Hot out of the microwave! One of Dan's new Courage to Change seedlings.
I met Dan Robarts at Steve Moldovan and Roy Woodhall's gardens back in 2007. Dan was at grad school at OSU and was helping Steve and Roy by guesting some seedlings in the OSU greenhouse for increase. Dan and I share some of the same goals in daylily hybridizing, so I always enjoyed seeing him either at Moldovans or Curt Hanson's place. For those of you who don't know Dan here is a little background information.
Dan was born in 1980 in St. Johnsbury, Vermont. He then grew up in Lancaster, New Hampshire. From 1996 until 2000 Dan had a landscape/nursery job in high school where his interest in horticulture, plant propagation, and daylilies began to grow. From 2000 till 2004 he went to Bates college in Lewiston, Maine. From college he worked a few years at Boston University where he met Bill Chambers and Carl Harmon. That's where the Ohio connection started where they would travel each summer to work at Moldovan gardens. Dan then went to Ohio State from 2006 till 2012 to go to grad school. In our most recent correspondence, Dan says that Steve Moldovan's true passion was for patterned daylilies, and Dan has made it his mission to continue his lines from his more recently released intros, most specifically Vertical Horizon, which was introduced by Steve in 2006. While Dan was in grad school at Ohio State he worked in the greenhouse making 15000 seeds from 2006-2012. From that he selected 500-1000 seedlings. After graduating Dan and his wife moved to Arlington, Massachussets for 2 years, then moved to Brunswick, Maine this past spring, 2015. His daylilies are in containers in his yard currently. In 2015 Dan made 175 crosses and 1500 seeds. Dan said he has 350 plants in containers he is crossing with. Of those 75% are seedlings. Dan introduced his first daylily this year called, Unexpected Extra, which you can purchase through Mike Derrow or Melanie Mason. It is an orange double with awesome plant habit. It is currently for sale for $80
Dan is now working for the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens as the plant breeder and propagator. You can view Coastal Maine Botanical Garden's website at Mainegardens.org.
Pictured left to right, Curt Hanson, Dan Robarts, Marty Pitkonin, and Roy Woodhall.
DISCLAIMER ABOUT ALL OF DAN ROBART'S SEEDLING PHOTOS: ALL DAN'S PHOTOS ARE COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL AND REPRODUCTION WITHOUT WRITTEN CONSENT IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED. (To Contact Dan directly you can email him at dwhr@hotmail.com.)
Dan Robarts and his twin sons.
Dan's seedlings at the OSU greenhouse.
1st introduction: Unexpected Extra (Robarts 2016)
Robarts seedling out of Aztec Headdress he let me guest. (Fitred seedling)
Robarts Ron Valente seedling.
Robarts Steve Moldovan seedling.
Robarts All things to All Men seedling
Robarts Vertical Horizon seedling.
Robarts Vertical Horizon seedling.
Robarts Vertical Horizon seedling.
Robarts Reach for the Sky Seedling.
Robarts Nick of Time seedling.
Robarts Courage to Change seedling.
Dan's backyard with containers.
350 containers.
I look forward to seeing more of Dan's introductions in the future. I am really impressed with how quickly Dan has hybridized some amazing daylily introductions, and I'm sure he is just getting started. Looking forward to many years of seeing what Dan can create! Hope you enjoyed his seedlings.
