Beginner crosses

As this is my first year really hybridising, my plan has been to make crosses that I think other people aren't making, and to use plants that I think other people aren't using. From this, I hope that I can get things that are different to most other hybridisers and I can then work from there. I think that my first few years of hybridising are actually going to follow this plan. Only after I've gained experience at 'what produces what' will I then start work on refining traits in the seedlings that I like. As it will take me 2-3 years to see the results of this year's crosses, that doesn't seem like a bad plan.

I've got lots of pods ripening at the moment. When I harvest them, I'll post a list of the successful crosses.

So to get things started

To kickstart my hybridising this year, I purchased seed. This allowed me to get genetic material that otherwise isn't readily available to me and use it in future hybridising. The credit goes to Ellen Laprise for selecting these crosses to make:

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Talon x Margo Reed Indeed

TALON (Roberts 1997) 25" EM 6.5" DIP Sev Unf
X
MARGO REED INDEED (Murphy, 2004) 28" MLaRe 7.5" DIP Sev Unf
(AFTER AWHILE CROCODILE X LOCH NESS MONSTER)








Photo: Julie Covington




Anybody's guess. Will it cascade? Will it be spatulate? Whatever it is, it will be interesting. TALON seems to always have interesting kids, and MRI is a very pretty form.

Starman's Quest x Margo Reed Indeed

STARMAN'S QUEST (Burkey 1989) 40" M 7" DIP Dor Unf
(TRAHLYTA X PERSIAN PATTERN)
X
MARGO REED INDEED (Murphy, 2004) 28" MLaRe 7.5" DIP Sev Unf
(AFTER AWHILE CROCODILE X LOCH NESS MONSTER)










Photo: Linda Michaels










Photo: Julie Covington



Again, the classic 'Trahlyta' pattern, this time on a cascade that really curls under. Also should get the interesting change of colour throughout the day that Trahlyta tends to pass on.

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Nuit D'Amour x Margo Reed Indeed

NUIT D'AMOUR (Lambert 1990) 30" Mla 6" DIP Dor Unf
X
MARGO REED INDEED (Murphy, 2004) 28" MLaRe 7.5" DIP Sev Unf
(AFTER AWHILE CROCODILE X LOCH NESS MONSTER)












Photo: Julie Covington


Rich purple, or lavender cascades.

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Prague Spring x Margo Reed Indeed

PRAGUE SPRING (Lambert 1985) 30" M 7" DIP Dor Unf
(PATRICIA WHEELER x CERULEAN STAR)
X
MARGO REED INDEED (Murphy, 2004) 28" MLaRe 7.5" DIP Sev Unf
(AFTER AWHILE CROCODILE X LOCH NESS MONSTER)






















Photo: Julie Covington


Nice delicately coloured very open flowers - like a butterfly.

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Grey Witch x Rosemary Whitacre

GREY WITCH (Reed 1999) 30" EM 6" DIP Dor Spd
(TRAHLYTA x Unknown)
X
ROSEMARY WHITACRE (Roberts 1999) 50" Mre 9.5" DIP Sev Fra Unf
(ROSY LIGHTS x LAVENDER HANDLEBARS)










Photo: Julie Covington










Photo: Deborah Tracy-Kral


Medium sized thin unusual forms or spiders, with the classic 'Trahlyta' patterns. Again, sure do hope that the quilling from RW comes through.

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Mad Max x Rosemary Whitacre

MAD MAX (Wilson and Schott 1989) 46" M 7" DIP Dor Unf
X
ROSEMARY WHITACRE (Roberts 1999) 50" Mre 9.5" DIP Sev Fra Unf
(ROSY LIGHTS x LAVENDER HANDLEBARS)










Photo: Deborah Tracy-Kral


Nice tall babies! Richly coloured, large thin unusual forms (may even get a spider, who knows). Hope that the quilling from RW comes through.

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Talon x Tomorrow's Song

TALON (Roberts 1997) 25" EM 6.5" DIP Sev Unf
X
TOMORROW'S SONG (Reinke 1998) 32" M 9" DIP Dor Fra Spd
(MORNING BREAKING X LAURENA)










Image: Linda Michaels




Talon tends to give up its colour, so these will probably be coloured like TS. Hopefully get some spiders and unusual forms with TS contributing thinness and TALON contributing movement.

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Beautiful Edgings x Tomorrow's Song

BEAUTIFUL EDGINGS (Copenhaver, 1989) 30" Mre 7" DIP Sev Fra
(BEST OF FRIENDS X SDLG)
X
TOMORROW'S SONG (Reinke 1998) 32" M 9" DIP Dor Fra Spd
(MORNING BREAKING X LAURENA)











Image: Ellen Laprise













Image: Linda Michaels



From this I hope to get unusual forms with pretty delicate colourings, on a medium sized plant, and hopefully they will be fragrant as well.

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Just starting out...

I am just starting out hybridising daylilies. As a complete beginner, I have been collecting bits of information where ever I could find them. Hopefully, as the years go by, I'll be able to record my own observations as well.

In the mean time, I wanted to put my thoughts and ideas in one place - and this is it!