2018 Introductions

Hello Daylily Friends,

I have just returned from Houston, Texas, where I was most privileged to meet with the Brazosport Daylily Society which meets in Lake Jackson, Texas.  I was met at the Houston airport by Loris Garrett and Sandy Roberts who took me to their home in Lake Jackson.  I was most privileged to see their garden which just surrounds their house.  The garden begins in the front of the house, goes around the side of the house, around the back of the house, around the rest of the house, and ultimately back to the front door.  Loris is quite a hybridizer and gave me several of his introductions to grow in my garden.

 Loris's father was a Captain in the U.S. Army during WW II, and his unit went through Italy, where Captain Garrett met Loris' mother.  They were happily married for the remainder of their lives.  Oh, I should mention that Loris and Sandy have Orange trees growing throughout their garden.  Indeed, Lake Jackson is only a few miles from the Gulf of Mexico.  On the evening of my arrival we all went to have a "seafood dinner" at On the River Restaurant in Freeport, Texas.  I would note that there are chemical plants everywhere around Freeport.

On my second day in Texas we went to the home of Everett and Chris Crainer who live in Brazoria, Texas.  Everett is also a well recognized Hybridizer, and I took several hours walking with Everett in his garden.  Everett likes to grow plants sitting in water which is most interesting.  The plants grow very well.  Also I learned that this past season Chris was bitten by a Copperhead snake.  Wow!  Fortunately Chris got the immediate attention she needed at her hospital and she survived.  We also then saw Everett cook a number of fish that he and Don Andrews, (Eddie Raye's husband) caught on the San Bernard River near Everette's home.  Had a wonderful lunch and then we went straight to the Club Meeting.

At the Club Meeting I was greeted as if I had been a member of the Club for many years.  Everyone talked to me, and shared their food with me, notwithstanding my wonderful lunch earlier at the Crainer home.  Then I gave my show and to my astonishment more of my plants were sold than I've ever sold at any Club meeting since I've been in daylilies.  I'm sure that I could have offered many more plants, but I had to keep in mind that I will have to dig the plants in the spring.

Just an incredible adventure to have been in Texas.  I like Texas. Thanks again to Loris and Sandy for your incredible hospitality.

Since my visit to the Brazosport Daylily Society was my first for the year of 2018, I introduced my 2018 Introductions at the Meeting.  I would now like to show the daylilies that we've introduced.

MASTER SERGEANT KENNETH LANE.  Seedling 4-564.  (One More Bite x Tet. Pink Stripes).  Ev. Tet. EM. 26” Tall, 4-way branching, 21 buds, 6” flower.  It was difficult to convert TET. PINK STRIPES, but it crossed well with ONE MORE BITE.  The result was a pink flower with distinctive stripes.  The Flower is named for my good friend, MASTER SERGEANT KENNETH LANE, who lives in Colquitt, Georgia.  Sergeant Lane was my first supervisor at my first active duty assignment.  I am so pleased that Sergeant Lane allowed this wonderful daylily to have his name.  MASTER SERGEANT KENNETH LANE is pink with a yellow and green throat, with distinctive yellow stripes, and a yellow edge. Pod and pollen fertile.  $150.00.  How do you like Sgt. Lane's "flat top"?

LILY’S GOLDEN CURLS.  Seedling 3-434.  ((Lemon Curls x Ashee Dashee) x Bonibrae the Freak).  Sev. Dip. EM. 27`” Tall, 3-way branching, 16 buds, 6” flower.  This introduction is produced by my wife, Diana Rae, and it is just gorgeous.  I seen it grown with and without fertilizer, and it always produces well and is always beautiful.  There is so much beauty in diploids, and this diploid is named for our Granddaughter, LILY RAE WHITFIELD.  She has such wonderful, long golden hair, that the flower just had to have her name.  It has a green throat that extends along the petals, and the petals become a lovely beige with ivory along each side.  Pod and pollen fertile.  $100.00.

MAGICAL MORNING.  Seedling 5-779.  [Vivid Butterfly x ((Tet. Lavender Blue Baby x Tet. Crystal Blue Persuasion) x Blue Beat)].  Sev. Tet. EM. 28`” Tall, 5-way branching, 18 buds, 4.45” flower.  When I first saw a bloom on MAGICAL MORNING I wrote “Wonderful Branching” in my notebook, and I would note that it also produces proliferations.  MAGICAL MORNING has a green throat with light and dark lavender rings in the eye, then the adjacent ivory color blends with light and dark lavender rings on the edges of the petals.  Pod and pollen fertile.  $100.00.

KENNESAW SUNSET.  Seedling 7-862.  ((Varsity Orange x Tet. Orange Velvet) x Chilled Orange Sorbet).  Dormant. Tet. EM. 28” Tall, 4-way branching, 17 buds, 6” flower.  CHILLED ORANGE SORBET is one of my early introductions, and it is just beautiful.  I used this early introduction with one of my seedlings made with TET. ORANGE VELVET, and I was most fortunate to produce this beautiful orange flower.  I named the flower after I saw a winter sunset.  It is a golden orange with a green throat.  Pod and pollen fertile.  $100.00.

ROARING FIRE.  Seedling 3-312.  (Wild and Free x Walt Lowry).  Sev. Tet. EM. 37” Tall, 4-way branching, 20 buds, 12” flower.  Since I first saw WALT LOWRY I have come to appreciate the Unusual Form flower, and of course ROARING FIRE is an Unusual Form.  During the spring and summer it stands tall, and just blooms and blooms and blooms.  The flower has a green eye that blends to an ivory silhouette and quickly becomes a burgundy red.  Pod and pollen fertile.  $100.00.

I also want to apologize to my friends who have followed this Blog.  For a number of reasons I haven't been as diligent about posting but I will do better as we enjoy the year of 2018.

Bill