AGM Final Report for Daffodil Trial

Transcription

1 AGM Final Report for Daffodil Trial The following entries were given the Society's Award of Garden Merit (H4) (given to plants that are considered to be excellent for garden use): - Narcissus 'Curlew' AGM (H4) 2008 Classification 7 W-W [Trial no. 17] Raised by G.E. Mitsch, sent by Bloms Bulbs. Available through RHS Plant Finder. "Very free flowering, flowers are well above the foliage". Flowered for 24 days in 2008 (from 31 st March), with 34 flowering stems per 10 bulbs. Many of the flowering stems produced 2 flowers. Upright habit with outward facing flowers. Flowering stems 57cm in height, slightly glaucous green foliage to 43cm in length. Flowers 7.5cm in diameter. Narcissus 'Warbler' AGM (H4) 2008 Classification 6 Y-Y [Trial no. 21] Raised by G.E. Mitsch, sent by and available from Bloms Bulbs. "A cyclamineus hybrid with a lovely, showy flower". Flowered for 37 days in 2008 (from 27 th February), with 16 flowering stems per 10 bulbs. Upright habit with flowers facing downwards. Description completed in 2009: Flower stems 29.5cm in height. Upright green foliage. Flowers 3.7cm in diameter, 6.2cm in depth from tip of corona to tip of perianth segments. Narcissus 'Garden Opera' AGM (H4) 2008 Classification 7 Y-Y [Trial no. 18] Raised by Rosewarne EHS, sent by R.E. Body via Fentongollan Farm. Available from Fentongollan Farm. "Super flower, a very impressive show. Star of the trial. Good long lasting flowers on strong flowering stems". Flowered for 50 days in 2008 (from 20 th March), with 57 flowering stems per 10 bulbs. Produced 3 to 5 flowers per stem. Flower stems to 74cm in height. Upright habit with flowers facing outwards. Glaucous green foliage to 68cm in length. Flowers 6.5cm in diameter. Final Report (v2) for Trial No Daffodil,

2 Narcissus 'Spring Essence' AGM (H4) 2008 Classification 7 W-Y [Trial no. 22] Raised by G.E. Mitsch, sent by J.S. Pennings. Available from Bloms Bulbs. "Good low-growing front of border daffodil". Flowered for 34 days in 2008 (from 27 th February), with 19 flowering stems per 10 bulbs. Description completed in 2009: Flower stems 39.5cm in height. Upright glaucous green foliage to 31cm in length. Outward facing flowers 8.5cm in diameter, with perianth segments slightly reflexed. The following entry has been recommended for the AGM but cannot receive the award until nomenclature has been clarified and availability has been confirmed. It is the responsibility of the sender to inform the Trials Office at Wisley that all queries have been resolved. AGM (H4) 2008 subject to clarification of nomenclature Narcissus jonquilla var. henriquesii Classification 13 Y-Y [Trial no. 19] Selection from the wild, sent by J S Pennings. "Lovely garden plant, scented and free flowering". Flowered for 87 days in 2008 (from 22 nd February), with 62 flowering stems per 10 bulbs. Produced 3 to 5 scented flowers per stem. Description completed in 2009: Flower stems 30cm in height. Mix of prostrate and arching green foliage to 30cm in length. Flowers 3.3cm in diameter. Trial Notes Objective: To assess, compare and demonstrate over two years a range of cultivars recommended for trial by the Daffodil and Tulip Committee. Entries: There were 22 entries. Entries were submitted by nurserymen and individuals from the United Kingdom, USA and the Netherlands. Culture: Entries 1-3 (miniature daffodils) were grown on a plot that was single dug prior to planting. No fertilizer was added to the site. A grit mulch was spread on top of the bulbs to aid drainage, deter slugs and maintain the cleanliness of the site. Entries 4-22: manure was spread on the plot in July/August and subsequently rotovated with a tractor-mounted rotovator. Prior to planting, the ground was cultivated by hand. Final Report (v2) for Trial No Daffodil,

