Wow Donna, nice score from eBay again! Looking forward to seeing it open. (I love the other bulb btw - it smells just the best and can't wait till it blooms!)

Alana

Donna, are you still looking for Melusine? I saw a listing for some on eBay. Not sure if you saw that one or if is even the real thing.

5 stalks at once sounds like quite a show. I'm sure these blooms will be beautiful.

Jared

Thanks Alana, my NC bulbs are sending up scapes..hope yours is thinking about doing the same..

Jared I have seen that EBay listing for Melusine and it is always there..I'm thinking they are seedlings that they have grown from either selfed or crosses with Melusine. Not to say that they don't in fact have a real Melusine, ( it appears to be the real thing) I just can't imagine how they could always have these in stock unless they were grown from seed, as we all know they wouldn't be true..I'm a bit sceptical..And from time to time they show the (bulbs like the ones you will be receiving) and to me they look like the little perfectly round marble shape of seedlings..offsets have a different shape, often misshapen from growing close to the mother bulb..(all this is just my personal opinion and not very scientific analysis). Not to say that I wouldn't buy from them if they had something I wanted..I'm sure they have some great stuff...

When someone shows a picture of a clump blooming in their yard and they've dug some up, that get me excited!! And then of course I try to enlarge the picture to get a closer look at the leaves, which usually doesn't work..so I take a chance..I lucked out on both of my "garden clumps" !!I keep hoping to find someone out there down South selling something that looks similar to Kristi's Gordie (look that up on the search if you aren't familiar with it) I think there are all sorts of treasures growing in people's yards that we'd all love to get our hands on..if I loved down South I'd be a Peeping Tom..during the season riding around looking at everybody's flowers..I've been known to knock on some one's door and ask for cuttings of hydrangeas..and if they're growing out at the street, well you know the rest...Yup..Im bad.....

Donna

Hi, Well here we are with a flower and I can't say I'm exactly bowled over by her beauty..not bad, but not what I expected. But, she just opened and I can see that two of her petals are wavy, maybe more will crimp after she's been out for a few days. Seems to be a miniature..but the best thing about her is that is HIGHLY FRAGRANT!! And I mean right up there with the best of them!! In fact I could smell the aroma even before the flower opened all the way which is usually when the smell come is..even for my Ebay NC bulb..So, maybe this has potential..maybe I should put some of Tinkerbell's pollen on her..I will have many many flowers so if anyone wants to breed with her just let me know..I'll post a picture in a couple of days when she gains her final shape..I'm not expecting miracles here though...

The color on the edges is decidedly a pinkie peach and the rest is a maroon red..there is a definite difference in the colors that the camera doesn't pick up..maybe next time..

Donna

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Well, she is much better than she was although she still won't win any prizes..she's nowhere near as beautiful as my Ebay heirloom # 1...

Here is my Ebay possible heirloom (or just someones crazy cross) # 2...she is fragrant.

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I suppose I should ask if anybody down South recognizes her..maybe she's got a name..she does like to set offsets and I think in the ground she would clump up very quickly as the picture showed when I bought her..I've got 3 bulbs in this pot setting offsest already and I have 2 single bulbs in single pots. The largest of these bulbs is in a single pot and hasn't bloomed yet although there is a large scape. Well, I guess I've told you more than you ever wanted to know.. so thanks for looking!

Donna

This is a good one! Behold, how straight the nicely frilled florets show off on the umbel. Do not be inclined, to underestimate: Just imagine IF you gave it away or you discarded it. WHEN you watch the pictures again, after let's say, just one year w/out them you WOULD say"what a fool I was". I HAVE EXPERIENCE IN THAT (*sigh* and giggling at the same time)

Well, it seems to be a primary hybrid with H. vittatum (which is why there is such a fragrance).

In Flordia there were two hybridizers, William Bell and I forgot the name of the other, they used H. vittatum religiously in their breeding. They made many garden varieties which is probably where all these heirlooms originated *excluding xjohnsonii*.

Enjoy what is most likely an old heirloom bred by Bell, he also was the originator of "San Antonfio Rose". His main focus was hardier and fragrant garden varieties. Many of his hybrids are still grown in Southern Gardens, especially in Gainsville, Florida.

Gentlemen, Thank you for your comments and I will keep her, and I think I'll put her back in the ground for the summer, she seemed to like it. Here is one more parting picture and then I'll go on to something else..waiting for my next Ebay (growing in some one's yard) bulb to bloom!
Donna

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Beautiful pics!!

I especially like the ruffles on this flower. The last photo shows her off well.

Hi Guys,

Just in case anyone was interested in the above flowers, they are being sold again on Ebay..here is the link.This is the seller I purchased mine from.

Donna

Here is a link that might be useful: EBay link

doesn't she look a bit like "Ada's" cousin!? Funny how we can see bits and pieces of other hybrids, which give a clue as to the breeding.

Definitely has the H. Vittatum lines.
WELL DONE DONNA!!
:-)
Kristi

ADA'S COUSIN????

Very nice "Golden Oldie", Donna! you can sure find the winners on e-Bay!

Wonderful, just wonderful, I love these! Thanks for sharing them with us. I'm sure they're glad you found them. Happy gardening!