I'm pretty good about documenting my work properly and making sure things are labeled clearly and correctly, but occasionally accidents happen. In this case, I have a seedling germinated in 2007 that is clearly not from the cross the label says its from. 130-06 is a group of open pollinated 'Old Blush' seedlings. There is not even a hint of 'Old Blush' in this plant. What I expect happened is that a seed from another cross wormed its way into the 130-06 row and thats how it was labeled. In '06 I did quite a lot with 'Midnight Blue' and this seedling looks very similar to some of the seedlings from those crosses. Anyway, I am going to assume this had 'Midnight Blue' as a seed parent and leave it at that. I wouldn't be the first hybridizer who lost track of the parentage of a rose.
I have just moved this seedling from a 5 gallon container outside into the garden for further evaluation. In another year I will have a better idea of its merits (and flaws). It has a very decent fragrance, but the blooms are a bit on the small side at 2 to 2.5 inches. The color of the half open buds is amazing and defy photographing; almost black they are such a deep Amaranth purple.
In the weeks to come I will likely present numerous test seedlings, as the 2007 and 2008 crop are all coming into bloom now.
I have just moved this seedling from a 5 gallon container outside into the garden for further evaluation. In another year I will have a better idea of its merits (and flaws). It has a very decent fragrance, but the blooms are a bit on the small side at 2 to 2.5 inches. The color of the half open buds is amazing and defy photographing; almost black they are such a deep Amaranth purple.
In the weeks to come I will likely present numerous test seedlings, as the 2007 and 2008 crop are all coming into bloom now.
I was looking at the parentage of Midnight Blue, Wild Blue Yonder, and Ebb Tide a couple of months ago. By their parentage I would assume that they all breed about the same. I do not know if you have experience with all of these but do you think my assumption would be correct or do they all breed very differently.
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ReplyDeleteThis is what I am hoping too Wuchen. Paul has advised me in the past that 'Ebb Tide' works well both as the pollen parent and the seed parent. The parentage of 'Midnight Blue' and 'Ebb Tide' are identical and my guess is they could be sister seedlings.'Ebb Tide' is available here but not 'Midnight Blue'. I'll be splashing it about onto as much as I can next season too. Looking forward to seeing what it can make with things like 'Francis Dubreuil', 'St Francis Xavier', 'Tuscany Superb', 'Henry Martin', 'Sweet Chariot', 'Violette', 'Scabrosa', 'Wild Rover', 'Safrano', and 'Rhapsody in Blue'.
ReplyDeletePaul... this seedling is lovely. It has to be my favourite rose colour.
ooooo, purple.... oooo!
ReplyDeleteGood work, Paul, whatever the parentage was!
Wuchen,
ReplyDeleteI suspect that all of these will be equally useful in breeding, but I have far more experience with 'Midnight Blue' than with 'Ebb Tide' so far, so I hesitate to draw any conclusions. Both are fertile in both directions and both have given me some very interesting seedlings. Use whichever you can get your hands on, I say.
I need to post photos of some of the other 'Midnight Blue' offspring. Some of them are in bloom right now and are becoming truly spectacular.
Hello Paul! Wow...what a wonderful, informative site you have! Thanks for your visit, & very kind comments on my photos!! Your pics are wonderful, and I have already learned so much from my first visit here!
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Cat
What a lovely purple. I am coming to appreciate the amazing range of colors in modern roses more and more.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your blog and for your other website, Paul Barden's Roses. I have spent much happy time reading through, and drinking in, the descriptions and pictures.
I am just starting in rose culture (as of last year), but I am grateful for the information you've taken the time to share. I can see you are retired from this type of thing now (working with roses specifically, I mean), but your published work lives on, thanks to the Internet!
Many thanks for the time you have taken and the work you have done. You have whetted my interest in roses by your supplying such detail of your adventures.