I have been working so many hours to try to get ready for winter. All is growing well in the Greenhouse, and I'm clearing so many rows outside. I hope to be finished by the middle of November. By then all new seedlings should be planted outside and all of the plants that I'm going to use to make seeds during 2017 will be in the Greenhouse growing well in pots.
During all of this effort we were so blessed to have Nicole DeVito to come from Florida and visit with us when our Club met on Sept. 11, 2016. Nicole showed us pictures of her Garden, which we were able to personally visit on our Club Bus during the 2016 Florida Mecca. Our members purchased Nicole's daylilies at our auction, and we've now gotten these planted in our gardens. I had wanted to take a Club picture with Nicole but I just forgot. I didn't remember until most members had already left to return home, I just couldn't let this happen so those of us we were still at the meeting came together and had our picture taken with Nicole. I'm showing the picture. I had wanted to show Nicole that I have so many seedlings growing from her introduction UNDEFINABLE. Perhaps next time. Thanks so much Nicole for coming to visit.
Then Lily Rae came to visit with Mom and with Grandpa and Grandma, and we celebrated her 5th birthday. Lily Rae had a lovely cake and lots of presents and so, so much fun. The Cake was green and yellow and Lily Rae likes these colors, perhaps because they are "John Deere" tractor colors. We talked and laughed and did lots of fun things that Lily likes to do. She likes to paint with water colors, she likes to draw pictures, she likes puzzles, and she enjoys lots of conversation. I repeat that she enjoys conversation. She will talk and talk, and enjoy whatever we say to each other. She is the best. We are always thrilled to be with Lily Rae.
She also likes to walk in the Garden and walk with Grandpa to the Greenhouse. In the Greenhouse we have a new "Banana Tree" that was given to us by Suzanne Franklin who lives in North Georgia. This particular Banana Tree is somewhat "cold hardy." Earlier this summer when we visited with Suzanne I told her that we would be so happy to have a stalk from her tree, and she was kind and brought one to us. Lily Rae likes the new Banana Tree. Lily Rae also likes to help do things in the Greenhouse. So she helped Grandpa pot several daylilies that I'll be using this coming spring. Lily just likes to do gardening work with Grandpa. Thanks Lily Rae.
I also want to mention an introduction that I had a number of years ago named for my friend, David Arthur. I planted DAVID ARTHUR in the Garden and I've been growing it with the intent of offering it for sale when we again have a sale in the City of Smyrna. DAVID ARTHUR grew and grew and was fully mature this summer. I was so surprised at what I say. The plant is actually 31" tall with 4-way branching and it very often blooms as a "double." Indeed, it has a lovely double bloom. I think that I may use the double to produce more, darker colored doubles. I think I should also update the registration with our Registrar, and show the genuine height and branching, plus the fact that it often doubles.
Another time of excitement has been our Club's Fall Picnic which took place on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2016. We had 50+ members in attendance. We had a grand feast and we ate most everything. We had a plant auction where plants were mostly purchased with "points" earned during the year when members worked for the Club during many activities. We also used the points to purchase plants that were available but not auctioned. David Bishop was our Auctioneer and he did a fine job. Also durng the Fall Picnic many members went to the Greenhouse to see the seedlings. I'm so pleased that they look most promising. Then we later took time to take a Club Picture as we've done each year over the past several years. Our Fall Picnic was just fun.
Then, this past Saturday, Oct. 8, 2016, I was pleased to be the Speaker for Georgia's Region 5 at its meeting in Macon, Georgia. I was so pleased to see our Auctioneer, David Bishop, lead the meeting. Our Region 5 President, Scott Elliott, could not be present because of Hurricane Elliott on the Georgia coast. We hear that Scott survived the storm ok. It was also good to see so many additional friends, and again, I wish that I had taken a picture but I was just too focused on being the Speaker. Thanks to Region 5 for having us come and show our program.
I dug up Seedling 6-41 and I have six (6) fans. I separated each fan, dipped them in strong chemicals, got them cleaned and then planted two fans in three separate 2-gallon buckets. The fans have grown well, and they now look like they are almost back to normal. However, the roots are coming out of the bottoms of the 2-gallon buckets. I'm going to have to put the plants into 3 or 5 gallon buckets. I am so thrilled that I have 6 fans to work with. I plan to cross this seedling with so many other daylilies, both singles and doubles. Also I looking forward to learning whether 6-41 is pod fertile.
Let me also show two seedlings that have recently bloomed from using MASTER SERGEANT KENNETH LANE, 4-564. First I am showing a cross between SGT. LANE and TET. YANKEE PINSTRIPES. I got the darker color and the bloom is most encouraging. I am looking forward to seeing all of the other blooms in 2017. Next, I'm showing a cross between SGT. LANE and TET. PINK STRIPES. I like the bloom, and again, I'm looking forward to see the other blooms in 2017. I am now seeing that we can indeed do things with the stripes that we might not have thought about years ago. This is so, so exciting.
I want to close by showing a bloom of Seedling 4-570. This is a magnificent flower. The lovely green edge is so pronounced, and I'm showing a picture of the scape and branches in the Greenhouse. The measurements that I'm showing are taken from 4-570 growing in the outside garden. 4-570 is pod and pollen fertile. It will be so much in demand when I'm able to put it on the market. It will be put out in the Spring of 2018. It is just so delightful to have seedlings like 4-570.
This coming Sunday Diana and I are going to Mississippi to speak to the Hattiesburg Club; it will be so exciting.
More news soon.
Bill
Oh man Bill that seedling out of 4-564 and Tet Yankee Pinstripes is AMAZING!
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