I'm a follower!
    Rosie

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  22. oh..Anna!Stunning shots! Like always there aren't correct words for explain how them are beautiful!
    Have a great WE!
    Ciao Monica

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  23. Beautiful color and great angle of the day lilies. I tried taking day lily photos but mine did not turn out like this.

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  24. Those details are very delightful. I love the scent and look of lilies but almost all lilies are toxic to cats so I don't have any (lilies, I have a lot of cats).

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  25. Beautiful photos! My day lilies are blooming like mad right now but I only have one color, I need to add more.

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  26. I love day lilies and yours are gorgeous!

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  27. Fantastic shots of buds and pollens, Anna.

    Btw congrats! Your caption has been selected again!

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  28. I really do love the way you captured these.. their softness overflows.. beautifully done..

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  29. I am in awe of your photos , Anna.

    and I sort of have a love/hate relationship with these flowers.
    on the one hand, the actual blooms are beautiful, in a tropical kind of way depending on colour...
    I worked at a garden centre and just got tired of them. Sorry :).

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