Daffodils in the Southern Hemisphere - 2007

[Lesley Cox]

Dave is WRONG,WRONG,WRONG. The more micro the minis the better so far as alpine gardeners are concerned. And I'll bet there are more alpine/rock gardeners in the world than there are specialist daffodil growers, so WE WIN. I have nearly 100 troughs in my garden, some very small and I like to have a couple of bulbs in each as well as herbaceous stuff. Your tiny micros would be perfect for the troughs, as well as for pots for pleasure and alpine shows. But we don't have anything as small as yours. Boo Hoo.

[Maggi Young]

David Adams has queried the utility of micro minis in another forum. He doesn't think anybody other than specialist daffodil growers would be interested in such small flowers and even then it is for their novelty value. I have seen some pretty small alpine plants in pots and troughs so I am far from convinced.

I agree with you, Graham, there must be a vast market for the littlest daffs... why else would we all be so fixated on alpines, which, by and large, are so small? Of course it is not just novelty value... it would be great to have a wider range of minis that might be more amenable to cultivation than the species for the alpine and rock garden community. More strength to your hybridising brush, I say!

[Lesley Cox]

Graham, if you sell mainly to daff growers, maybe you could change your focus and offer mainly to alpine gardeners. You'd have a huge export market and I can think of many Aussies in Vic and Tas who'd love them.

[Maggi Young]

The exhibiton growers will pay huge money, especially in the USA, though, could we stingy bunch compare with that? Well, no, but we'd buy all the ones Graham doesn't think are worth anything, for something!!

[mark smyth]

Lesley you are correct!

[Lesley Cox]

Well of course Mark. As always. I'm a woman.

[Mini-daffs]

 
Maggie is only partly right as some of our premium miniature bulbs are in the UK and have been for a few years but for exhibition and breeding purposes. The US is the main source of demand for miniatures and it was this demand that got us going in the first place. It is also why we keep on developing new and better varieties. Our customers have to have something new to exhibit. From my own experiences exhibition daffodils can be pricey in the UK. We imported some exhibition bulbs from Clive Postles and Brian Duncan a few years ago and they were about 50 pounds then.
The main problem in relation to what you describe as our rejects is the quarantine charges and the cost of turning them around. That is a problem even in relation to sending them to New Zealand.
David, never thought as myself as a Bishop. Somewhere earlier in the thread I mentioned that my grandfather came to Australia from NZ. He was from an early pioneer family of non-conformists (ie Methodists) and he married a young lady from an involuntary pioneering Sydney family that was also non-conformists. My cousin is a retired Minister and his son is a Minister in Canberra.
A few more photos of things that are out in the garden at the moment. Lots to come out yet.

[Lesley Cox]

I don't want to put pressure on you Graham, and start begging, but it may be worth a mention that daffs into NZ shouldn't be a problem. They are permitted as dormant bulbs with no quarantine, and we would only need to know the approx. breeding (triandrus x bulbocodium, as an example). No problems turning them around either . They do need inspecion and phyto before leaving Oz but any costs would be borne by importer anyway. Maybe worth thinking about sometime.

[Mini-daffs]

 
Hi
The end of the season is in sight. Some very nice jonquilla and triandus seedlings in flower at the moment. I forgot to take a photo of the 5W-W with six florets to the stem.
So  here are some of todays photos.

[Casalima]

I have been (silently  ) admiring all your wonderful daffodils, Graham. They are an absolute delight!

Chloë
(in daffodil country)

[Mini-daffs]

 
Hi
Chloe, while we grow lots of daffodils we have not been to neither Spain nor Portugal to see them in the wild. Of course our daffodils would grow well in your country unless you were right by the sea with high humidity.
Our flowering period for cyclamineus hybrids is fairly long these days. The last of them will flower this week.

[annew]

That first one is especially nice.

[Mini-daffs]

 
Hi
Anne, photos can be misleading.  The description of 6W-P tells the story. The photo is of a flower that changes from 6W-Y to 6W-P. It is a late flowering dwarf 6W-P. It has too much frill so the petals tend to get knicked. It is not therefore an exhibition flower or up to the standard that I would release it. However, it is quite dwarf in height so it comes in handy for breeding 6W-P miniatures. However, I am making breeding harder for myself by using a 6W-P with a long trumpet with too much frill! It would be excellent for alpine gardeners but never likely to be released. More photos in next posting.
Chloe, I suspect that there are more lurkers out there than you. Do you grow daffodils in your garden Chloe?
I am attaching photos of a host of angels for you Chloe!!  Some are even crying! Chloe if you are not able to work out my reference to angels I am sure one of the clever lurkers, or failing that Maggie, can explain the play on words.
Lesley only angels with this posting so no split cups.

[Mini-daffs]

 
Hi
A few more angels and a few other photos including a split cup (is it only a bit of scalloping?) for Lesley so she doesn't feel left out!!

[Lesley Cox]

It's 3am Monday. If Edward Longshanks hammered the Scots, it's nothing to what the All Blacks are now about to do.

(Oh, Lord, I hope I don't live to regret that statement).