Very nice! I love the saturated color on the FM x CC seedlings, but I can see how a ruby gold metallic edge would grab you in the garden. I had my first seedlings this year, too, and even though I'd heard people say it, I was surprised at how MUCH the blossoms changed from FFO to end of season. It's fascinating!

Isn't it exciting....don't be too hasty to toss those babies. Since it's their first bloom season, you never know when and ugly duckling will turn into a beautiful swan in another year.
Jan

petalpatsy,
I do like the saturated color on FM x CC too. I look forward to seeing more seedlings surprise me and also to see how these improve. I have 2 more from this cross with scapes. And 3 more that aren't ready to strut their stuff.

It is early here still so I know bloom will improve a lot on named cultivars over FFO as well as on seedlings.

And yes, Jan, I know I have to be careful to not toss too quickly while at the same time trying to keep a realistic eye on my space. It is going to be tough to cull the first one. Maybe I should plan a wake on cull day--LOL.

It is so fun to wake up during bloom season, like Christmas every day.

What a difference a day can make!

Here is the second flower open on 2007-005-1
The form is really improved and balanced now. Color is a little lighter but more even. Didn't see any of that ruby encrusting on the edge.

Berry, I only managed to cull two seedlings out of 200 so far. Some aren't what I'm looking for but are they really worth killing???? I mean, murder is a big step!

LOL- petalpatsy. I don't know how I'm going to get up the gumption to do it but my space is limited. Some of these seedlings are going to have to move out for next year's crop.

Today a third sibling from the 'Fencing Master' x 'China Clipper' had FFO. I like it and it is the first to open up with decent pollen so far. Color is kind of a rosy-berry with a watermark that is barely detectible in tone but slightly different coloration- I'd say slightly more toward the blue spectrum. 5.5" bloom x 18" scape. Very fragrant. Not much for a budcount (6) and not much for branching (3-wyes all at the top).

Its sibling, 2007-056-002, bloomed second flower. Much improved form and at least the pistil appeared normal. Still had difficulty producing pollen but there was just a little formed which I used on sibling -003. Still very splotchy color.

I have 2 more FFO on siblings of this cross that I'm waiting for & 3 others that have not set up scapes.

And finally for today, 2007-005-002 had second flower open. Still struggling to open fully. The color softened a bit and it had an interesting color break on the right petal.

This is sibling 4 from the 'Fencing Master' x 'China Clipper' cross.

So far I think I like this one the very best. It has the roundest form & nice ruffle plus is bitone. Also, it produced pollen & had a normal pistil. 3 way branching, like the others its all at the top. I forgot to count buds or measure the scape. Flower is 5.5" If it keeps its color & improves opening this would be my first choice to keep although there is one more sibling waiting to show its FFO and 3 others that don't have scapes yet.
I gave it pollen from 'Cleopatra's Jewel' which had its FFO today.

Debra,
Congrats on your hybridizing.
The one I favor is 2007-005-002, the one you're excited about. On my monitor it doesn't look muted brick-red however, but instead I see it as a rosy-mauve. Anything with midribs catches my eye, but I also love the ruffles.

Great job!

Julie

Congrats on being a Mom Debra! ;0)

Good work. I like the 'Fencing Master' x 'China Clipper' cross seedlings. I don't think any are mature enough to really judge, but I like the colors and the saturation level, the pale carotenoid background and the square tipped sepals. Hope you get a good plant under the blooms.
Ed

Well I can't take credit for any of these beyond having germinated & grown them out. Even then you all deserve a lot of the credit for tutoring me all the way.

All are from purchased seed. My goal with these was first, to learn the process, and second to get some bridge plants with good up-to-date genetics for future hybridizing.

I also wanted to post the good & the bad because I know there are other newbies like myself out there. Most people only post the best pictures of the best behaved seedlings but it helps me to know what to expect if I see both good & bad blooms as the plant matures.

More excitement in the seedling bed the past 2 days.

Here is FFO on the third sibling from the 'Spacecoast Sharptooth' x 'Wisest of Wizards' cross. I'm really excited about this one. It is the second best branched of the cross and great increase (4 fans already). The edge is incredible. I've never seen so much metallic gold. Crossed it with 'Cleopatra's Jewel' just for the edge. Hope it keeps its bright colors.

Here are two FFO today from a new cross 'Jennifer Trimmer' x 'Maltese Falcon'
This first one is very difficult to capture correctly on camera. The color is maroon & gold, exactly the color of my high school colors. The sepals & eyezone are stippled softly and the finish is a nice crepe texture. Good height at 24" and 5.75" flower. BC 10 BR 3 trying for 4th.

The second is smoother, shinier finish and less green to the throat. 19" x 5" BC & BR a little less than sibling -001.

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And finally, much improved blooms on 3 of the 'Fencing Master' x 'China Clipper' cross. -002 I can't even believe its the same plant. It was nice to have all three of them blooming at the same time to compare side-by-side.

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