This page contains a brief assessment of the performance of the cultivars I grew during 2004. 

Cornetto
Easy to grow yellow medium intermediate. Did not perform well in 2004. Upper part of blooms seemed to lift and elongate giving poor form. Normally very consistent with lots of blooms to exhibition standard so one bad year is not enough to consider discarding this cultivar.
Verdict: Keep

Woolley Globe
Pure white intermediate, a bit loose for some tastes but one that I enjoy growing. No problems to speak of. Grown under glass.
Verdict: Keep

Lorna Wood
A pure white, hard petalled medium incurved. Did not perform well in 2004. Upper part of blooms seemed to lift and elongate giving poor form. Normally very consistent with lots of blooms to exhibition standard so one bad year is not enough to consider discarding this cultivar unless the space is required for other things.
Verdict: undecided.

Carlene Welby
Good purple medium intermediate. Good size and very consistent for show purposes.
Verdict: Keep.

John Wingfield
One of the best medium reflexed cultivars I have grown - outstanding once again. The pick of the Wingfield family with me this year.
Verdict: Keep.

Yellow John Wingfield
A bit smaller than the parent but still worth it's place in the garden as backup for possible failures in other cultivars.
Verdict: Keep.

Pink John Wingfield
A good pink sport from John Wingfield. Big blooms again this year.
Verdict: Keep.

Peach John Wingfield
Good colour but slightly smaller than the rest of the family. Similar to pink when it comes to dressing. Kept on for the same reason as the yellow sport.
Verdict: Keep.

Candy John Wingfield
Good colour , clearly distinct from Pink and of similar size. Similar to pink when it comes to dressing.
Verdict: Keep.

Woolley Pride
A good October classified reflexed that can be grown for September shows. A big pink flower that needs little or no dressing for the show bench. Slightly erratic for timing this year but still worth it's place.
Verdict: Keep.

Millennium
A light yellow medium intermediate, performed extremely well with me this year. One of the most popular medium intermediates around at the moment.  
Verdict: Keep

Kimberley Marie
October classified medium bronze intermediate.  Good size blooms and good open intermediate form but too late for all shows this year.
Verdict: Undecided

Joyce Frieda
October classified medium yellow incurved raised by Harry Lawson.  Good incurving blooms, hard crisp petal with no damping. Late with me, missing the earlier shows. Not sure if I will grow any incurved next year
Verdict: undecided

Primrose Egret
Not a pretty plant during the growing season but blooms of good incurved form. Thoughts as for Joyce Frieda.
Verdict: undecided

Leading Lady
September classified pink medium intermediate. Grown 3 up in pots and still produced blooms of reasonable size and good exhibition quality. Too early for the bigger shows so will probably not grow in 2005.
Verdict: discard

Alex Young
September classified bronze medium intermediate. Not as good as in 2003, perhaps it likes a warm dry summer. Will probably discard as part of a programme to cut down on numbers of plants and cultivars being grown.
Verdict: discard

Hedley's Lynx
September classified pink medium intermediate. Good size blooms quite incurving. Not quite as good colour as in 2003 but still reasonable exhibition blooms. Will probably have a similar fate to Alex Young. 
Verdict: discard

Rosa Hockedy
October classified medium intermediate. Very vigorous grower producing large blooms. Perhaps under-cropped and over fed this year. May try in pots nest year with reduced feed. 
Verdict: undecided

Pomander
September classified medium intermediate. Very late again this year, no blooms before end September. An excellent flower but I've decided this one is too late for me.
Verdict: discard

Rene Green
September classified yellow medium intermediate. New release in 2003. Bloomed end August/early September but flowers not up to exhibition standard.
Verdict: discard

Florence Pope
September classified white medium intermediate. New release in 2003. All blooms damped inside the bags - a failure! 
Verdict: discard

Purple Chempak Rose
October classified medium reflexed. Fine upright grower with deep purple blooms. Fabulous colour and a high percentage of exhibition standard blooms.
Verdict: Keep

Chempak Rose
October classified medium reflexed. Fine upright grower with deep pink blooms. Fabulous colour and a high percentage of exhibition standard blooms.
Verdict: Keep

Oyster
September classified pink medium intermediate. All blooms rotted inside bloom bags, perhaps as a result of excessive feeding. Decided not to continue with this one. 
Verdict: discard

Fiona Lynn
Simply stunning medium pink reflexed. High percentage of exhibition blooms.
Verdict: Keep

Eve Gray
A small pink reflexed with superb form. Tried one up, two plants per 7.5 litre pot but timing erratic and did not get the bloom size improvement I was looking for. 
Verdict: discard

Tracy Waller plus Cherry and Salmon sports
September classified medium reflexes. Salmon and Tracy Waller looked promising on this year's showing and will be grown again. The cherry sport is a bit smaller and there are better 'reds' available so will discard this one. 
Verdict: Keep Tracy Waller and Salmon but discard Cherry sport.

If you would like further information or wish to comment on this publication please send your e-mail to: paul.barlow@chrysanthemums.info

Last updated on 31 October, 2004