William Brings Elvis!

Hello Daylily Friends,

My lovely wife Diana has kept me busy. I've been to meetings, I've visited my doctor, I've visited other gardens, but I've still managed to get in about 4 hours of hybridizing every day. Then, my friend William Marchant called from Douglasville, Georgia. William is a very good friend. I found that I needed Stamile's GET JIGGY, but I was told that I could not longer purchase the flower. My friend William stepped in, and is letting me use his for hybridizing. It should bloom in just a few days and I have frozen pollen prepared and ready for use. GET JIGGY is dormant. It should be very helpful.

Then, this past week William sent an e-mail and let me know that he was coming over on Saturday morning, and that he was bringing pollen from Frank Smith's ELVIS. My budget did not permit me to buy Frank's entire collection so that I could have ELVIS, but I still wanted to use it in my program to see if it could be of benefit. So, William's e-mail was the delivery of "good news." I like good news!

William came this morning around 11:00 a.m. and brought the ELVIS pollen. I immediately went to work. I put ELVIS on several tall daylilies, and I particularly used it on my Seedling 8-243. [See previous post on Monday, April 7, 2009]. I am hopeful that ELVIS will be of benefit. I will know for sure in about 12 months. So, I am herewith showing a picture of myself with William. We are standing in front of my Seedling 8-243. You can see that Seedling 8-243 is very tall.
Here are some facts about William: He is a Principal at the Lithia Springs Elemantary School in Douglas County. William received his undergraduate degree from the Univerity of Montevallo, and he received his master's degree from the University of Alabama. He is very close to having his doctorate degree. I've got to make certain that in early June I drive to Douglasville and see William's garden in full bloom.

One new seedling bloom that I had today was purple and William noticed it because of its unusual markings. William particularly liked the angel wings on the petals, and he liked the three raised ridges that eminate from the eye on each of the three petals. The raised ridges are quite attractive. William pointed out that I had these raised ridges on several of my purple seedlings, but that they were the best on this seedling. I'm showing a picture of the seedling. As I said earlier, Diana kept me busy today, and so I have not measured the seedling William liked, and I have not yet given it a number. Still, I thought you might like to see the seedling that William liked.

I must say that today has been the best day that I have had in the Greenhouse for new blooms on established seedlings. There are not as many new seedlings blooming. Still, a good day in the Greenhouse.

Well I must retire for the evening and start again tomorrow.

Bill