I haven't seen this flower in person yet but I hope the little nub I got last year will be blooming size by next spring. I have seen some great pictures of this, but also some pictures that didn't make it look very impressive. Your picture makes me hopeful!

Very nice picture.

I like it better seeing the 2 blooms. That's the real test - seeing a stalk.

It bloomed for me this year, and I wasn't overly impressed with it.

Finally, after waiting for a long time Starring has finally gotten some height to it, but the beard hasn't been as red as shown on the catalog cover when it was introduced.

Bloomed short for me, but most beautiful.
This photo was taken in the Lancaster/Palmdale area which is in the Antelope Valley that comprises the western tip of the Mojave Desert.
iris_gal, this is the best photo I have of stalks, just a couple flowers open.
I know we all want perfection with these exotic hybrids, but high bud count is sometimes lacking in the early developmental stages of new and distinctive patterns.

I really like seeing pics of the newer varieties which are sometimes hard to assess from catalog photos.

Explicit has had a max of three buds here for two or three years, two in the terminal and one socket in a side branch.

Drama Queen and Dark Drama also have only three or four buds in my garden.

I was really pleased with Blyth's Ask A Lady and Gypsy Lord.

Two I got from Schreiner's summer sale leaflet last year, Keep Smiling (Schreiner) and Little John (Spoon) were 'shock and awe!'

Another awesome one!

Shadow