We can all appreciate what the great lily hybridizers have done and are doing. But there is a lot to be said for small-scale hybridizers like Lorn. They are able to more closely monitor progress over time and growing conditions like Wisconsin, if you have lilies that will grow well here, they will anywhere. We have just about the toughest climate that there is. If they thrive in Wisconsin and look that beautiful, they will thrive anywhere; I'm convinced.

Leftwood said:Indeed. Unlike mine, these wonders are what can happen when you spend time figuring your hybridizing efforts before hand. Knowing your lilies *intimately* in regards to crossing certainly pays off!

I think it was Fred Fellner that said: 'become intimately familiar with your garden and plants'. It's a saying that stuck with me.

magnolialover said:Trumpets are lacking in the lily commerce these days. These are just what is needed!

I agree! But what we really need is more people like you, Tracey. I admire your work, too!

William said:Lorn, you may not have any plans for introducing these, but based on their uniqueness and beauty, many of them need to go visit the nearest cloning lab, very soon .

I've been doing scale cloning as I go along--enough to keep me and my projects busy. But I agree with you, William, many should even be in tissue culture for garden use. Here's one example that's blooming here now. Mature, well established plant.

Buttercurls X Coffee and Castenets

Last night






And, this morning---to show full reflex curl that develops overnight.

Maiden bloom with fused bud. Actually, not all that uncommon for 'first flower'.

A couple more maiden bloomers from today---only the better ones---lots of other junk today.

EDIT ADDED: NOTE THE STIGMA IN the FIRST PICTURE.

Love those curly ones.

Me too! Absolutely love those tight curls.

Lorn, your gold-yellow Lilies are a dream!

Mature seedling, lemon lime color. Very consistent and hardy, about 10 years old.

Another mature seedling about 10 years old that enjoys 'high seniority' around here. Very hardy and consistant.

Ooo..that melon colored one!

This seedling reminds me of 'White Henryi'. Two sisters saved, 5 or 6 years old now and looks like they will be strong, hardy plants. I continue to use then in crossing. Secondary buds, all pedicels. Botrytis resistant.

Looks like nice long pedicels on that one, Lorn.

Very nice.

Connie, I think long pedicels and secondary buds are good to have at this stage of development because these are features that are most likely to be compromised with the next move if the other partner doesn't have them---which is quite often the case moving forward. Here's the selected partner with sunburst form. Disregard the botrytis of a nearby different plant ; this little plant is resistant.

Good information, Lorn. Thanks. So it is preferable that both parents have long pedicels going forward. And I would add in a pleasing arrangement, not helter skelter.

Yes, especially in the pre sunburst and sunburst stages. But lateral crossing in the the sunburst stage can produce lots of ugly, unsightly flowers as well. So, in the real world moving forward, one usually is attracted to another more advanced , prettier color sunburst or one with better health, etc. and run with it. The farther away from L. henryi you go, the more those characturistics of bud count and pedicel lengths are compromised and sometimes things aren't so pretty. I always say, though, 'sometimes you have to get the 'ugly' before you get the 'pretty'.

Wow Lorn. Just came across this post. Some amazing work!