Blooms, April 29, 2012

Blooms in the greenhouse, April 29, 2012

Left click on image for a larger picture.

The reds just keep coming. If you are tired of seeing reds, just let me know and I will quit posting them. These are 9-month seedlings, seeds planted last September, then transplanted to trade 1-gallon pots in October. My hybridizing concentration last year was on reds. I used three or four named varieties quite heavily along with some of my own seedlings, the results of which you are seeing. 

Seedling No. 2046 [Seedling X (Mandalay Bay Music X Wonders Never Cease)]. Just thought I would start you out with a non red.

Seedling No. 2036 (Rockets Bursting in Air X Barbara Mandrell). Another from the borrowed H. 'Barbara Mandrell' blossom in 2011 from Bill Waldrop. I now have my own cultivar.

Seedling No. 2048 (Cherries Jubilee X Home of the Free). Another from Melanie Mason's H. 'Cherries Jubilee'. These may not be the most fancy of reds, but they are special in their own right. Smooth with lots of substance, and hopefully, dormancy.

Seedling No. 2049 [(Awesome Bob X Christmas Greetings) X Barbara Mandrell]. Saturated red color, great substance and that orange halo to set off the green throat.

Seedling No. 2050 [Rockets Bursting in Air X (Camelot Red X Doug's Caress)]. My 2011 seedling, No. 1004 (Camelot Red X Doug's Caress) has been producing some nice kids for me.

Seedling No. 2052 [Cimarron Rose X (Camelot Red X Doug's Caress)]. Another kid from Seedling No. 1004.

Seedling No. 2053 [Cimarron Rose X (Camelot Red X Doug's Caress)]. Another kid from seedling No. 1004.

Seedling No. 2055 (Home of the Free X Doug's Caress).

Seedling No. 2054 [Cimarron Rose X (Camelot Red X Doug's Caress). I have been trying to figure out what happened to the petal edges. At first I thought maybe the bud got damaged before opening but then it appears that the damage would have been folded inside. Strange that it is the same on all three petals.

Do you remember on the last blog where I showed a picture of H. 'Bluegrass Memories' by Ted Preuss, and I made the comment that I had used it a lot but had gotten nothing better than the parent? Well, open your mouth and this happens:

 

When I walked into the greenhouse this morning and saw this, I stopped in my tracks. It is Seedling No. 2051 (Desire of Nations X Bluegrass Memories). It is a little larger than the parent and the color is better. The neon blue eye is larger and more dramatic and the same color carries over to the petal edges. And, last but not least, the throat is more green than the parent. This was classified a WOWSER by me this morning.

I am trying to quit hybridizing in the greenhouse, but when you walk in and see all of the beautiful blossoms, visions of cherry plumbs begin dancing in my head and I just can't help myself.

Life is very, very good.

Lee