Goals

I always knew that my goals needed to include more than just 'pretty faces', however, the more I think about it and the more I talk to other people about it, the importance of plant habit and maintenance needs to be a priority in my mind.

Think of peonies, or some other treasured old perennial. How much work do they need to keep them going? To keep them flowering? To keep them looking nice? In my garden, not much! They seem to be able to look after themselves. The same goes for my species daylilies - I planted them (or someone long ago planted them in my garden) and for the most part, they are left to get on with looking pretty and producing the right effect in the garden at the right time. This is what I need to have in my seedlings. I want to produce plants that, if the garden were abandoned for years, these plants would be found still happily flowering each summer. Can this kind of vigour be reclaimed from the species daylilies?

I'm betting that it can.

Wilson Spider x Thorhalla

Sometimes, life if just too tempting. As if I didn't already have more seed than I can possibly hope to raise myself next year, I have succumbed to the temptation to add genes to my gene pool for plants that I don't yet grow here. Thus, I have bought the following seed: (Thanks, Rebecca! I will say, my consolation - or the way that I justify this to myself - is that Ned advised me to focus on seed as opposed to trying to import so many plants...)

So, the crosses:
Wilson Spider x Thorhalla
















I'll ask Rebecca shortly if I can knick her photos showing the crosses....
EDIT: Of course, she said yes, 'cause she's sweet like that! So, thanks to Rebecca, we have visual!

Wilson Spider x Gudrid

Wilson Spider x Gudrid (and the reverse cross)

Lee Reinke x Frozen Mert

Lee Reinke x Frozen Mert

Eggplant Ecstasy x Frozen Mert

Eggplant Ecstasy x Frozen Mert

Frozen Mert x Heavenly Angel Ice

Frozen Mert x Heavenly Angel Ice

Emerald Eye x Black Arrowhead

Emerald Eye x Black Arrowhead

Some thoughts on next year

Some of my thinking so far about crosses I would like to make next year:

• use some more of the Lamberts I have (different from this past year)
  

• Blue Diana
• Cote d'Azure
• Cerulean Star
• Isolde
• Phenomenal Sapphire

• work with more of some of Ned Roberts lines

• Talon
• Orchid Moonrise
• Lavender Handlebars (thank you Diane!)
• Green Warrior (again, thank you Diane!)
  
• Burgundy Crab

• others to work in
• Android
• Fol de Rol
• How's the Weather Up There
• Tomorrow's Song

I will do less crosses than I did this year to keep the seedlings to a manageable number! I should also begin to see first flowers on my first seedlings, so I can hopefully start the process of selection next year as well!

Last seed pod collected

I collected my last seed pod today - from 'Peacock Maiden'. I still have the last few pods that I had collected to dry, sort, and store until I'm ready to start germinations. The crosses that I am looking forward to seeing are:

Prague Spring x Talon










H. citrina x Unidentified Flying Object










H. citrina x Concorde Nelson










H. citrina x Laura Lambert











H citrina x Trahlyta











H. citrina x Lemon Meringue Twist










Asterisk x Talon










Concorde Nelson x Talon










Dancing Summerbird x Purple Many Faces










Cerulean Star x Harbor Blue










Peacock Maiden x Android










Jocelyn's Oddity x Purple Many Faces
(No photo Available)

Eggplant Escapade x Harbor Blue










I will start the germination process by soaking these in water sometime in February or March. All ready to plant out as soon as the danger of frost is past. Once the first batch is planted and growing, I'll start on a second batch (this will be the H. citrina crosses). I can probably do 6 or 7 batches before it gets too late in the year to allow the seedlings to get a relatively full growing season. Next year, I probably won't make as many crosses - I will focus more on particular crosses. What are they? I have all winter to find out!