Old and New Seedlings

Here are some random new and old seedlings that I am liking today. 

From 2010, one of my favorites, a fragrant English style seedling.

And here is one from 2013, a fairly floriferous Hulthemia.

The next one is a new 2015 seedling coming from the seed parent L56-1 (a 'Thrive!' seedling) that is bright red, crossed with 'First Impression'.  I didn't think that I would get a yellow rose from that cross since the red color is so strong.

And, below are two more 2015 seedlings that should be "keepers" for now.

The last seedling is almost thornless and has a nearly black eye.  I'm not sure that "black-eyed" roses would sell very well!  What do you think?!

'Midnight Blue' X Basye's Thornless

A seedling from 2013, coming from a cross of 'Midnight Blue' X Basye's Thornless, this is one of my favorite Basye's Thornless seedlings.  It is fully remontant, nearly thornless, blooming in very large clusters, and produces abundant hips.  I learned this year that the seeds germinate very well.  So of course I had to use it extensively this year as a seed parent.  One of the crosses that I am most hopeful for is a cross of this seedling X 'Blue for You'.  Since there are many hips, I hope to have several seedlings to look at from this cross in about 5 months.  This seedling is also the seedling that I highlighted in Winter, Spring or Fall, that had good fall colors and hips.

'Tigris' Revisited

It had been quite awhile since I used 'Tigris' in my breeding program, but last year I decided to try something different and cross back onto 'Tigris' one of my better hybrid Hulthemia mini parents.  Of course the mini Hulthemia had to be used as a pollen parent since 'Tigris'' pollen appears to be infertile.

I had forgotten how well 'Tigris' seeds germinate (not that you should necessarily try to use 'Tigris' since you don't get many seeds per hip and the seedlings will not bloom during the first year).  There are about 5 'Tigris' seedlings clumped together in the photo below.  The bloom in the photo is coming from a different seedling.  I hope that the 'Tigris' seedlings will bloom next year.  I have had to wait 3-4 years for some 'Tigris' seedlings to bloom.

The seedling below is of a new 2014 Hulthemia hybrid that is many generations down from 'Tigris'.  Some of the old 'Tigris' baggage can be seen in this seedling.  It is fully remontant, however has somewhat angular and thorny growth, although it does have a larger heat stabile blotch.