This past week we had a couple days in the 70's, just warm enough to let a rebloom scape or a first scape come into bloom. I had planted a single fan of Florence Denny I had won on the lily auction in spring, and due to the warm weather it has increased rather nicely. Enough to throw up it's first scape. For those of you who don't know, Florence Denny was introduced by Dan Trimmer in 2011. The thing that will catch your attention about Florence Denny is it's awesome size, sometimes getting up to 9" across. You can see the bloom I have photographed has some nice angel wings and ruffles. Too late to use this year, but I am anxious to cross with it next year. I've heard it is a good breeder from several sources. Florence Denny is featured at the top of the page with both photographs.
I am still gathering seed even though it is nearing the end of the season. I thought this year was going to be a down year for seed due to the drought, but I look behind me at the drawers I keep my seeds collected in, and I've filled 3 drawers. Probably 2.5 to be more exact. Sometimes when I make a cross I only make a couple of seed, but if I really love a certain cross I'll hammer it on every bloom. Take a look at the bottom two photos. One is of seed pods I collected from a Steve Moldovan daylily called Mahdi. Steve Moldovan and Roy Woodhall always praised Mahdi as being a grand parent. You'll notice all the tags have the initials "C.F." That stands for Crowning Fire which was introduced by Guy Pierce for Pat Stamile this year. I was really blown away by Crowning Fire and was always told by Steve and Roy to take red tets. into Mahdi, which was purple. I've seen some of the kids from those crosses and thought taking Crowning Fire into it made sense. Below the seed pods, you can see an envelope I am holding that has easily a hundred seed from a cross of Crowning Fire on Curt Hanson's Up on the roof. If you don't grow either of these daylilies I encourage you to get them. Excellent daylilies from outstanding hybridizers. Once again you can see I loved the cross involving Crowning Fire on Up on the roof. Every pod except two were from that very cross. I will be excited to see the results of these crosses. Anyway, it's a rainy, dreary cold day here in Northeast Ohio. Hope you folks have better weather where you are.
