Dr. Griesbach's Pearl Series Lilies

After a considerable number of pageviews on my previous posts about these tetraploid lilies, I decided to do a follow up post. This was after Ramona Titus of Faraway Flowers sent an email to her customers a few days ago, including yours truly, who purchased these series of lilies from her last spring.

This is Pearl Sophie, according to the email sent by Ramona Titus. Sold to me as Pearl Justine.


Currently named Pearl Lorraine. Ramona Titus is offering to send the real Pearl Lorraine (I think maybe it is Pearl Carolina) to her customers free of charge provided you order from her or pay $5 shipping for the bulb.


This is Pearl Jessica, positively identified by Dr. Griesbach.



Pearl Stacey/Stacie/Gracie is true to name.


Pearl Jennifer is also true to name.

Going thru the sales materials, the pics of Stacey, Jennifer and Jessica matched my pics.

Pearl Justine and Pearl Carolina are the two lilies I am missing from the original series, the lilies named after Dr. Griesbach's five granddaughters.


Here is one of the letters Dr. Griesbach sent me. I hope that this letter will help those people seeking informations about these lilies. Please click at the photo to enlarge it.

Amaryllis Dancing Queen and Other Plants

It is amaryllis season and Dancing Queen is my first bloomer. It did not bloom when I first planted it last spring.


I was so excited when I saw it sending up a scape in the basement a few days ago. However, the state of the scape is not healthy with its stunted growth that it barely grew out of the bulb. Tarsonemid mites came to my mind remembering discussions on a forum. I peeled the dried layers of the bulb and sure enough there were tiny crawling insects barely visible to my eyes and there were red blotches on the bulb, a tell-tale sign of the infestation. I believe that hot water treatment is used to treat this problem, where you soak the bulb in hot water in certain temperature and certain length of time.




Although my amaryllises were not fed on regular basis last summer, I am still lucky that DQ rewarded me with two beautiful flowers.


Here are a few of the plants growing in the basement. In this pot are Ammocharis coronica. These were grown from seeds and what you see are squirrel left overs.


This is Lilium philippinense grown from seed. I've sown about 30 seeds and this is the lone survivor.


My amaryllis seedlings.


I put this lily bulb in the fridge on 09.05.10 right after it went to dormancy. A few days ago I found it growing so I potted it up yesterday. I got this lily from a trade and it is suppose to be a species lily from the south.


My thrift store find last week: Born in the Spring and Bulbs books.

I have gotten a lot of informations from this book.


And this book covers a lot of bulbs including lilies. It was published in 1976 and I am wondering if the following lilies still exist today.


Corsage

Update: 12.12.10
On the online Lily Register, Corsage was bred by Jan de Graaff in 1961. Parentage: Patterson's 'Lemon Queen' x 'Edith Cecelia'. There is one nursery in Minnesota that carry this lily. Corsage still exist.


Prosperity

Parentage: Amabile var luteum x 'Valencia', Jan de Graaff 1951. A photo of this lily can be found on Dave's Garden dated 2006. It still exist.


Connecticut Yankee

L. tigrinum flaviflorum x 'Gold Urn' David M. Stone 1959. Can't find a photo online.


Harlequin Hybrids

Jan de Graaff OBF, 1950, Salmon buff and other colors, spotted. No photos online.

Lilies and Hostas

Dr. Griesbach's Pearl Jennifer with Golden Tiara flowers.


Dr. Griesbach's Pearl Stacey/Gracie with Halcyon on the left and June Fever on the right.


Robina and Altari are happily growing in the shade.


Lemon Lime and Fire and Ice. Stained Glass is on the upper right.


Tiny Ghost amidst Salvias.


Rosella's Dream growing in the shade with Elegans and ferns.


Orienpet Jameson with Birchwood Parky's Gold.


Gold Standards with different lilies. From left to right: Rosella's Dream, Mona Lisa, Navona and Montenegro.


Tropical Breeze amidst hostas.


Blooming Blue Cadet and company. From left to right: Orange Marmalade, Guacamole, Fragrant Bouquet and Whirlwind.


Tiger lilies with Plantagineas and Undulata Albomarginata flowers.


Regal Splendor with Striptease on its left and red petioled Red October on its right.

Bulbs in the Garden

It has been two weeks since I made my last post. A lot of bulbs has been planted since then. A few plants has been dug and moved, made a few last minute orders online, a trip to a big box store which has the bulbs I am looking for and a last minute trade/bulb sharing from a very nice fellow lily enthusiast.


For a starter, I dug a clump of L. regales that were growing under a huge tree.




I replaced them with these tulips. The area receives sunlight when the tree has not leaf out yet. Also, in this area is where the newly acquired native plants will be planted.


In between the house and the garage I planted some Scillas, Puschkinias, Iris reticulatas and crocuses Barr's Purple and Dorothy.



I thought I was done planting when I dumped all of the unplanted bulbs in this hole.

As of now, I have 6 lily bulbs (3 Blackberry's Snack, 3 Party Diamond) and 15 Sundisc daffs left to plant. The daffs were given to me for free. (Thanks Linnea!)
And there are about 30 corms and tubers left from a couple of native plants orders.


A clump of Hosta Guacamole has been moved.


A clump of Hosta Plantaginea has been divided.

Tons of sedum Autumn Joy and common hostas has been thrown away. The space is needed for the bulbs.


This pic was taken in my neighborhood last spring. We went to our spring walk and passed by a house with thousands of scillas planted in the garden and in the lawn. I am not exaggerating when I said thousands. They really look nice en masse. Love those little blue flowers!

Double Sensation

This lily has fat buds that look like they are wearing lipstick at their tips. Beautiful double flowered asiatic. It is also pollenless.




Enjoy!

Boogie Woogie

Some people are disappointed with this lily as the pink picotee edge does not show. But early in the morning when it is just beginning to open, it does show a faint pink edge. As the flower fully open and as the day becomes hot, it disappears. I think that in cooler weather, it will truly show.

Purple Prince

Advertised as purple lily. The online and catalog photos of this lily is dark purple. Here are images I took from my garden last summer.I ended up owning thirteen of this lily. The first batch was purchased two years ago and got some more last fall and a few more from a trade last spring. They all came out the same color, dark pink.


This pic was taken from the group that grew in full sun.



This one received afternoon sun only.