I visited Dan and Jane Trimmer in their garden yesterday. Dan was very upbeat as he showed me seedlings from a long-time friend, Norman Hughes. Mr. Hughes loved red daylilies, and Dan helped him develop well-branched, beautiful seedlings. Mr. Hughes died in May and since then Dan has gifted me with several red seedlings because he knows how much I love red daylilies.

We talked about future plans, and Dan told me that Friday will be the day that he wholesales off all of his named daylilies. He will keep a double fan of the plants he wants, but everything else goes. After that, many of his seedlings will receive an application of Roundup. Future possible introductions and selected seedlings will remain. He told me that he doesn't intend to sell anymore, instead he and Jane want to travel extensively. Dan wants to go fishing, and they both want to spend uninterrupted time with their grandkids. My reaction was--go for it!!! This may be a one-year sabbatical or it maybe longer. Or not. Who knows? Maybe being fancy free and doing as they wish will become the norm. Time, indeed, will tell.

Here are some pictures I took at Water Mill yesterday and a picture I took on May 2.









Here are a couple of seedling pictures





This shows the wonderful branches on one of the seedlings

Its sad to hear that alot of great breeders are retiring.

Ocala Area Daylily Society purchased some Trimmer plants for their sale that will be part of the AHS Region 12 Fall Meeting 2018 that will be held in Ocala, Saturday, September 29.

Oh my goodness! It feels strange to hear of multiple big-name hybridizers retiring so close together. I hope I am lucky enough to get some reds before all is said and done, reds are a favorite of mine....the first 10-12 daylilies I purchased were all red and I am a sucker for great, deep-red varieties.

@florange Arlene, the daylily in those last two pictures is really beautiful! Is he selling that one?

One day I really want to tour a few gardens, there are a few in northern Kentucky so not really that far. Seems like something always comes up. Looks like you got some really nice seedlings.

@alilyfan where are the ones in Northern KY? My daughter lives there and I would love to visit when I'm down there sometime. I agree, so sad to lose the big-name hybridizers

Wow, big news! I can certainly understand where the Trimmers are coming from and really wish them well in their future travels and adventures -- but it is so sad to realize they won't be selling anymore. I was just thinking this morning that the Trimmers are among the top three or four hybridizers that I always look so forward to when new introductions for the following spring start being posted each year.

From your description it sounds like they will keep their possibilities open in terms of hybridizing in the future, but do you know what they will do about having someone else sell their future introductions if they have any?

Arlene - I forgot to mention that second red one is definitely drool worth

Ginny, there ate several in the Lexington area. Bluegrass Daylilies I think, pretty sure Day lily World where David kirchoff and Mort Moriss hybridize is nearby. I am pretty sure there another one or more.

I'm sad that the Trimmers are stopping sales, but I understand how priorities change in life. Luckily it sounds like there are some future introductions to come.

Just got back in town. Here are some semi answers.

About those two red daylilies. Neither is for sale--they are just unregistered seedlings. The first one has 7 1/2 inch blooms, 8 way branching and 34 blooms. I think Dan is going to use the seedlings he has for breeding but has no intention of selling them. I'm a sucker for the dark reds also!!

I don't know if he has anyone in mind for selling his plants. I asked about trading with me--I'll provide vegetable plants (from seed) for daylilies. He agreed. Maybe later after they have time to think about it, Dan and Jane may make alternative plans. There are some tentative thoughts but no plans. They have to work that out together.