A few other blooms of interest from Rongotea . Reg Cull is our local ” Historics ” expert , – – he has a good collection and frequently shows varieties that are new to most of us . I had no seen SHIRLEY WYNESS , 2W – YYP , bred West & Fell ,( Victoria Australia , ) , pre 1935 , before .Reg received this flower from his father George Cull , also a keen exhibitor . Reg has grown it continuously since about 1960 , – in later years , but before the Historic classes were introduced , it was no longer a suitable exhibition variety , just an enjoyable flower that had a family attachment . He now uses it in the historic vintage ( 1900 – 1939 ) classes . It has a very nicely shouldered perianth for a flower of this era . When the flower is more mature , the yellow fades and the rim deepens to an orange toned pink .
WHIROKINA 1W – W , G L Wilson , 1954 , register by George Cull , 1964 , has an interesting history .Reg,s dad regularly imported bulbs from Guy Wilson and about 1960 , received a ( mislabelled ) variety , not true to label but a very nice white trumpet . Correspondence was exchanged as to what it may be and if it had been registered .Unfortunately Wilson died before the matter was settled but the white trumpet was registered by George Cull in 1964 . It does take a few days for the trumpet to whiten but had considerable show success in the 60,s and 70,s , often competing with the Phillips raised 1W – W SEMANTHA , a good white in that era . WHIROKINA is best known as the long trestle bridge ( built 1938 of reinforced concrete ) , 1100 metres long , across the Manawatu river flood plain .It is one of the last of this style of bridge still in use on our State Highway 1 , just south of Foxton , where George Cull farmed .Planning is underway for a new bridge to be built summer 16 / 17 at cost of about $ 60 million .
FILM QUEEN , 2Y – YYO , Sydney C Gaspar , 1955 , is a N Z raised , very brightly rimmed redcup that was a popular collection flower in the 60,s and 70,s . Never quite smooth enough for top honours but always certain to attract attention with it,s glowing rim .It was a tall stemmed , vigorous grower that I grew as a very useful cutflower . Reg is very fond of it as it is the parent of his outstanding rimmed redcup HOKORAWA .
HOKORAWA 2Y – YYR, Reg Cull ,1996 , was Champion bloom at the North Island National show , Lower Hutt 1991 when shown under seedling number .It is one of only two seedlings registered from Film Queen .
The white backed double class at Rongotea was an interesting contest between form and colour .I had a goodsized bloom , not well layered but with exceptional red / pink colouring .JFM 13 – 11 is bred from 06 – 21 ( Precedent – x – [ Pastel Rose x Replete ] ) — x — 2W – R sdlg Valley Storm – x – Peoples Princess . Very bright and eye-catching but deservedly beaten by the John Hunter registration CAPE FAREWELL .4W – WYR . John has beautiful perianths on his recent doubles ; I have been using pollen from his fine pinks onto my brighter doubles and have had a good seed collect ( both ways ) in the last two seasons .
It is a very special time for John this week .He has to change BOTH numbers when writing his age .Congratulations John on this special milestone and thanks for all the beautiful daffs .
Cape Farewell is the most Northern point of the South Island of NZ . , just west of the long Farewell Spit .It was first sighted by Dutch explorer Abel Tasman , the first European to sight NZ in December 1642 . It was named by English explorer Captain James Cook as the last point of land they saw as he left NZ in 1770 to further explore the Pacific .
Hi All,
I have to agree with John regarding Cape Farewell, the form and colour contrast is very good. Its sister seedling Cosmic Dawn is even better, probably the best in its division. The photograph of Shirley Wyness looks very different to the photo of the same variety on Daffseek, one has a tubular cup while the other has a bowl shape cup.
Robin
Happy birthday John Hunter! Keep making those crosses! Cape Farewell is certainly a stunning colour. It is good to learn of the history and see photos of the older varieties.