OK I chose rosettes at twenty paces for our duel Tim!

When I crossed Emerald Spring with the allionii 'Yellow-green form" I figured that was mixing up the genetics quite a bit as Emerald Spring has two different subspecies in it so these seedlings had three of the 4 subspecies. That group gave me the greatest variety of roller types of any cross I had done but they were all still rollers. I did pick out one with a bit of blue, one with leaf shape of hirtum and rosette form of allionii, one with strong purple tips, one with oddly formed leaves and one with the tiniest pointed leaves. However, because these are all smallish you have to get on your knees to see these differences.

So it is possible to get changes but I'm not sure if they are different enough to get really excited about. Worse yet, I'll have to wait four years to get flowers on these to make the next cross.

I'm normally not a pessimistic hybridizer but I do feel this is going to be a tough nut to crack. This is in stark contrast to my other lines that net really nice things without near the effort.

Kevin

Agree with everyone that rollers tend to look similar but there is nothing so lovely as a spot or pot fully overgrown with them! They seem to play well together and allow growth even when they're totally on top of one another and I like that about them!
Also the lack of blooming for using in gardens and arrangements is a nice thing (i know Kevin not for you hybridizers )
Tomorrow think I have to go see how my rollers are doing

Yeah Greg! I agree with everything you said

Well than it must be correct if Bev agrees Thanks Bev!

And don't forget your camera Greg.

I use my phone now... Computer broke so no more high quality pictures for now

What a bummer. But will take the phone photos any day.

I really haven't looked at my plants in a while so this will be exciting!

Yeah, any photos from Greg (even rollers) will be appreciated. Don't make me have to dig out MarkB's photos of rollers in Maine just to see rollers...

Wonder where Mark is? I miss his roller photos. He might still be under snow?

It seems the pictures all look the same now but here are a couple
@goldfinch4 (i think you were who mentioned rollers in pots, can't remember)
But I like how rollers totally fill the space in a pot or confined space!





Last photo is of my semp wall, only the roller and Arach types have lives and thrive ... I'll replant

Thks for taking pics, Greg!

You're welcome! I love seeing all the semps!

Thank you Greg.
And the photos you posted certainly don't look all the same. Each one is unique. Great photo session, and with a phone.

Nice pictures Greg! I'm a big fan of the rollers.

This trio was newly planted in April of 2016 so wasn't filled in yet, but I think it shows some differences nicely too.

High Tatra Mts., Emerald Spring, Madame Lorene

After blasting the rollers I do have one I'm excited about. A pure dark purple. First one I've seen in that color. Of course we'll see how it matures but it was one I numbered in the seedling bed last year and remarked in my notebook as "really much darker than its siblings".

Kevin

Chris that is a great comparison photo. I also like the containers. What are they made of?

Kevin can you get a photo for us. I know I would love to see it.

Lynn, those little containers a lightweight metal. Think I got them at the dollar store a few years ago.

Kevin, I would love to see a dark purple roller too!

Okay, I need to make a trip to the Dollar Store.

Of course the purple roller was one I didn't shoot! Will try to get one between the ever-present showers. I AM SICK OF RAIN!!!

Kevin