Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Belle Parisienne


She has that look--that certain "je ne sais quoi" that sets her apart. Is it her dress, her way of walking, or that air that says "I'm special?" She's admired by both men and women. They nod to each other and whisper, "C'est une Parisienne." 

The huge deep rose flower with a ruffled edge in white gold is set off with a salmon watermark and yellow-green sunburst throat. The round flowers are very flat with overlapped petals. Lightly fragrant. 

Belle Parisienne has two-way branching and 12-14 buds. Despite the modest budcount, she is a very long bloomer, starting mid-June with last flower open August 21 (2013). A possible bud-builder?

A big plant, but not a fast increaser. Very fertile both ways. 
09-B-1 Shores of Time x America the Beautiful
Flower 6" x 3 ½" x 2 "
Height 38"
Sev.
Early-late
Fragrant

Introduced at $125 SF









Thine Be the Glory



Does any new flower of mine ever look exactly as I pictured it in my mind's eye? Probably not. When I made this cross of a cream and a near-white parent, I'm sure I was hoping for a pure white flower. 

But no hybridizer--even the most experienced and gifted (if only that were I!)--can control the chromosomes that combine to create the seed, and the genes that control flower color and form. For that, we must depend upon a Higher Power.

How many seedlings produce faulty flowers that don't begin to rival their famous parents? Then once in a blue moon, the stars align,  a new flower opens--and the gardener gasps. But does he dare claim the credit? For this flower, only this name would do.

The flower is a luscious apricot cream with a darker edge and deeply incised ruffling all the way around the petals and into the olive throat. Sometimes the ruffles gather into little tufts or "owl ears" (as in the top photo). Occasionally polys. 

Thine Be the Glory has 3-4 way branching and a budcount of 18. Flowers are very big and very consistentBlooms for a month, then reblooms. In 2013, rebloom started 7/31 and continued until 8/18.

This frilly confection is no tender evergreen, but a hard dormant, and a reliable performer in my Region 6 garden. Pod and pollen fertile. Sweetly fragrant. Very limited.

Great White x (Portofino x unknown)  10-G-3
Flower 6"
Height 30"
Dormant
Midseason-Mid-late
Fragrant
Reblooms

Introduced at $125 SF



El Trovador


Through the deep darkness of the Spanish night, the strains of a guitar are heard, and then the voice of the troubadour singing to his lady.

This saturated burgundy flower with the thick velvet pile has a a gold throat that sends flares up the raise midrib. Unusual “peeled” watermark eye with pink-red striations. 

A big plant and a strong grower. Three-way branching and a budcount of 12-16. Very ruffled. Rebloomed in 2020, though not so registered.

(Prince of Venice x Abba) x (Prince of Venice x Big Blue) 07-Q-4
Flower 6"
Height 30"
Midseason
Sev.

Introduced at $95 


Midsummer Marriage


As the faeries dance on Midsummer Day, the bride enters in her ivory gown trimmed with lace, glimmering with gold reflections from the sunshine.

The flower is ivory-lemon with a gold sunburst throat, very ruffled and recurved. Sometimes the ruffles show tentacles (as in the photo right).  The well-formed flowers have good substance. 

The flower was shaded for the photo above, where there are glints of polychrome. The photo below was taken in full sun, where the ivory-lemon color is seen.

A tall plant, top-branched, presenting a bouquet effect. The flowers open in the evening, and so are always open flat in the morning. Very fragrant. Two- to three-way branching, budcount 10-13. Admired by Dave Whalen. Rebloomed in 2020, though not so registered.

(Court Magician x Big Blue)  x Southern Wind   07-B-2 
Flower 6 x 3 ¼ x 2 ¼
Height 38"
Midseason
Nocturnal, Extended, Very Fragrant
Sev.

Introduced at $95






Tangerine Machine


It's the color. No, it's the budcount. Well, it's both. Watch out, here comes Tangerine Machine.

This big brawny plant was nicknamed "Big Fan Dor" because of the huge emerging ramets in spring. Fulfills its promise with heavy scapes with 3-way branching, carrying 25-30 buds. 

The color is a rich burnt orange, flushed red, with a gold midrib and gold throat and tiny olive heart. Wide segments fold back gently. Thick creped substance. Tangerine Machine begins first week of July.

Dick Bennett's Genesee Fire is a strong dormant plant with intense orange-red flowers. David Kirchhoff's Marilyn Siwik is light orange with red eye and evergreen habit. This is my third introduction from this cross, following last year's Finger Lakes Charlie Z. and 2014's Castilian Gold.

Beautiful dormant foliage was admired by Di DeCaire. Strong grower, fast increaser, proliferates. What more could you ask for?


(Genesee Fire x Marilyn Siwik)  01-B-1

Flower 6” x 3” x 1 ¾”.
Height 36"
Dormant 
Midseason

Introduced at $95