I saw a seedling at Moldovan's a year or two before he passed away that had the glitter edge - but it was mauve/rose glitter. The base of the flower color was pink to rose, and it was trimmed with this wire mauve edge. Never saw anything like it. Was hoping we would start to see the glitter edges show in more colors.
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These are not past breakthroughs --- but I think they will be seen as important in the future...
I hope that the forms that Curt is working with will really turn into something that is different and that people enjoy. They are so different, people seem to have a hard time understanding them, but I find them fascinating. They are so three-dimensional. Mother Upduff is one of my favorites for the ones that have the petals standing up, and I love Neutron Star. I don't grow either of them yet, but have seen them during selection at Curt's for several years.
This is Mother Upduff
a view of one of my seedlings that has this petals up appearance. I made the selection in 2001, so it has been around a while. It comes from all Hanson lines. Similar to Mother Upduff, but does not have the great plant that Mother Upduff has. Plant is ok, but budcount is under 20. The petals curl around so much, you can see them - this is not a symptom of a flower that is not opening, or haning... it is a trait that is consistent, in all weathers, over many years. The petals are SO pinched, that the petal tissue curls under the petal, creating a tunnel that you can stick your finger down in. Granted, this is not a finished flower, by any means... but it passes on this trait, and Curt has many things similar - he has taken this look and ran with it.... I did not get to see his garden this year, but I understand he has a lot of exciting things coming in this form. I think we are just beginning to open up the box of possibilities of what this form can show us.
Then, of course there is the weirdness of Sigourney..... again, not everyone's cup of tea, but a beginning of what is to come.
Neutron Star - photo from Bob O'Neal. Neutron Star takes the Anastasia look to extreme - and puts it on a good plant. Anastasia barely survived here. Neutron Star looks flat in this photo, but actually, the petals stick up quite a ways from the sepals before recurving.