I may be mistaken, but I always thought that a well-grown Tete a Tete should have two or more florets. Isn’t that why it’s a Div 12 and not a Div 2? ( That’s probably also the reason it was given its very appropriate name.) The cultivar is similarly vexing for me as it is for other growers, with a two-headed version appearing only very infrequently. But until the cultivar is reclassified as Div 2 (and perhaps renamed “Right Angle” in honor of its super pose), I plan to show it, and expect it to be judged as a Div 12. To quote the Handbook, page 90, “The ideal form for a flower is determined primarily by the division to which it belongs.” To be sure, there follows on page 91 some fudging language about cultivars with multiple florets, but I’m not sure how it applies in this case. I guess maybe I should move to either Holland or Lake Wobegon, where I could expect all Tete a Tetes to be above average.
Bob,
This is interesting. I have two clumps of Tete-a-Tete, from bulbs bought at the same time from the WDS sale table in 2002. I planted three of them on the east side of our house (soil with a lot of compost in it) and the other three on the west side of the house (soil with some sand, less compost). The clump on the east side of the house always gives me single blooms. The clump on the west side of the house always gives me double blooms. As to depth of planting? Don’t remember — they’ve been down way too long and need to be divided this year. Could it be the difference in the soil? Or the ones on the east only get morning sun, to about 1:00 while the ones on the west get sun from late morning (about 11:00) on? I don’t know, but it is an interesting difference in bulbs bought and planted at the same time in two different places.
Lina
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Doesn’t seem to matter what exposure or soil my Tetes have they still usually have very few scapes of more than one floret. SIngle florets have better form. I don’t think the bulbs have been previously forced. They were replanted last fall.
Jumblie also throws a lot of single florets. Had a vase of three in CODS show yesterday.
If showing in a collection I try not to use a single floreted one unless desperate.
Naomi