TET. BOSS HOGG

Hello Daylily Friends,

I must tell you what has happened with my efforts to convert Heidi Douglas' flower, BOSS HOGG.  Heidi gave me one (1) flower to use to try to get BOSS HOGG converted.  To use only one flower when attempting a conversion is a difficult chore, but there was considerable demand for the flower, and Heidi nevertheless wanted the flower converted.  After my initial conversion effort, BOSS HOGG later bloomed, but it was only a chimera.  A chimera is a partial conversion.  The flower will often have both tetraploid and diploid pollen.  Well, there wasn't enough tetraploid pollen to use in hybridizing to create a new flower.

Since I had only a chimera, I took the two (2) flowers that I now have, following my initial conversion effort, and "retreated" these two flowers.  I am so pleased with my work that I could just shout Hallelujah!  The fans on both of the retreated BOSS HOGG flowers are growing very well, and the foliage is so very, very stiff.  I'm reasonably certain that I now have it fully converted.  TET. BOSS HOGG should be a dream to use in hybridizing this coming spring.  Over the winter I will be thinking about daylilies that I can use to add branching to BOSS HOGG.

Diana and I were glad to drive from our home on October 10, 2015, to listen to our friend, Jamie Gossard, speak to the Tennessee Valley Daylily Society.  Jamie showed us his current introductions and his seedlings, some of which he will soon introduce.  Jamie also talked to us about his "new machine" that enables him to judge the "ploidy" of treated daylilies.  Jamie explained how this has impacted w/o/n daylilies can be used in hybridizing, and how our work with "Colchicine" has changed the genetic structure of daylilies.  It was fun and interesting to see and listen to Jamie.

Then, on Monday, October 12, 2015, Diana and I were privileged to go and visit with the Bluegrass Daylily Society in Lexington, Kentucky.  When we arrived at the meeting we were met by Elizabeth Trotter and her Mother, Martha Chamberlain.  We were able to have our picture taken with Elizabeth and her Mother, and just how often is it that any of us are privileged to be at a Daylily meething with our Mother.  Elizabeth is so blessed!  She is certainly a leader in AHS, and her future is bright.  And Martha, you certainly have a wonderful daughter.  Diana and I were then particularly delighted with the incredibly wonderful supper served by the Club.  Since I knew that I had to speak, I ate as much as I could, as fast as I could, and had two delicious desserts.

Then, after the meeting was concluded, the Club President allowed me to have the privilege of taking our picture with members of the Club.  Can you see David Kirchhoff on the left side of the picture?  It was good to see all of the members of the Club, and also to see David and Mort.  I might also add that we are glad that members of the Bluegrass Daylily Society will be growing more of our flowers.

On Tuesday morning we were delighted to have been invited to the home of Rich and Anna Marie Rosen.  The Rosen garden will be featured at next summer's AHS National Convention so we won't show too many pictures.  The Rosen home was formerly owned by a Publisher, and it was built in the early 1900s.  Diana and I walked with Rich as he showed us his garden and I was particularly delighted to see Rich's "Blue Bottle" collection.  Then we were even more privileged to see the Rosen home.  We stayed many hours because there was so much to see, particularly Anna Marie's magnificent art work.  As we left, and had to say goodbye, Anna Marie gave us "snacks for the road."  Thanks Rich and Ann Marie for allowing us to come and visit.

Back at home we went to work on finishing our work to have our gardens ready for winter, and then for the spring and summer of 2016.  We worked for over a month getting the seedlings planted outside, and this took a mountain of work.  The rows had to be cleared, compost added, then tilled, and finally planted.  The new flowers should be much fun to see over the next two years.  Meanwhile back in the Greenhouse, we left five rows of seedlings that we particularly wanted to see in bloom in 9 months.  There is still much more work to be done in the Greenhouse, but we are well on our way.  I'm going to have to buy some more soil.

Outside we planted many more rows than are shown in the above picture, and then I replanted the area where BLAZING CANNONS was growing during the National Convention,  We sold many BLAZING CANNON daylilies, and then I repotted those that remained.  We took these repotted plants, and then a number of our additional introductions, and planted these next to the barn.  They should be as beautiful next summer as they were this past summer.

Little Lily Rae has been such a dream.  She is always excited to have time with her Mother, as can be seen in the picture.  She smiles and beams and is happy.  She also likes Bell Peppers.  I'm showing Lily Rae having a Bell Pepper this past summer while being held by Grandpa.  Indeed, Diana has made a dinner using Bell Peppers that we will share with Lily Rae later during the holiday season.  Lily Rae is coming to visit beginning this afternoon.  We can hardly wait.

More news soon.

Bill