Virginia Bluebells

After my long absence, I am excited to start the blogging season with my blooming Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica). I am so pleased with their performance this spring. They started out as five little rhizomes bought online three years ago. Here they are now with masses of pink to blue flowers. Happy spring everyone.

2012 Photos of the Pearl Lilies

Pearl Jessica

Pearl Jessica

Pearl Loraine, registered with just 1 R.

Pearl Loraine and Pearl Jessica

Pearl Sophie and Pearl Stacie

Pearl Jennifer

Pearl Justien... There are a few photos on the web and my Pearl Justien look like the above pic. The source of my bulb is Faraway Flowers.

Seeds, Seedling and Pods

I was down at the basement doing some watering and cleaning and thought of sharing what is happening down there.

I received a few seed packets of Charlie Kroell lilies last fall. I tried sowing a packet and the below pic is the result. I don't remember how many seeds were in the packet, but there were seven that came up.

These are the Griesbach Asiatic lily seeds I received from the good doctor. I sowed the 1b plum x 1b plum seeds. I hope to sow the others soon.

Asiatic lily 1b plum x 1b plum seedlings.

My Hippeastrum cross, Bogota x Rapido.

And another cross of mine made last year, Hippeastrum San Remo x Rapido.

Hippeastrum Wedding Dance x Graffiti, cross made by a friend from Hawaii.

The big fat pod is of Hippeastrum Exotic Star x Bogota.

The pods at 12 and 6 o' clock are of Exotic Star x Papilio.

Hopefully these will all take, H. Chico x H. papilio.

H. striatum x H. papilio, ripening.

Last fall, I collected lots of open pollinated trumpet African Queen lily seeds. If anybody is interested to experiment and grow lilies from seeds, email me and I will send you a packet. These seeds are mixed of four strains of AQ growing in my garden.

Hippeastrum striatum

Small-flowered species. Lovely color, form and shape. First time to bloom for me. I got it as a tiny seedling almost three years ago.

Hippeastrum Floris Hekker

Floris Hekker has medium size flowers. The green strappy leaves grew at the same time with the scapes. Although short in stature, it compensated its shortcoming with its vibrant red flowers. In the second photo, FH was photographed with Chico and supposed to be Red Lion.

Hippeastrum Aphrodite

A double hippi with pink picotee and highlights. Its flower is big measuring nine inches across. Bred by Miyake Nursery in Japan.

Aphrodite is known to have long pedicels. These pedicels measured six inches long.