Hi Guys,
sometimes a bud can be nearly as pretty as a flower.
I was trying to take some photos in the garden and greenhouse to send them off to the BBC for their photo competition run in conjunction with the Chelsea Flower Show. I was lucky with this one as the late evening sunshine has managed to highlight the hairs that run down the veins on the flower bud and leaf edge.
I'll post another picture when the flower has opened some more,
Regards,
David

Hi,

I also took a photo of my Phillippe today also in bud exactly like yours. Amazing how they are on the same schedule despite being on different continents.

Can someone from the USA enter the BBC competition? If so, please tell me how!

Thanks!

P.

Interesting shot!

thanks

Very nice, can't wait to see the results

I hope it opens soon

Hi Guys,
sorry its been so long - we've been having cool rainy weather and the plants are growing slowly. Anyway, here are a couple of photos to show it was worth the wait.
Its probably my favourite hybrid so far.
The flower is bigger than last year, as is the growth in general but it has less pink on the outer pouch.
What I didn't notice last year was the stunning 'picotee' line that runs round the edge of the staminode and the inner lip. It looks like someone has painted it with lipstick ! Really quite dramatic.
The upper petal still droops at an angle just above the horizontal as if the whole flower is 'shy' but I think that just adds to its charms,
thanks for looking,
Regards,
David

That is gorgeous!:heart:

Very nice indeed

The upper petal still droops at an angle just above the horizontal as if the whole flower is 'shy' but I think that just adds to its charms

Hey David,

That is one sweet looking flower! You definitely can see the kentuckiense coming through with that drooping dorsal sepal. I agree that it adds to the charm of it. I think I need to try and get one of these this year. Thanks for the great shots.

Tom

Wow! That really is a beauty.

Those are great,so many different ones