Beach City Blues

Deep blue sky and deep blue water,

Color trickles through my shoes;

Chased the lover, then I caught her,

Called the Beach City Blues.

You know how it is: another day in paradise. But losing somebody is an ache that doesn't go away. And even the brightest sun can't chase away the shadows from your heart.

This flower with its bluish highlights and subtle shadow-eye caught my attention from the first. It's a mulberry-lavender bitone with a blue-illusion eye (which my camera found difficult to capture). Petals have raspberry veining and a scalloped pencil edge in white (and sometimes blue and gold). The lighter sepals sometimes have a white thumb-print at the tips. The chartreuse throat leads to a very green heart.

Up to 5 way branching, with a budcount that ranges from 20 to 27. Fertile both ways. 

Nothing beats the blues like an AHS convention. This flower is named in honor of the 2018 convention in Myrtle Beach, where it was an auction plant.  

Seedling 11-H-3 (Court Magician x Big Blue) x Blue-Eyed Angel)

Height 28-30"

Flower 5 ½ x 3 ¼ x 1 ¾

Semi-evergreen
Midseason

Finger Lakes Katie Sykes

I first met Katie Sykes at a club meeting where she sat like a queen with her hat and handbag beside her. With the impertinence of my (relative) youth, I inquired whether she grew any daylilies herself?  She looked at me coolly and replied, "Only about 200."

Catherine Hargrave Sykes

Later I learned that she was a very busy lady! In addition to maintaining her immaculate garden of choice cultivars, she enjoyed travel, tennis, skiing and golf--even golfing the day before her stroke. She was a lifelong member of the Chatterbox Club, the Country Club of Rochester, Junior League of Rochester, Rochester General Hospital Surgical Twig, and a founding member of the Hunt Hollow Ski Club.


Finger Lakes Katie Sykes is as sunny and energetic as her namesake. The flower is a vivid cadmium yellow, very creped and gently ruffled, with a lighter midrib and olive heart. Petals roll back, sepals recurve. While the budcount is not exceptional, Katie produces lots of flowers: she blooms and blooms and then reblooms.

Katie left us in 2012, but will long be remembered in the Finger Lakes Daylily Club. I am indebted to her husband, Mr. Robert F. Sykes, for permission to dedicate this flower in her honor.

08-W-2 (Exact parentage unknown, but evidently from crosses made with Flash of Javelins, Ikarian Honey, and Victorian Lace.)

Height 30” 
Budcount 13-15
Flower 5 ½ "
Dormant
Early Midseason
Reblooms

Introduced at $75 double fan

Wallaroo

The Wallaroo is a cheeky bush creature, a midsized marsupial midway in height between the little wallaby and the big red kangaroo. He can cover a great distance in a single bound.

Wallaroo the daylily is a dependable grower that covered itself in flowers for 6 weeks this summer. With three-way branching and a budcount of 12-15, it bloomed and bloomed.

 A sib of my earlier intro Black Key Polka, but instead of the butter yellow base color of its sibling, Wallaroo is cream-lavender-pink with a black-purple inkblot eye. The eye is bisected by a raised cream-lavender midrib. Though not a spider, it has narrow petals which gently roll back, while the sepals recurve and sometimes twist (as in the photo at right). The eye is repeated on the sepals as a ghost-image. The amber throat is distinctive. 

Very free flowering. Makes an outstanding clump.

Wallaroo will be an auction plant this summer at the National Convention in Myrtle Beach.


03-A-2 Paper Butterfly x Happy Bandit
Flower 6 x 2 x 1 1/2"
Height 28-31"
Dormant
Early Midseason

Introduced at $100 DF

Belle Parisienne

She has that look--that certain "je ne sais quoi" that sets her apart. Is it her dress, her way of walking, or that air that says "I'm special?" She's admired by both men and women. They nod to each other and whisper, "C'est une Parisienne." 

The huge deep rose flower with a ruffled edge in white gold is set off with a salmon watermark and yellow-green sunburst throat. The round flowers are very flat with overlapped petals. Lightly fragrant. 

Belle Parisienne has two-way branching and 12-14 buds. Despite the modest budcount, she is a very long bloomer, starting mid-June with last flower open August 21 (2013). A possible bud-builder?

