2016 TETRAPLOID INTRODUCTION

*FRUITFUL DISCOVERY (seedlingT10-40) 6" SEV 39" EM (MITCH LYND X LARRY LIKES IT)  We are pleased to be able to add this nicely toothed cultivar to the mix of this very popular type. The height is a needed characteristic in the genre. The basic color is a very rich and pleasing red purple with an abundance of white and yellow teeth. The color holds well in the sun and gives a very satisfying appearance in the garden. The foliage is exceptionally clean and a rich green which maintains its freshness throughout the season and well into the fall. Fertile both ways                                                                                                                                                                        DOUBLE  $30

2016 DIPLOID INTRODUCTIONS

CONTRARY CANARY ( seedling14-2) 7 1/2" DOR 34" E RE (HEAVENLY GHOST RIDER X ASHWOOD WRAY OF SUNSHINE)  A seedling that is this far out of my normal range for selection must be special to reach introduction. It is the vigor of the plant that merited our attention as much as anything. From being lined out in August of 2014 it started blooming on well branched and budded scapes two weeks before anything else in the gardens. Never missing a day, it was still blooming a month after the rest of the cultivars had shut down. As I have been breeding for decades for long bloom and rebloom, that is saying something! The canary yellow blossoms sport a distinctly green cast showing the ASHWOOD WRAY OF SUNSHINE heritage. The image on the right was from mid August after having started blooming before mid June. If you look closely you can see that there is much more bloom to come at that point. We counted buds in the range of 40 on the original scapes and an average of 23 on rebloom. This is at the same time that the plant is increasing well and showing no signs of stress. We do not breed for this form so we do not know what should come of this plant in that regard. However, from 30 years of breeding daylilies I am confident to say that this intro will likely be a good tool to put many great plant habits into the unusual form class. We are pricing this one at a bargain level simply because it is outside of our normal range of concentration. Fertile.             DOUBLE $35                   

INSIDE LOOKING OUT (seedling 11-30) 6 1/2" DOR 28" M (SHARON'S DELIGHT X IDA MAE NORRIS) We spotted this one  from a distance a few years ago and saw a the whitest throat we have ever seen. Contrasting with the very clear purple of the petals, it is a very startling look. The camera sees the blossom differently, picking much more green in the throat and red coloration. In the garden the colors are purple with a large whitish throat and that is what counts, not the camera. Newly transplanted the bud count was 15 but with bloom spread over a long time. The plant is fertile both ways but with the pollen better than the pod set. There is a distinct progression in this line toward whiter and whiter throats, with this one showing much more distinct white coloration than the parent, SHARON'S DELIGHT                                                                                                                                                                                                                DOUBLE $30 

OUR NEW KERMITMENT  (seedling 11-36) 6" DOR 25" M (SHARON'S DELIGHT X SECRET ARSENAL) Ten years ago when we introduced KERMIT'S SCREAM we hoped to see an improvement on that unique plant. In OUR NEW KERMITMENT we have that and so much more. A vigorous plant that rivals most any we have introduced, it is further enhanced by a much clearer, cleaner shade of red as the images above show. The giant 5" green throat has the same garden impact as KERMIT'S SCREAM but so much more of what we all want to see in a daylily. The bud count is in the 20- 25 bud range on four branches. We consider this cultivar to be our premium introduction for garden value as well as for exciting potential as a breeder. The demand for this one has already been high preceding even the registration. It may sell out fast.                                                                                                                                                                    limited DOUBLE $100

STARE CASE  (seedling 11-31) 6 1/2" DOR 32" M (SHARON'S DELIGHT X IDA MAE NORRIS)  Most of what would be visible on this wonder would be the giant green throat if it were not for the fact the bloom lies so very flat. This is the flower form that we have dreamed of. It is fantastic to have this flower on such a fine plant. That flatness is consistent in the way that we could only hope for. With bud counts in the 30"s, although conservatively registered as 30, the explosion of flowers on STARE CASE is a wonder to behold. We have not grown it in ideal conditions as yet but being a bud builder we may even see a greater performance when pampered a bit. The dormant foliage is a wonderful clean green. The basic petal color is a light lavender with pink overtones. The image on the right will give you an inkling of what the impact of STARE CASE is in the garden. We see the flower form of one parent, IDA MAE NORRIS enhanced by the color of the other parent, SHARON'S DELIGHT, the perfect storm of synergy in our program. It is not a stretch to describe STARE CASE as IDA MAE NORRIS with a deeper coloration and a more impactful presence. Fertile both ways.                                                                                                                                                                  DOUBLE $75 

