Gotta Garden

Friday, February 20, 2009

08 Seedlings...Making Choices

I need flower pictures. I could work on some of the gardens I have yet to post about, but my mind this morning is on my seedlings. Probably seeing the new seedlings sprout around me here as I type renews my anticipation. Which of these that are now just rising up out of the Pro Mix will be winners...year after next?

I made 90-some folders for blooming seedlings last year. They won't all make the cut...for various reasons. Today's offerings are based only on the photos...a very one-sided judgment. I will, of course, be watching all the others, but for today...I am greatly anticipating the return of these:

















They'll begin to get closer scrutiny this bloom season, looking for some of those other factors...like plant habit, branching, number of buds, height, etc. It's a multi-year process. People select daylilies for many reasons, but with my limited space...I'll have to be extra-choosy.

6 comments:

Shady Gardener said...

Be Still My Beating Heart! Those are ALL beautiful blossoms!! Now, I am new to your site, but do you raise daylilies from seed? If so, I'm very impressed!

I think it was #8 I gave my daughter about 3 years ago. Actually, I'd purchased two plants; one for her and one for me... but ended up sharing them both. (Wish I'd have kept one!) ;-)

Gotta Garden said...

Hi Shady Gardener: You have caught me on...lol...First, you flatter me...thanks.

These are all my seedlings (just some of my seedlings). Daylilies do not come true from seeds and each seedling is genetically unique. They are great fun to hybridize and play with...wonderful plants for the backyard gardener to explore.

This is my fourth year raising seedlings (daylilies). I make some of my own crosses and buy others. It's the greatest thing to race out in the morning to see a new seedling bloom...knowing that no one else has ever seen it!

Even though I still add to my collection of registered daylilies (by other people), it is somewhat reduced...due to my lack of space...but also because no matter how wonderful (and they are) someone else's daylilies may be...nothing, nothing beats anticipating and watching my own open!

Take care now.

Kerri said...

They're all so beautiful! I can't wait to see mine again...and add some new ones :)
I can imagine how much fun it is to see what delights each new seedling will bring you.

Sheila said...

They are all beautiful! What a tough choice!

Sue Ellen said...

Your seedlings are beautiful. We have about 250 cultivars but have not tried our hand at making any crosses. How exciting it must be to see them bloom for the first time. Choosing from ones as lovely as the ones you have shown here would be almost impossible for me.

Anonymous said...

These are very beautiful samples.

It is unique how you grow the flowers to take pictures of them.

That is a twofold hobby.

What a connection you must have with your subjects.

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