I began hybridizing in 1992. To date I have registered eighty daylilies. It was in 1994-95 that I began pursuing breeding goals that would result in orchid-like daylilies. It has been my desire to create hardy "orchids" for more northerly climes and plants that will open well in cooler maritime climates like the Pacific Northwest, Britain/Europe as well as Canada. Developed in the climatically volatile Midwest, (USDA zone 5) these daylilies display unique form as well a gardenability unusual in many of today's introductions. Since 1995, I have been selecting for balanced plant habit first -- destroying plants with poor foliage or root systems before I see them bloom. With my focus on using plants from nocturnal bloodlines, and/or nocturnal species, fragrance has become pronounced in my lines as well as nocturnal/extended blooming habit. Species plants have also lent incredible vigor, buds and branching to my lines as well as extending our bloom season from April 25 until hard frost!
In 2004/2005 I moved my breeding program to a new site. I have been working with about three and a half acres of seedlings -- virtually all from Unusual Forms and Spider bloodlines. From these I have selected the best for my purposes to register or move as breeding stock. I began breeding for Unusual Forms before it was even a recognized classification and we have THOUSANDS of cutting edge seedlings in the field. In the fall of 2001 I lined out nearly ninety potential registrations for increase and further evaluation. These plants represent some of the best of those plants. They have survived, at least, 5 culling processes:
1. Plants with poor root systems were destroyed right out of
the seedling pots.
2. 2 year old plants with disease/insect-winter damage prone
foliage were destroyed BEFORE they bloomed.
3. Selections were made based on blooms, buds and branching,
overall garden appeal in my garden (only 2
hours of direct sun.) These plants were lined out in full
sun
and evaluated for ability to re-establish and to be sunfast.
4. Plants were evaluated again for healthy foliage (in the
ABSENCE
of insecticides, miticides, fungicides etc.), excellent buds and
branching
and unique flowers. Plants displaying summer dormancy are
discarded.
5. The best were selected to register, and here they are listed
below:
All are DIPLOID except the last entry: ROZAVELLIAN KRAKEN
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