Saturday, May 15, 2010

Ms. Jan Annee Leads our "Grooming Class"

Good Afternoon Daylily Friends,

This morning started so well: 30 members of the Cobb County Daylily Society gathered here at the Kennesaw Mountain Daylily Gardens to receive instruction in grooming daylilies. The class was led by Ms. Jan Annee, and she gave detailed instructions on how to make a daylily look its best when evaluated by AHS Judges. Jan explained how to make a brown edged leaf look like a "new leaf." She explained that buds should not interfere with blooms, and that if they do create an interference, then the bud must be removed. She talked about how to select a plant from the garden for a daylily show. She talked about the important of insect control. She talked about how to transport daylilies to the show so as to preserve the plant in transit. I'm showing a picture of Jan during the course of her lecture.

I can also add that Ms. Jan is a Junior Exhibition Judge, and that in the Northwest Georgia Daylily Society where she is also a member, her daylilies are often on the head table. In fact, she recently won the Northwest Club's "Sweepstakes Award" for the most daylilies on the "head table." Again, thanks Jan for teaching our Grooming Class.

After the lecture everyone headed to the Greenhouse, and one of the main attractions was a bloom on KENNESAW MOUNTAIN HAYRIDE. I have only one plant left, and until it first bloomed a few days ago, I wasn't even sure that indeed it was the HAYRIDE. It is such an astonishing daylily. In the Greenhouse it has 7-way branching and about 50 buds. I am just overwhelmed when it blooms because of its size, its color, and how it commands attention. I may have said a few months back that this year the HAYRIDE is a candidate for the AHS Honorable Mention award. I hope that it does well in the voting competition. Here is a picture of the HAYRIDE taken at about lunch time.

I must also show one of my new blooms. It is a cross between Stamile's RUBY STORM, and my own Seedling 8-244. Seedling 8-244 has the following parentage: [(Grace 578 Seedling x Tet. Connie Burton) x Tet. (Last Midnight x Peppermint Delight)]. My 8-244 is an evergreen, and does better in warmer climates. I understand that RUBY STORM is a dormant, so I thought that it and 8-244 would be good parents. My new Seedling 1-352 validates my thoughts about the cross. I put the seedling in a 3-gallon pot, and I will grow it now as fast as I can.

More news soon.

Bill

4 comments:

  1. Bill,
    Hayride is an amazing daylily. I loved it in my greenhouse also. What a superb daylily.
    Lee

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hey Bill,

    Thanks for the great visit today. That HAYRIDE can also show those buds in the garden. It is worthly of recognition. Be sure to get a picture of that "toothly rascal" that I uncovered today. That is truely an extraordinary daylily and one that is out of this world. Don't scrimp on the water on it because I would like to see what it will mature into. Who else has a toothy daylily that color with white teeth? Nobody.

    I appreciate you and Diana being such gracious hosts.

    Will

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh Lee. What a friend you are. I am hopeful that the AHS Judges will also bestow recognition on the HAYRIDE. It has been a companion for several years, and I never tire of seeing it bloom. Diana and I are looking forward to seeing you and Jean this coming Friday.
    Bill

    ReplyDelete
  4. William I went directly and put both blooms that you noticed in 3-gallon buckets. I agree that both are "first class." I would show them but I couldn't take pictures because of the work with the Grooming Class this morning. Both will receive numbers and will be posted after they bloom again. Thanks so much for taking the time to spot these two beauties. I'm appreciative and grateful.
    Bill

    ReplyDelete