A big plant, but not a fast increaser. Very fertile both ways. 

09-B-1 Shores of Time x America the Beautiful

Flower 6" x 3 ½" x 2 "

Height 38"

Sev.

Early-late

Fragrant

Introduced at $125 SF

Thine Be the Glory

Does any new flower of mine ever look exactly as I pictured it in my mind's eye? Probably not. When I made this cross of a cream and a near-white parent, I'm sure I was hoping for a pure white flower. 

But no hybridizer--even the most experienced and gifted (if only that were I!)--can control the chromosomes that combine to create the seed, and the genes that control flower color and form. For that, we must depend upon a Higher Power.

How many seedlings produce faulty flowers that don't begin to rival their famous parents? Then once in a blue moon, the stars align,  a new flower opens--and the gardener gasps. But does he dare claim the credit? For this flower, only this name would do.

The flower is a luscious apricot cream with a darker edge and deeply incised ruffling all the way around the petals and into the olive throat. Sometimes the ruffles gather into little tufts or "owl ears" (as in the top photo). Occasionally polys. 

Thine Be the Glory has 3-4 way branching and a budcount of 18. Flowers are very big and very consistent. Blooms for a month, then reblooms. In 2013, rebloom started 7/31 and continued until 8/18.

This frilly confection is no tender evergreen, but a hard dormant, and a reliable performer in my Region 6 garden. Pod and pollen fertile. Sweetly fragrant. Very limited.

Great White x (Portofino x unknown)  10-G-3

Flower 6"

Height 30"

Dormant
Midseason-Mid-late
Fragrant
Reblooms

Introduced at $125 SF

El Trovador

Through the deep darkness of the Spanish night, the strains of a guitar are heard, and then the voice of the troubadour singing to his lady.

This saturated burgundy flower with the thick velvet pile has a a gold throat that sends flares up the raise midrib. Unusual “peeled” watermark eye with pink-red striations. 

A big plant and a strong grower. Three-way branching and a budcount of 12-16. Very ruffled. Rebloomed in 2020, though not so registered.

(Prince of Venice x Abba) x (Prince of Venice x Big Blue) 07-Q-4

Flower 6"

Height 30"

Midseason

Sev.

Introduced at $95 

Midsummer Marriage

As the faeries dance on Midsummer Day, the bride enters in her ivory gown trimmed with lace, glimmering with gold reflections from the sunshine.

The flower is ivory-lemon with a gold sunburst throat, very ruffled and recurved. Sometimes the ruffles show tentacles (as in the photo right).  The well-formed flowers have good substance. 

The flower was shaded for the photo above, where there are glints of polychrome. The photo below was taken in full sun, where the ivory-lemon color is seen.

A tall plant, top-branched, presenting a bouquet effect. The flowers open in the evening, and so are always open flat in the morning. Very fragrant. Two- to three-way branching, budcount 10-13. Admired by Dave Whalen. Rebloomed in 2020, though not so registered.

(Court Magician x Big Blue)  x Southern Wind   07-B-2 
Flower 6 x 3 ¼ x 2 ¼
Height 38"
Midseason
Nocturnal, Extended, Very Fragrant
Sev.

Introduced at $95

Tangerine Machine

It's the color. No, it's the budcount. Well, it's both. Watch out, here comes Tangerine Machine.

This big brawny plant was nicknamed "Big Fan Dor" because of the huge emerging ramets in spring. Fulfills its promise with heavy scapes with 3-way branching, carrying 25-30 buds. 

The color is a rich burnt orange, flushed red, with a gold midrib and gold throat and tiny olive heart. Wide segments fold back gently. Thick creped substance. Tangerine Machine begins first week of July.

Dick Bennett's Genesee Fire is a strong dormant plant with intense orange-red flowers. David Kirchhoff's Marilyn Siwik is light orange with red eye and evergreen habit. This is my third introduction from this cross, following last year's Finger Lakes Charlie Z. and 2014's Castilian Gold.

Beautiful dormant foliage was admired by Di DeCaire. Strong grower, fast increaser, proliferates. What more could you ask for?

(Genesee Fire x Marilyn Siwik)  01-B-1

Flower 6” x 3” x 1 ¾”.

