Evelyn, like you, I have started out with a preference for selfs. But I have finally realized my underlying gut reason for that preference by looking at photos of en mass plantings of the various cultivars, which I do every time I want to consider one for my garden. I may absolutely adore the various non-selfs as individual blossoms, but when I look at the en-mass landscape effect of them, it is sometimes almost trashy. Okay, I guess I should show some examples of where selfs are the stars of the garden, and some patterns look trashy en mass.
Selfs:
Here Dusky Challenger is the star
Starring various selfs in the foreground, while the patterns in the background look less than stellar:
Here Sultry Mood and Happenstance are again (selfs) really stealing the show, while the patterns in the background actually look a little trashy:.
And in these two in which Paul Black is the star of the gardens:
and
Or this planting of Gypsy Romance:
This gorgeous clump of Hollywood Nights:
Mary Frances, backed by a couple more selfs, and simply stunning:
Blue Suede Shoes:
Blueberry Bliss:
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Now I am going to show you the "at distance" effects of some of the patterns, which are high award winners, and I absolutely love as individual blossoms, but which give a messy effect when viewed from a distance:
Gypsy Lord. Gorgeous individual blooms. But in a mass - too busy. My eye does not know where to look, so I keep seeking out individual blossoms, rather than the mass effect:
Stepping Out. Though I love the individual blossoms, the landscape effect makes me absolutely dizzy! All I see is spots.
Blueberry Parfait, messy en mass:
High Chaparalle. Not bad, but nothing like the impact of a self:
In fact with bicolors, I have much trouble even finding landscape shots of them. And you have to realize that people take landscape shots of en mass flowers that they find to be pleasing. And if you find a cultivar in the database that has oodles of individual shots taken of them, but not a single landscape shot showing them en mass, you have to ask yourself, "Isn't its effect en mass pretty enough for ANYONE to have taken a landscape shot of it?" What I have concluded from the non-self landscape photos that I HAVE been able to find, is that the total effect of them is often just too busy - too many competing colors all compressed into a small area.
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Now having said that, I'm going to show some notable exceptions that I think are stunning en mass, even though they are patterned, blended, bicolor, plicata, etc.
Stairway to Heaven:
World Premier:
Celebration Song:
Parisian Dawn:
Queen's Circle:
And this very controversial blended that I have said I don't like because of its color, but I have to admit is stunning en mass and as a foil to other brighter colors: Thornbird:
