That is a good question Laurel I'm glad you asked. Now don't get me wrong, this is a very pretty daylily and will likely stay around for a while. I like the fact that it is carrying a little patterning in the eye, the color is a very clean pink, not dirty like some can be....The finish looks solid and tough and smooth, I like that. The form is not cockeyed, it sits pretty on the scape all by itself. My goal is to produce the most outrageous, beautifully patterned daylilies there are. Not too lofty! But I think there is more to daylilies than wide, round and ruffled, not that there is anything wrong with that. But it seems to me that as a society the trend has been to work on the form like crazy, including edges, but we have nearly traded that in exchange for colors. Not everyone has, but I think it would weigh heavy towards that. Flowers should have pretty colors! This one has lots of qualities that make a good daylily, and, I can likely breed patterns from it first generation. Aside from having patterns as a goal, I am working to move the eye closer to the outer edge, to show more pattern. Of course one has to consider all the other qualities that go into making a great daylily such as durability in the hot sun, color fastness, plant habit, lots of blooms, fertility, cold hardiness. So all these things I actually consider when hybrizing. Some crosses have components of all those things and if the right genetics fall into place, a few of the seedlings will carry all the good qualities, but that is more rare than not. Sometimes when I have a trait or a pattern that I feel I must work with I will use it even though many of the other good qualities aren't there. Eventually I should be able to then incorporate the other qualities into future generations. So my goals are wonderfully pretty flowers, unlike those of anyone else, that people will enjoy for years and years. I think there are too many flowers introduced now that the average gardner either wouldn't afford, or that would be too hard to grow right for them to enjoy in a normal garden setting. And I understand that many hybridizers breed just for that, and it's okay. But I think we are somewhat remiss if we don't also do our share to promote daylilies to everybody. That's one reason I sell seedlings to the general public for $5. I feel I'm helping to promote daylilies of the not so normal variety, that people can easily grow. The response has been very cool. I have met dignitaries, UPS folks, Presidents of companies, members of other flower clubs, I have daylilies in nearly 30 states now and Hawaii. So those are some of my goals, I can go on and on, but I'll stop there. Ask away if you want to know anything else...Bob

Now that's really unusual, Bob. I can't say that I think this one is especially attractive to me (is this a FFO?), but it's VERY interesting for that eye pattern, so clear on both the sepals and petals. If the reverse bicolor contrast was more pronounced, and the color a little clearer, it would be truly amazing. You sure are getting good results in your breeding program - thanks for sharing all these great seedlings with us. Laurel

Love it -- nice form, beautiful color. Stop teasing me. Some of the seedlings you've posted have jumped to the top of my wish list (this is the third one), so you need to let us in on your plans. Are you going to intro some? Bridge some? Details, please!

Then there is the one you couldn't have bred for if you tried. This one is splashed every time, but each time it manifests itself differently. Every bloom is splashed either a little or a lot. This one is a little. Bob