Height 36"

Dormant 

Midseason

Introduced at $95

Finger Lakes Charlie Z.

      Sometime in the mid-nineties, before I began growing daylilies myself, I remember hearing about a wonderful daylily garden near Cobbs Hill Park. So one July morning I set out to find it. I drove around for a bit, and then turned as if by chance into a little cul-de-sac facing a field. When I stepped out of the car, a man wearing a baseball cap was walking toward me down the driveway. He said, "Welcome! How did you hear about the Open House?"

That was how I met Charlie Zettek, who became my friend and mentor in the art of hybidizing. Soon after this, Finger Lakes Daylily Society was born, and we both became charter members. 

This flower is a light mango orange with an olive heart. Hot vermilion flows out of the center and repeats at the crimped edge. The eye is bisected by a raised midrib. Petals gently flare, sepals recurve. As Charlie might say, it jumps out of the landscape and hits you in the eye. 

This was the most vigorous grower of this cross, and also had the highest budcount. Hardiness and vigor come from Dick Bennett's Genesee Fire, form and branching from David Kirchhoff's Marilyn Siwik. Lots of scapes and lots of flowers. Three- to four-way branching with a budcount of 30-plus.   

Finger Lakes Charlie Z. is my tribute to the man who opened his garden to me and taught me how to hybridize. 

Genesee Fire x Marilyn Siwik  

Flower 6 ¼” x 2 ½” x 1 ½”

Height 32”

Sev-Ev 

Early midseason

Introduced at $100

Storybook Romance

In the storybook, there is always a happy ending. The stars align, obstacles disappear, and true love conquers all. 

What about a flower fantasy, where all the elements combine in a way that spells romance?

There is a sweet convergence of colors in this flower, capturing some of the deep blue-lavenders from the Munson grandparents as well as the Munson watermark. The color is raspberry-violet with highlights of blue and pink, set off by a complementary watermark in lavender-peach. The lemon throat shades to a deep green heart, and the petals are encircled with a white-gold edge to complete the flower. 

Good grower and increaser. Three-way branching, with a budcount of 15. Lots of buds and flowers.

(Court Magician x Big Blue) x Glass Bead Game
Flower 5 ½ x 2 ½ x 1 ½
Height 24-29"
Dormant
Early Midseason

Introduced at: $95

Ikarian Honey

 Ikarian Honey in shade

Out of the blue waters of the Aegean Sea rise the mountains of Ikaria. On this "healing island," the native islanders often reach a great age, and dementia is virtually unknown. Here you will find sea breezes, clear mountain air, and the hot springs that have been famed for their healing powers for millennia. 

Ikaria is known also for the extraordinary honey produced by the native bees. Could this honey have healing powers too?

The color is an intriguing blend of bronze and gold above a lemon and chartreuse throat. On hot days the bronze seems to catch fire and takes on tones of rust and copper. 

The heavy flowers open flat and face out for best effect. Very fragrant. Hard dormant and a strong grower.

             Ikarian Honey in full sun

While the pollen parent Smuggler's Gold was not a stellar performer for me, this plant has hybrid vigor to spare. Starting in the last week of June, Ikarian Honey bursts into bloom and continues blooming for about three weeks. Three-way branching and a budcount of 15-20. 

Marmalade Skies x Smuggler's Gold
Flowers 6 x 3 x 1 3/4"
Height 26-30"
Dormant
Early Midseason

Introduced at: $100

Black Key Polka

There's one kind of music that sets everybody's toes tapping--the polka! And when you play it on the black keys, you get a tune with some real pizzazz. Let's dance!

The deep red-violet inkblot eye spills out onto the petals and sepals almost like piano keys. The occasional extra petaloid or polymerous flower gives added interest. The orange anthers and butter-yellow base color make a strong contrast.

The mysterious spreading eye of Paper Butterfly has always fascinated me. Here it is on an open-faced flower atop a taller scape. Bob Brooks' Happy Bandit, the pollen parent, provides dormancy and a bit of twirl in the sepals. Starts last week of June here.