SUBSTANTIAL TREASURE (seedling 11-37) 7 1/2" DOR 31" EM (EVIDENCE OF ROYALTY X MARTHA EDSON NORRIS) This introduction which ranges from 9 1/2" in diameter down to 8" when  the season progresses. It is the finest face we have seen whether our introduction or any other. The flower is so large and so imposing in the garden that it simply demands you look. We have looked to this plant as the doorway to our goal of a hibiscus formed flower in the 10" to 12" range. It is simply so close that we can't go by it without spending time just looking. Oh so sadly, it is entirely infertile both ways. If it were fertile the price would be in the 500 dollar range. It is that far forward in our program. However the infertility makes us price it at a much lower level. Gardeners and collectors all over will enjoy it as a paragon in the garden. Nothing else comes close. We hope to bloom others which will eclipse it but that has not happened yet. For the time being, we will just continue to enjoy the plant and trust that you will too. The color is a lighter red purple. The image on the left is more representative of the color. The color changes to an antique rose as the day progresses. The plants are strong, clean and vigorous. Our bud count of 18 does not reflect the presence of three unfulfilled bracts that may give more buds and branching under good cultivation. We have only grown SUBSTANTIAL TREASURE under mediocre cultivation so can only suspect what it will do when pampered a bit.                                                                                                                                                                                                                              DOUBLE $35

2016 DIPLOID DUAL INTRODUCTION

For several years we have treasured the gift of seeds from our good friend, Dan Robarts. Dan was finishing up his Doctoral degree in horticulture at Ohio State University and hybridized in their extensive greenhouse there. He had no place to plant the seeds but he was driven to pursue his passion for the art of hybridization. When Dan had seeds that involved one parent from our lines he generously gave the seeds to us to grow and select. He now holds a position of responsibility at the Costal Maine Botanical Gardens, Boothbay, Maine as a staff horticulturalist. I believe Dan was similarly generous with a variety of hybridizers in sharing the seeds he produced. I expect you will be seeing other co-introductions from other hybridizers in the coming years. Dan has a very special talent in hybridization and I will guarantee you that there will be very soon a number of quality introductions from Dan coming from a variety of quarters. This is a young man to watch as he is set to make an exceptional impact on the daylily world.  

BRYAN'S SONG (Robarts/Norris)  (seedling 12-14) 7" DOR 43" M (ONLY IN DREAMS X IDA MAE NORRIS) Three visiting hybridizers zeroed in on this one in the seedling patches. Mike Derrow and Dan Robarts (though not realizing it was his work) raved and "suggested" that I needed to pay real attention to it. In 2013 Bryan Culver of Ontario saw it lined out and offered $500 for a single fan. We have given Bryan the nod, honoring his enthusiasm. The flower is the clearest of lavender on a excellent scape with 4-5 branches and 27 buds. It is fertile both ways, giving exciting kids. Foliage is deep green and exceptionally clean all season. While we do not breed for lavenders very much, the little we have done in this direction reveals the likelihood this intro will be of great value to ones who are seeking progress in this color range. The beautiful lavender contrasting with the green of the rather large throat creates a striking presence.                                                                                                                                             DOUBLE  $60

2015 TETRAPLOID INTRODUCTIONS

*CALL OFF THE SEARCH  (sdlg T09-100 5” DOR 29” EM  RE (MARY’S BABY seedling x seedling) Very striking bicolor, so eye catching that we had to introduce it despite the fact that we do not purposefully breed for bicolors. The deep red petals are a startling contrast to the sepals which are pink with a hint of reddishness. This has been one of the most commented upon seedlings in the garden and even more so when we give club presentations. The three branches and 21 buds plus rebloom all work together to provide a plentiful bloom season. We have not explored the breeding as this is not our area of concentration. COTS should be a valuable cultivar for those who are breeding for bitones and bicolors. CALL OFF THE SEARCH is vigorous and fertile both ways.                                                                             DOUBLE    $35

