Future Developments

Most of the plants we grow in our gardens under the name orientalis are of mixed blood. In other words they are hybrids not purely derived from the species orientalis but have been crossed with related species. It has been decided that a more accurate classification is H.hybridus but they are still often referred to as orientalis hybrids.

It is not difficult to see that these plants have undergone an amazing transformation in recent years. A small group of enthusiasts have been working quietly for many years to achieve these improvements. It can take several generations of plants to make a dramatic move forward, but the patience of hybridists is now being repaid with exceptional results. This has lead to an increase of interest from gardeners and strong demand for the best quality plants. Today we have flowers that range in colour from white and yellow to red, purple and blue-black. Some have spots or dark blotches while others have veining on their petals picked out in contrasting colours. Doubles, and anemone centred plants where the nectaries have enlarged to look like a ring of small petals in the flower centre, are proving very popular. The wide range of colours and forms in existence today does not mean that this is the end of the story. For instance, most yellows available are a pale primrose shade so plants with brighter colouring are being selected. Their offspring are then selected not just for colour but for health and vigour, so standards continually improve. Depending on the goals that each breeder sets we can look forward to many new developments such as taller or shorter plants, bigger or brighter flowers with rounder or more pointed petals, endless multicolour combinations or attractive refined foliage. The possibilities are never ending.

At first glance this flower appears nothing unusual. But take a closer look and you will notice that each inner petal is divided at its tip creating an interesting effect worth developing.

One of my own aims has always been for a flower with a slate-blue outside and a primrose inside, but many years down the line I have learnt that it is infinitely easier to imagine such things than to achieve them. Ultimately only perseverance and a lot of luck will determine if I reach this goal. Many of the developments I work on are slightly less ambitious; when I am rewarded with an exceptional new plant, half of me marvels at how beautiful it is while the other half ponders as to how it could be made even better. It is a constant battle between satisfaction and dissatisfaction and so it will (and should, I think!) remain, as I have always been a perfectionist.