Paper Butterfly x Happy Bandit
Flower 6 x 2 1/2 x 1 1/2"
Height 28-32"
Dormant
Early Midseason

Introduced at $95

Knight's Gambit

The game of hybidizing is a little like the game of chess. There comes a moment when you know instinctively what the next move should be. And when the outcome proves you right, there's a moment of sweet satisfaction--Ahhh! And then the game continues.

The flower is a deep saturated blue-purple (which my camera found difficult to capture, the result being too red) set off with a pencil-line of white along the ruffled petal edges. The yellow sunburst throat flows from a green heart into a watermark of alizarin crimson, with purple stamens giving added contrast.

Continuing our series of purple Knights, Knight's Gambit is a sib of 2013's Knight's Valor. In a mature clump it offers 4-way branching  with a budcount of 22. 

While not armor-plated, this Knight is a tough contender, retaining the best color, form, and substance of its sibs after a hot day. Holds its color even in the rain. A good increaser and a big vigorous plant. Very pod fertile. Reblooms.

Nordic Night x Robert Lee Batt
Flower 5 1/2 x 2 1/2 x 1 1/2
Height 30-36"
Dormant
Midseason
Rebloom

Introduced at $95

Santa Croce

Morning

                                                                 Evening

Morning in the square of Santa Croce, Firenze. In the warm sunshine, the white marble façade with its lavender accents seems to glow with an inner radiance. Form and symmetry combine in esthetic harmony.

The flower is a pale ivory-cream or eggshell yellow. The yellow-green throat sets off the lavender-blue eye. The curling lavender picotee is completed by a gold edge at the end of the petals. Lighter midribs bisect the eye and connect it to the petal color.

A very finished flower, with each blossom opening flat. Santa Croce is a sibling of last year's Luna Toscana, and and continues the Florentine theme. Like LT, it is vigorous and a good opener, but is a very different color and makes smaller fans. Many scapes and flowers. 

A very long bloomer, Santa Croce flowers all through July, then rests for a bit. In 2013, last flower on first scapes was August 5. Rebloom started August 12 and continued to the end of August. Three- to four-way branching, budcount 18-22.


Druid's Chant x Big Blue
Flower 6 x 3 x 2
Height 32"
Dormant
Midseason to Late

Introduced at $95

Mariachi Music

Can you hear the music with the Mexican beat? Rattles, drums, flutes, and conch-shell horns! There's a spicy aroma in the air. Let's celebrate! ¿Te gustaría bailar conmigo?

Mariachi Music is a bold red flower, loud and brassy. The gold throat flows out into the petals and sepals like molten metal. Sometimes shows a pencil-edge of white. Long petals fold back informally in a variety of shapes, just as a musician's riff changes each time it's played. Two- to three-way branching, 12-14 buds. Produces many many flowers as despite its modest budcount, it has lots of scapes.

This is a mid.late flower with a long bloom season, starting midway through July and then reblooming in August. This year I picked flowers on Sept. 14, with 2 buds remaining. Late bloom comes from Roger Mercer's Copper Frills, candy-apple red color from David Kirchhoff's Crimson Wind. Makes rather small fans.

Copper Frills x Crimson Wind
Flower 5 1/2 x 2 1/2 x 1 1/2"
Height 24"
Semi-evergreen
Mid-late to late season
Rebloom

Introduced at $75

Knight's Victory

The contest between good and evil is the essence of his life, and commits him to a hard and lonely quest. Often the Knight must ride through the dark forest, but a spiritual force sustains him. Even when he can see only a glimmer of light through his visor, he is guided to victory. 

A half-sib of last year's Knight's Valor, this one offers a bigger flower on a taller scape. A rather triangular flower, the color is a rich red-purple with darker veining and often shows a white edge on petals. Purple stamens set off the glowing yellow-green throat.

Knight's Victory is a strong brawny plant and a fast increaser. Many scapes and flowers. Very pod fertile. Three-way branching and a budcount of 14-16. Hard dormant and very hardy. 

Begins last week of June here. Combining the lines of Jeff Salter, Pat Stamile and Steve Moldovan, this Knight comes from royalty. Double fans.

Nordic Night x (Big Blue x Mephistopheles)

Flower 6 x 3 x 2"

Height 32"
Dormant
Early Midseason

Introduced at $75