Jim: I guess I was partially in a state of shock after the comments, which were actually made both by the person in charge of the glad breeding program and a representative of one of the major auction houses. I left them with the encouragement to please consider adding a hardy glad breeding program. I guess that's to be expected when outside the box thinkers collide with inside the box thinkers. Tony Avent Plant Delights Nursery @ Juniper Level Botanic Garden 9241 Sauls Road Raleigh, North Carolina 27603 USA Minimum Winter Temps 0-5 F Maximum Summer Temps 95-105F USDA Hardiness Zone 7b email tony@plantdelights.com website http://www.plantdelights.com/ phone 919 772-4794 fax 919 772-4752 "I consider every plant hardy until I have killed it myself...at least three times" - Avent James Waddick wrote: > Dear all; > I find Tony's remarks very enlightening and frustrating. > > Rather arrogant comments : > > ' the Dutch' "select against winter hardiness" > > and " why would people want glads to be winter hardy?" > > As a gardener who demands hardiness in as many plants as possible, I > have grown all the hardiest glads I can find. I have grown all the > byzantinus/ itlaicus/ communis group, Xgandavensis /dalenii and a few > others (though oddly not G. palustris) and I would WELCOME a greater > range of colors and forms.,, and increasaed hardiness, too. > > Although I disdain the big Dutch hybrids, I have grown a few > and they will last a mild winter or two. I sure wouldn't use these to > select for increased hardiness. > > And by hardiness I mean Zone 5 or 6 survival. Joyce and Brent > your Zone 7 seems a no brainer for many glads or am I totally off > base here? > > I know there are not many Zone 5 or 6 - ers on this list, but > have any of them grown many from seed to test for hardiness? > > And Tony, you didn't say what your response was to your Dutch > bulb growing guides when he made his un-Glad remarks. > > These remarks just drive me nuts ! Jim W. > >