I,m not sure when the ( R ) was first added to the colour code of daffs from the pink spectrum but the first that I can recall was QUASAR , 2 W – P PR , reg 1977 .The colour charts can be used to define the colour but they cannot measure the changes in cup colour as a flower develops on opening or other factors including soil and climate or indeed the hall lighting when flowers are being judged .The red factor has obviously intrigued quite a few hybridisers , initially probably on the West Coast of the U S A and soon after , in most daff growing countries .I have always been intrigued by this colour and have slowly aquired a small collection of red / pinks , primarily to try and get this colour into doubles .The logical source of red / pinks in N Z was Colin Crotty who was similarly attracted to this colour and was breeding for strong colours from the mid 1970 ,s .Here are a few bright flowers , not all registered as red / pinks but all very attractive .Graham Phillips and Colin have provided photos of some of their recent flowers that I will show in future posts. Dr John Reed is providing a regular supply of well coloured flowers to the northern growers , continuing the tradition started by Murray Evans , Grant Mitsch , the Havens and others .
VALLEY DREAM , – Cherryrim — x — Eclat .
VALLEY STORM , — Eclat — x — CC1976 sdlg .;
BLAZING WAVE , — Eclat — x — CC sdlg 12 – 76 ;
ALISON HOLST , not a red pink but a good size flower with very attractive colour change in the cup as it matures .And who is Alison Holst . Since 2011 her official title is Dame Companion of the N Z Order Of Merit DNZM , CBE ,QSM . She was the first KIWI celebrity Chef , first show on T V in 1965 ( black and white ) , and for the next 30 years ; she has been a prolific writer of cooking books and she had sold 4 .5 million books up until 2010 , more than one for every Kiwi . Today her son Simon is continuing the family trade . A very attractive flower for a Kiwi icon .
TEMPLE FLARE , — Accent — x — Cherryrim .
SOLAR FIRE , — unknown pedigree , ;
DEB,S JEWEL , — Debbie Joan — x — Picotee Witch , both Cherryrim sdlgs .I have posted this flower before ; the very bright , ruffled rim always attracts attention .
These are early flowers from Colin Crotty in the Quest for red / pinks . They are mostly just below the standard for show flowers we expect today , but all can produce the occasional show quality flower . Recent flowers from Colin are much improved , particularly with very refined perianths .
NEON BLAZE is a very good show flower with a strong record at top Kiwi National Shows . The difference is apparent here with NEON BLAZE , BLAZING WAVE and VALLEY DREAM .
HOT SECRET is another more recent release , not quite top form but very showable with a well shaped quality perianth . It has an interesting colour change as it opens ; a glowing colour at maturity , perhaps a little weather marked in these photos .
Quite a few here for Daffseek please Nancy .
Nice pictures. And this highlights a problem with color coding that will soon need to be addressed. We need some way of distinguishing between orange-reds and pink-reds. I come across this in catalogs. When looking for strong orange-reds for my breeding program I looked at bulbs labelled W-R and found most of them were red-pinks. By the way in our Southern Californian climate most red-pinks are merely a good strong pink and I find no red, So I envy those of you who can get the color intensity that John has illustrated here.
Interesting historical bit (and a lesson for us): Delia Bankhead carried on a voluminous correspondence with Murray Evans, and he shared bulbs. She bought Quasar from him when it was first available and it did well for her in Washington. Murray lost all his stock; and Delia dug and sent back to him almost all that she had, now a fair supply. Another proof of “The best way to keep something is to give it away.”
Loyce McKenzie
Madison, MS
Hello All,
The red-pink debate has been around for a long time – when Lesley was National President of the NDSNZ she tried very hard to sort it out. The late Max Hamilton who was then our Registrar of Daffodil Names played a lead role and obtained the RHS Colour Chart (kindly donated by Len Olive an English member of the NDSNZ). After careful examination and lengthy discussion it was decided that Quasar was a red cup and so were many of Colin Crotty’s raising. While that decision still holds today the message has not reached all of our judges. New Zealand has a system of examining judging after it is completed. This is done by a group of Experienced Senior Judges who look at a range of classes after judging. Two years ago Graeme Miller (Chairman of the National Judging SubCommittee) and I were carrying out this task and when looking at the single bloom class for 2YR saw an unplaced bloom which we believed was superior to the overall Best Bloom in the show.! Unfortunately the judge, like Elvis, had left the building and gone home so we weren’t able to ask him about the reasons for his decision. We did, though, surmise that he had decided it was a pink. Indeed we could find no other reason. It came as no surprise to discover that it was a Colin Crotty variety (now named Ultimatum). So the confusion continues! I have suggested to Graeme that this topic be placed on the Judging Schools agenda for next year.
Just for the record the ESJ’s cannot change the decision of judges – their work is to improve the standard of judging via meetings after judging and through the judging schools.
Peter