i like all three...

go ahead and see what you get...

i'm sure it will be BEAUTIFUL...

jill...

Sorry to read you are having trouble with WH in your zone. It does beautifully here in z5 in freeze/thaw, no snow cover, and extremely arid winters. I would have thought it would do well for you too.

I'm not sure what does well for you in z4. Do you have any of Stamile's eyed cultivars that perform well? They are all very fertile & produce great kids.

Does JT Davis perform for you? It produces kids with great branching, substance, and bud count.

Though I haven't bloomed any of my WH babies yet, from research I expect WH narrow form will generally carry in >50% of its offspring. Also its creme color and dark eye should carry strongly.

Take a look at WH's registered babies & their parentage over on Tinkers to get some ideas. You may have something in your garden that has similar looks to one of the other parents and that would give you an idea of what you could expect.

What about Marked By Lydia x Moonlit Masquerade? Hhmmmmm, me thinks that might be a good cross! Now I just have to buy Marked by Lydia!!! LOL

Dani

Dani,
Marked by Lydia is a diploid and Moonlt Masquerade is a tet so that cross wouldn't work. How about So Many Stars?
Val

Yeah, I noticed that. There is a converted Marked by Lyida for sale form Ledgewood's. It's $50 though, so I 'd have to think about it!

So Many Stars is still in a zone 5. I was hoping for something in Zone 4 (so my Mom can grow it, too!). I really like So Many Stars, too. *sigh* Stupid zone restrictions!

Dani

Dani just wanted to let you know that So Many Stars grows very well in my zone 4 garden it is a beauty. I am not sure what you mean with zone restrictions?

I would try both the Reckamps crossed with WH it would be interesting to see what would come of such a cross.

That is good to know about So Many Stars. I received it as a bonus a while back but was afraid because it was an evergreen. I ended up giving it to my mother-inlaw who is a good zone warmer than I am. Maybe I will get a piece back some day.

Edward

Edward, I usually plant the bonus plants I recieve just to see what they will do in my garden. Over the years I have gotten some that are keepers and will remain in the garden. Sometimes after I look up a bonus if I decide not to keep it my SIL who is on a farm will take the plant.

All I mean is that if the flower can't grow well in my climate (zone), why use it to breed with? I don't have a ton of space for seedlings, so I'd rather cross things that I know are for my zone and perform well.

I am glad to hear So Many Stars grows in zone4. I do really like that flower. I'm a sucker for a cream with a dark purple eye. And purples. And lavenders. And then there's red. Hhhmmmm...I think I may have a problem. *smile*

Dani

Dani,
I'm finding with seedlings that it doesn't really matter a whole lot how hardy their parents are.

Winter may kill a few that can't tolerate your conditions and that will save you from culling later.

I planted out ~185 seedlings from purchased seed last year, nearly all from modern deep south parents on both sides and have lost less than a handful to winter. Maybe 4 or 5 more are failing to thrive but I lost a lot more, around another 200 seedlings, to gnats before I ever got to the transplant stage.

It makes me wonder if hardiness comes by letting them experience cold while they are young enough to adapt to it??

Ask Mick Morry your question about "why breed with "non-hardy southern stock" if you want northern hardy daylilies?" He has a thing or two to say about it as that is the foundation of his northern hardy program. Avalonia Daylilies

Now if you can find the exact type of daylily that you are looking for in a northern plant, well, I'd choose that first just because its more convenient to grow the parent if it thrives in your garden. On the other hand, if you are really looking to make advances in form, bud count, branching that you see in a beautiful southern bred plant, take a chance on seedlings with those southern genetics. You'll be surprised at how well they will do.

I've heard 'So Many Stars' can be thrippy or splotchy. Do you all have that issue with it?

My ugliest seedling ever is a 'So Many Stars' baby but it is the only one to bloom yet and I hope maybe one of its sib's has something to offer.

Absolutely no problems with So Many Stars it is outstanding in my garden. I am not sure what it would do in your part of the country.

I love Wild Horses too. Here is a WH baby that bloomed it's second year for me this summer. Unfortunately I don't know what pollen I used on it. Every year I say I'm going to keep better records, but every year I can't help but dab a little here and a little there. I plan on using it again this summer.

Wild Horses is out of Moonlit Masquerade, so you may loose your shape. Hold your horses is out of (Wild Horses x So many Stars) x Rapid Eye Movement) and I know that it is hardy in zone 4 for a couple of friends. So you could try Hold Your Horses or So Many Stars. If you like red, you could try Love For Jesus and one could never tell what Forest Lake Ragamuffin might come up with. What about Ruffled Strawberry Parfait? Mike.

James Gossard has a bunch that i would try.
Raspberry Sickle, Heavenly Island Magic, Heavenly Flight, Raspberry Butterflies, and Heavenly Masquerade. They are all dormant and some of them have Moonlit Masquerade so you would double up that gene and have relatively the same look.

George Rasmussen's Tiger Swirl is a good one also because it has King George in it.

Also Bob Schwarz's HOTEL PARADISO and FLYING DOWN TO RIO .

Boy, I love that WH kid, I'd buy that one. So very pretty. Karen

Wild Horses Crosses

gr8plants, that is a very pretty pink baby.

dreaming, I like your crosses too. That second one has a nice contrast in colors. Nice!

Vickie

Vickie
The second one is 1 of 6 different seedlings and they are all slightly different to very different in color and form. This one I thought the best bud count and branching out of the 6.

Dani, this season, you should try "So Many Stars" with your Wild Horses, it's got similar colors & a great dark eye, also the form I think you would like.
Lynn

Ooops, sorry So Many Stars was already mentioned. However, I have had no problems with blotchy blooms or thrips, I use Bayers All In One 3 times a year & have no trouble with thrips.
Lynn