Narcissus August 2014

[Matt T]

Fermi & Lesley,
Daffseek is a great resource for info on Narcissus. Here the details held for N. 'Kojak': http://daffseek.org/query/query-detail.php?cultivar=Kojak&lastpage=1&
Especially for hybrids and cultivars, as it give details of parentage (where known), as well as whether that plant has been used as a parent itself. Just enter the name of your daffy in the query box on the query page/homepage and hit 'enter': http://daffseek.org/
Checking the 'expanded menu' tick box you can also search on seed and/or pollen parent, i.e. if you are planning a cross and want to check out if it has been done before and whether any cultivars resulted from it.
A very helpful resource.
Cheers,
Matt

[Matt T]

Hi Lesley,
I'm not sure about the breeding for 'Kojak' - I'll have to dig out one of Rod's catalogues and see if it's listed.
Here's one of the Narcissus cantabricus grown from seed Rafa collected in Madrid, sown in 2010,
cheers
fermi

Oh, the crystalline glitter! And the frilled corona! Gorgeous.

[Lesley Cox]

Thanks for that Matt. I know it exists but should actually USE it, when I'm looking for something.

I have some of that seed from Rafa Fermi. You may have sent it to me or maybe it was Anthony. None flowered yet but if they're anything like that I'll be really chuffed.

[Mini-daffs]

 
Hi
Fermi, our bulbs are doing well for you. It also looks like Rod Barwick's bulbs do well for you as well. If those who live in the UK look at Dryad's list you will see the ubiquitous "K" in the parentage of many of Anne Wright's seedlings.
Anyway, a few more photos of Keira Bulbs' seedlings.
There are lot of things flowering at  the moment that are flowering much earlier than normal. One of these is N. dubius. It will provide us with some interesting hybridising opportunities. We have three pots in our garage at them moment as it has been raining and we don't want to lose the pollen for those opportunities. One of the pots is N. dubius.

[Mini-daffs]

 Hi
Achieving perfect symmetry in split cup hybridising is a goal for the hybridiser but often you fall short of it and end up with some very odd looking flowers. Here are a few especially for Lesley.
N. cyclamineus is also flowering at the moment.

[Mini-daffs]

 
Hi
Some photos of something really special. It is an all apricot miniature cyclamineus hybrid. The colour in the photos of the petals does not properly reflect the true colour of the petals.
As it has been raining I don't have as many photos as I would normally have as I spent more time hybridising before the rain set in.

[fermi de Sousa]

This Narcissus romieuxii type is flowering where I don't remember planting one, so probably a seedling, but possibly a stray bulb - looks a lot like Rod Barwick's selection 'Mondieu',
cheers
fermi

[annew]

You really do have some cracking hoops, Fermi!

[Yann]

MonDieu (in french) was the exclamation at the sight of this beauty!

[Hillview croconut]

Hi,

According to Rod's 2006 catalogue Kojak is bred from Spoirot x a sibling.

Does he mean a sibling of Spoirot? I have always thought that Olumbo looked very much the same cross.

Spoirot is bred from N. bulbocodium ssp conspicuous x N. cantabricus ssp foliosus.

According to his 2012 catalogue Olumbo is a sibling of Mitimoto. Mitimoto is bred from N. b. conspicuous x Nylon. So much for my theory!

I seem to remember Kojak having a very nice scent. Or is that Olumbo? I'd better go and check first hand!

Cheers, Marcus

[Lesley Cox]

I seem to remember Kojak having a very nice scent.

Cheers, Marcus

Did he wear a man perfume do you think? or maybe it was his aftershave. He'd need a lot of that on top.

Sorry.  What I especially liked in Fermi's 'Kojak' was the very thick-seeming texture of the flower. It would stand the weather well, even today's, more snow and sleet.

[Hillview croconut]

I don't know about the man perfume but he was always impeccably dressed and had a very shiny pate ...  unlike Olumbo who was perpetually dishevelled and spoke like he had a horse's bit permanently stuck between his molars. Although he did make a very good, if not unusual, angel in Wim Wender's classic, Wings of Desire, not the crappy USA version).

Both the above do have very thick textured flowers, upright and tall stems.

Don't worry about the sleet. Lots of sun on its way!

Cheers, Marcus

[fermi de Sousa]

You really do have some cracking hoops, Fermi!

Thanks, Anne,
they seem to do well here 
Here's a clump of 'Mitimoto' (GBF Nylon Group x N.bulbocodium ssp bulbocodium v. conspicuous)
cheers
fermi

[Lesley Cox]

Sleet has stopped but still very cold. I'm off to 3 nurseries tomorrow with a couple of friends, so hope it's a bit warmer. I have a substantial order to collect from Hokonui and it is the open day (weekend) at the Telford Hellebore nursery. I foresee another expensive day.

[fermi de Sousa]

Leave your credit card and cheque book at home, Lesley
Here are a couple more from Keira Bulbs:
'Turland's Gold'
A Narcissus triandrus hybrid
cheers
fermi