Seed to Bloom

 The number of seedlings raised and grown on this year 2009, was around 2,500. The majority of  these were grown outside at my plot on the other side of the village, from this seed bed I selected less than 50 plants to save over the winter and grow in the Greenhouse in 2010 to further assess each plant.  The seed to produce these plants was crossed in the greenhouse in the months of September, October and November 2008. When the crosses were made, the female seed pods were left on the plants to ripen. this can take in some cases over 7 weeks.   The seed was then cleaned, mixed with silver sand and sown mid January in a heated propagator in the greenhouse. By growing on in the greenhouse and then the cold frame they are of a size suitable to plant out in the garden Early in June when frosts are past and allowed to flower mid August. Please note that the individual blooms at bottom of page were photographed as they were lifted from garden. 

SEED BEING HARVESTED

SEED TRAY IN PROPAGATOR

PLUG TRAYS IN PROPAGATOR

GROWING ON IN COLD FRAME

COLD FRAME ALMOST READY FOR PLANTING OUT

SEEDLINGS FROM BOTTOM OF GARDEN

SEEDLINGS FROM TOP OF GARDEN

FIONA RAMSAY x KOOKABURRA

HAZEL MARGARET x CAN CAN

FIONA RAMSAY xBALI HI

FIONA RAMSAY x FRED MARTIN

HAZEL MARGARET x FALSTAFF

CAN CAN x JENNY BARCLAY

CAN CAN x LINDSAY MURRAY

JIMMY HENDERSON x JENNY BARCLAY

HAZEL MARGARET x SWEET DREAMS

FIONA RAMSAY x BALI HI

FIONA RAMSAY x LINDA JACKSON

CAN CAN x LINDSAY MURRAY