*OVERNIGHT FLIGHT  (sdlg T10-8) 4 ½” DOR 30” E RE (out of two CLARIFICATION great grandbabies) With so much C blood in the genetics you know it will be a very clear bright color. The red eye and edge go nicely with the sweet melon color of the petals. This has been our go-to cultivars for the last several years in breeding for red eyes and edges. The babies are another leap forward in this category. Breeders take note. OVERNIGHT FLIGHT is an excellent parent for red eyes and edges as well as for instant rebloom, something OF does as well as any of our previous introductions. Vigorous and fertile both ways.                                                                                                                  DOUBLE $35                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

*SUNSHINE ON MY SHOULDERS (sdlg T09-50) 5 ½” DOR 28” EM RE ( sdlg. X sdlg) A truly brilliant yellow self with more bloom than any cultivar we have ever seen. We have determined that this is the single finest overall cultivar we have ever seen or grown. The foliage is as good as any. The original bloom is impressive, with a bud count of 40 and 4-5 branches. That is immediately followed by an instant rebloom scape of 20 to 25 buds. That scape is usually followed by another in traditional rebloom timing. And if that were not enough, SUNSHINE ON MY SHOULDERS will often give yet another scape in September. This level of bloom does not seem to affect the rate of increase much and the foliage looks good all season. The color is so bright that it attracts the attention of visitors even before they learn of the phenomenal performance of the plant. In cross section the petals show a white base with yellow overlay. This may lead to SOMS being of value in breeding darker colors. We will learn if that is so in the coming 2015 bloom season. Our records show RED HAT DIVA as one of the grandparents, a record that we find hard to believe. But strange things happen in hybridization. Fertile both ways, the babies of SOMS show instant rebloom and high bud counts in abundance. The thing to do with this one is breed it to the fanciest new intros out of the south to see what plant quality you can establish while retain much of the refinement in the blossom. We mostly stay within our own lines so most of that effort can be made by others. If you can find a better plant somewhere else, buy it. If not, SUNSHINE ON MY SHOULDERS is sure to make you feel warm and fuzzy.                                                                                                                                                     DOUBLE $75  

The babies blooming in recent years revealed what we hoped for. SOMS breeds in the color range of red and purple, something very rare in yellows. It also passes on the heavy branching and rebloom with ease. We don't know why it will not function in other color ranges also. We will know for certain in 2017 when the crosses we made this year bloom. This may be as good a tool as there is for improving plant habit, higher bud counts better branching and instant rebloom combined with more traditional rebloom. If you can find a division or even a fan somewhere it might be worth whatever you have to pay, assuming the previous qualities are important to you.

2019 note: The number of plants in the seedling fields that showed outstanding scapes, branching and bud counts astounded us just as they astounded visitors. What the past two blooming seasons have proved to us is that SUNSHINE ON MY SHOULDERS is the most powerful force in putting superior plant habit along with exceptional branching and bud counts into the next generation we have ever seen. Just as SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE blood has dominated out seedling fields here for over ten years, the genetics of SOMS is taking over the tetraploid sections. If you're interested in breeding for great plants with exceptional budding and branching as well as rebloom, we are confident that you will not find another cultivar that will provide that with the ease of SOMS. There is a relatively limited supply available this year and we expect there may be close to a complete sell out again. If you tink you need it, get it while you can.  

The ONLY downside we see with SUNSHINE ON MY SHOULDERS is that it is not resistant to rust. However that is not a concern for us here in the north for more than a couple of months and even then, not often.                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

2015 DIPLOIDS 

SECRET ARSENAL (sdlg 08-4) 7” DOR 35” EM (OUR FRIEND TOM WILSON X IDA MAE NORRIS) Garden name- Secret Weapon) This diploid with light rose pink petals and sepals sports a giant yellow green throat. The flower is impressive but the greatest value is in its breeding ability. The babies show the very large throats that we are so avidly seeking and they come in a variety of styles and colors. SECRET ARSENAL has been one of our most used breeders for the last several years and will continue to be for the foreseeable future. The garden name of Secret Weapon was to convey the breeding value for the increase in flower size and size of the throats. It is such a powerful breeder that I was cautious not to introduce it until I was able to see just how versatile a parent it is able to be. If the large, wide open throats and giant, flat flowers are your interest, SECRET ARSENAL is as good as it gets. Fertility is good both ways with the pollen being very good.                                                                                                                                  DOUBLE  $40