3 All the bulbs were planted at the end of October 2006, at a depth of 3x the height of the bulb (approx 15cm/6 ), spaced 15cm apart, in blocks of 25 double bulbs for each entry. Entries were examined for virus each spring and affected bulbs removed. Some bulbs were also removed due to basal rot and neck rot. Meteorological Report and Findings: Some quite unusual weather patterns were seen in A very wet February and March were followed by the driest, sunniest April on Wisley's records. May 2007 was very wet, followed by an average June. July was the wettest on Wisley's records causing flooding in parts of the garden and by the end of August the cumulative 2007 rainfall total was 612.5mm, a value comparable to a whole year (2006: 607.4, long term 646.7). In comparison, September was dry, with around one third of the long term average rainfall. December 2007 and January 2008 were both significantly wetter than the long term averages. However, January was also warmer and sunnier than the long term average. In contrast, February 2008 was drier than average but also proved to be the sunniest on Wisley's records with hours of sunshine - the long term average being 70.7 hours. March 2008 was again wet with almost double the long term average of rainfall. 2-3 inches of snow fell at Wisley on Sunday 6 th April and the particularly stormy weather on Monday 10 th April 2008 forced Wisley Garden to be closed to visitors and the Trials meeting to be cancelled. In 2007, Sub-Committee members commented that the plants had looked excellent with extremely good foliage and flowering displays. In 2008, members agreed that the daffodil season had been very poor. However, despite this, the trial still provided a good show of flowers in March entries 4-22 being assessed by Sub-Committee members Final Report (v2) for Trial No Daffodil,

4 Records: A record was made of the date of start and finish of flowering, the number of flowering stems per bulb and the number of blind bulbs in each entry. Judging: The Daffodil and Tulip Trials Sub-committee assessed entries in the trial, individually and collectively, based on a points system using the following criteria: Impact/Grace and Charm Max Colours 10 Style and Proportion 10 Carriage and Pose 5 Bloom Density 5 Total 30 Durability Max Weather resistance 5 Flower life 5 Total 10 Constitution Max Plant health & vigour 5 Plant habit 5 Total 10 Maximum Score = 50 After considering the cumulative scores on 3 June 2008, the subcommittee recommended the Award of Garden Merit (AGM) to 5 entries (1 of which is subject to clarification of nomenclature). Final Report (v2) for Trial No Daffodil,

5 Flowering Details for Daffodil Trial Flower stems / 10 bulbs No. of days flowering Name Classification Award Sender Lucky Number 1 Y-Y A Kroon via JSP Elka 1 W-W J S Pennings 'Gipsy Queen' 3 W Miniature Bulbs - 1 YYW-WWY The Warren Estate 19 N/A 24 N/A 4 Lauren 2 Y-GYR 3 Y-GYR B Duncan Niveth' 5 W-W Fentongollan Farm 'Winter Waltz' 6 W-P Mitsch Daffodils tazetta 'Odoratus' 13 8 W-P G Ridley 'Camilla Duchess of Cornwall' 2 W-P Fentongollan Farm 'Fiery Maiden' 2 Y-O Fentongollan Farm 'Eden Gold' 2 Y-Y Fentongollan Farm 'Cardiff' 2 Y-Y Fentongollan Farm Cavalryman' 3 W-R B Duncan Joyce Spirit 2 WWY-O A Kroon via JSP Pooka 3 Y-YYR B Duncan Bonaire 4 W-Y A Kroon via JSP 'Velocity' 6 Y-R J S Pennings 'Curlew' 7 W-W AGM (H4) 2008 R Blom 'Garden Opera' 7 Y-Y AGM (H4) 2008 Robert Body via Fentongollan Farm Final Report for Trial No Daffodil,

6 19 Flower stems / 10 bulbs No. of days flowering Name Classification Award Sender AGM (H4) 2008 Narcissus subject to jonquilla var. 13 Y-Y J S Pennings clarification of henriquesii nomenclature 20 'Derringer' 7 Y-Y R Blom Warbler' 6 Y-Y AGM (H4) 2008 R Blom 'Spring Essence' 6 W-Y AGM (H4) 2008 J S Pennings Name and Address of Senders to the Trial: Bloms Bulbs, Primrose Nurseries, Melchbourne, Beds, MK44 1ZZ Brian Duncan bulbs available from Ringhaddy Daffodils, Ringhaddy Road, Killinchy, Newtownards, Co. Down, N Ireland, BT23 6TU Cornwall Area Bulb Growers Association, Fentongollan Farm, Tresillian, Truro TR2 4AQ. A Kroon via J S Pennings Miniature Bulbs UK, The Warren Estate, 9 Greengate Drive, Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, HG5 9EN. Mitsch Daffodils, P O Box 218, Hubbard, Oregon 97032, USA J S Pennings, Schorweg, 14 De Bilt, 1764 MC Breezand, The Netherlands G Ridley c/o Trials Office Final Report for Trial No Daffodil,

