Michael Berrigan visited Bill Welch this past Monday and later with us for dinner that evening. He brought the tazettas in these photos which are currently blooming in Bills’s field. Bill Welch grows many tazettas near the Pacific ocean on Montery bay (California).
The photos are various angle shots of three vases and the smaller is probably a N. viridiflorus hybrid possibly from Manuel Lima or perhaps Bill’s hybrid.
Michael pointed out and described features of several of these particularly noting the overlapping perianths of some. He also noted that these fall blooming tazettas bloom for a long time. The blooms I photographed have been cut for a week now and look like they could last a couple more weeks too.
I’m more intrigued by the double tazettas. Those are spectacular. The breeding of those would be interesting.
Donna
These are stunning. Can’t say I’m surprised. It’s just what I’d expect from Bill. It’s going to make my fertility update for division 8 look pretty thin. I sure wish Bill would write one.
I’ve been an admirer of Bill Welch for a long time and have always wanted to visit with him and see his blooming tazettas. Thanks for sharing your photos. :-)
Some of Bill’s bulbs were available at our annual bulb exchange in St Louis this year. I’m hoping his flowers do well here so we can admire his beautiful flowers in our gardens.
Lynn Slackman