Oh, I really like the last photo of Dearest Valentine kids. I like the big 8" seedling too. Groovy Kind of Love is pretty. I will have to check on Navajo Pony, I don't remember the foliage being bad on it. Of course, could all be in the timing of rain. I know you did not have a lot in May. I did not have as much as some years, but it was not that bad.

Nancy - I had virtually no rain in May or June. Navajo Pony is growing in pot with bad soil, so that didn't help it during the heat wave. Many of my dormants in both pots and in the ground started to go dormant during June.

Debra

What a clump on Sun Temple Spirit! Steven Scott Derrow is a pretty color. That 8 inch seedling is impressive. Still liking the Palace Garden Beauty seedling. Did I miss your asessment of it In a previous post? Where is it on the registration road?Asking for a friend!! :)

Both those bottom seedlings look colorful and well formed...........I always like your Kentucky Lucky and the buds showing in the background are phenomenal if they belong to KL.............. We haven't had rain in 3 weeks with no storms predicted any time soon. Drought may be here for awhile................Maryl

Maryl - Yes, all those buds in back of the Kentucky Lucky blooms belong to it. And it's not nearly as well budded as in past years. I hope you'll get some rain soon!

Kate - The PGB seedling is on the road to registration. But it is a slower multiplier (only doubles each year), so it will be a few years before it's introduced (if it survives being lined out and the grubs don't eat it). I won't even discuss its bud count this year because bud counts in general are so awful this year. Last year it had bud counts ranging from 13-18 (average of 16), and it had rebloom. I moved its sibling to another place this Spring and the scapes are taller this year. Last year they were 25 inches, and this year 28 inches. The bloom is a six incher. Maybe with getting more sun, it will have more buds next year.

The other PGB X Karelia seedling I have that is headed toward registration is this one: It blooms ML and even this year has some scapes with bud counts in the 20s. After moving out that other PGB seedling, it went from 28 inch scapes to 35 inch scapes. Blooms on it are 5.75 inches. It more than doubled its fans last year. While the bloom is not as pretty as the one you like, the plant habit is stellar, and I like that it continues blooming until mid or late July here.

Debra

Maryl and Nancy - Those two rosy red Dearest Valentine babies are the ones I'm keeping out of several sibs. They have the best color, watermarks and edges of the bunch. The one in the front (Innocent Discovery X Dearest Val) had 16 buds and rebloomed last year. It's also an excellent multiplier. The other one (Everything You Desire X Dearest Val) has not shown a very good bud count, but it's in the middle of the row and covered up on all sides by other seedlings. I hope once it gets more sun exposure, the bud count will go up.

Nancy and Kate - The 8 inch red seedling is supposed to be Jungle Queen X Amethyst Prism, but I really think its was a stray seed from the cross I made of Red Venom X Dancing Flamingo. The flaw so far is its short scapes. It's only 26 inches tall with that great big flower. Unless the scapes get taller, I likely won't register it. But I will continue to grow and enjoy it. I was really happy to see a scape with 19 buds this year, despite the rain and heat. The other two scapes had 12-14 buds. Here's a sun shot of it.

Debra

I am a huge fan of Kentucky Lucky and I will get that one again. It did great in NY so hopefully it will do good here. The seedling Palace Garden Beauty X Karelia) x This Longing is so soft in color and those ruffles are quite breathtaking. Great job on the seedlings.

Julia

Julia - I do remember Kentucky Lucky did well for you. Thanks for the comment on the PGB seedling!

Debra

Wow! This is one beautiful post! Kentucky Lucky is a pretty one, Steven Scott Derrow is a beautiful purple. Navajo Pony is a favorite. Sun Temple Spirit is a lovely yellow. Lots of pretty blooms on the seedling Grandma's Smile X Dearest Valentine. That eight inch seedling is marvelous; gorgeous color, great size, what's not to like if it's sort, front of row. No problem. for lots of us. And, the two dearest Valentine kids are such pretty blooms, each in its own way.

kay

Kentucky Lucky here has been blooming for a while, and it's just midseason. A Groovy Kind of Love looks lovely but parent Frieda took forever to establish. (I finally have blooms on it in this bonanza year.)