Hi Arlene,
If you just save seeds from your favorite Whirligigs, you will be well on your way to a better Whirligig display, and that gives you a very easy entry into breeding your own zinnias.
I think that Whirligigs are an effective component of any zinnia breeding program, because the strain has so much natural variation due to its interspecific hybrid origins. Seed packet pictures, or catalog pictures, usually just show 5 or 6 different samples, but Whirligigs are capable of hundreds of different looks. There are many variations on the "white tips on red petals" look.
This is yet another example.
And yet another white-on-red Whirligig.
Notice the "toothy" petal tips on that one. Since Whirligigs can involve all of the zinnia colors, they can show many color combinations. Whirligigs can be crossed with other zinnias to yield some really interesting results. More later. I am planting some zinnias indoors today to set outside after the danger of frost is over.
ZM