7 Key to classification from the International Daffodil Register 1998 / RHS For garden purposes daffodils are classified in thirteen divisions. Whether of wild or cultivated origin, once a selection has been made distinguished by a cultivar name it should be assigned to Divisions Daffodils distinguished solely by botanical name should be assigned to Division 13. Division 1 - Trumpet Daffodil Cultivars One flower to a stem; corona as long as, or longer than the perianth segments. Division 2 - Large - Cupped Daffodil Cultivars One flower to a stem; corona more than 1/3, but less than equal to the length of the perianth segments. Division 3 - Small - Cupped Daffodil Cultivars One flower to stem; corona not more than 1/3 the length of the perianth segments. Division 4 - Double Daffodil Cultivars One or more flowers to a stem, with doubling of the perianth segments or the corona or both. Division 5 Triandrus Daffodil Cultivars Characteristics of N. triandrus clearly evident: usually two or more pendent flowers to a stem; perianth segments reflexed. Division 6 - Cyclamineus Daffodil Cultivars Characteristics of N. cyclamineus clearly evident: one flower to a stem; Perianth segments clearly reflexed; flower at an acute angle to the stem, with a very short pedicel ('neck'). Division 7 Jonquilla and Apodanthus Daffodil Cultivars Characteristics of Sections Jonquilla or Apodanthi clearly evident: one to five (rarely eight) flowers to a stem; perianth segments spreading or reflexed; corona cup-shaped, funnel-shaped or flared, usually wider than long; flowers usually fragrant. Division 8 - Tazetta Daffodil Cultivars Characteristics of Section Tazettae clearly evident: usually three to twenty flowers to a stout stem; perianth segments spreading not reflexed; flowers usually fragrant. Division 9 Poeticus Daffodil Cultivars Characteristics of the N. poeticus group: usually one flower to a stem; perianth segments pure white; corona very short or disc-shaped, usually with a green and/or yellow centre and red rim, but sometimes of a single colour; flowers usually fragrant. Final Report for Trial No Daffodil,

8 Division 10 - Bulbocodium Daffodil Cultivars Characteristics of Section Bulbocodium clearly evident: usually one flower to a stem; perianth segments insignificant compared with the dominant corona; anthers dorsifixed (ie. attached more or less centrally to the filament); filament and style usually curved. Division 11 - Split Corona Daffodil Cultivars Corona split, usually for more than half its length. a) Collar Daffodils Split-corona daffodils with the corona segments opposite the perianth segments; the corona segments usually in two whorls of three. b) Papillon Daffodils Split-corona daffodils with the corona segments alternate to the perianth segments; the corona segments usually in a single whorl of six. Division 12 Other Daffodil Cultivars Daffodils not falling into any of the previous categories Division 13 Daffodils distinguished solely by botanical name Perianth segments = petals Corona = cup/trumpet The colour code consists of two letters or two groups of letters, separated by a hyphen: the letter(s) before the hyphen describe the perianth segments; the letter(s) following the hyphen describe the inside of the corona. Hence an all yellow daffodil is Y-Y and one with a white perianth and pink corona is W-P. For purposes of description, the perianth segments may be divided into three zones outer, mid and base; the corona into three zones base, mid and rim; so a daffodil with a white perianth and a corona with a green eye, yellow mid-zone and red rim would be described as W-GYR. Y = yellow R = red P= pink G = green O = orange W = white Intermediate An Intermediate Daffodil is defined as a single-floreted cultivar from divisions 1, 2, 3, 4, or 11 with flower diameter typically 51mm 80mm. Further information on this trial is available from: The Trials Office, RHS Garden, Wisley, Woking, Surrey GU23 6QB Tel: & trials@rhs.org.uk More information about RHS Trials and other Trials reports can be found on the RHS Website at Final Report for Trial No Daffodil,