Wild Mouse  2018

 
     Growing up in what is now known as the Bricktown neighborhood of Chicago, I lived only three blocks from Riverview Amusement Park and Roller Rink. I spent much of my time there; riding coasters, traversing fun houses, and playing arcade games.   
     From the attic of my parents' massive late 1800's Victorian, the neighborhood kids would climb the many stairs to sit under the eight foot tall windows, where we watched the July 4th fireworks in awe, having the best view in the area!
     We could always hear ladies gleefully screaming from the Pair-O-Chutes tower, and the famous Bobs roller coaster. Still, warm summer days you could hear organ music wafting through the windows of the roller rink, and I would run for my skates.

    
Such fond memories from which to name my blooms!

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Bring Nature to Your World
pondsidegardens@gmail.com

Pinched Crispate; Scape Height 30in., Bloom size 5.5in., Early Mid-Season, Dormant, Diploid 18 buds, 3 thick branches in my zone 4b garden.
It is very difficult to capture the depth of color the grey overlay has. A Pinched Crispate with prominate pale midribbing and flaring waves twisting at the tips. Sepals are strongly recurved, sometimes nearly completely back upon themselves, and the black purple band shares it's color with veiningon both petals and sepals.
An early morning opener that forms a strapping mound of foliage and thick scapes. Easily both pod and pollen fertile. There is a well balanced space between foliage and flowers, with no crowding of blooms.
Single Fan $60

The Greyhound was a mild roller coaster, but just as much fun without the long lines to get on. It had waves of hills, making you feel your tummy just a little, and preparing you for the hard riding coasters you had not yet rode upon. And remember, you got to ride again free!

Fun For All Ages  2019

The Greyhound  2019

Cascade; Scape Height 54in., Bloom size 4.25 in., Early Mid-Season, Dormant, Diploid 20-24 buds, 3 far spaced branches in my zone 4b garden. Re-bloom in good seasons.
This 'tall and small' is a Cascade showing strong Crispate tendencies. As a cascade it is 4.25", but measured while two tepals pinch is 5.75".
You never know what it will do!
Amusement Park colors of deep red and yellow prevail on this early morning opener, cooling to rose red with lemon midribs, lemon throat, and a zippery edge of pale cream as the day goes on.  Scapes are strong and very straight, and foliage is low to the ground, creating the illusion of even more height to the already super tall 54 inches. It has widely spaced, very open branching, with no crowding of flowers. Easily both pod and pollen fertile.
Single Fan $75

Strat-O-Stat was originally called Aero-Stat in the early years of Riverview Park. You climbed into the rocket ship, and it started to slowly spin you around and around, and the force lifted the ship higher and higher, as you spun faster and faster!  All the riders were pushed back into their seats as you started to feel the strength of the forces playing against your body, squeezing you into the seat.  It made many folks dizzy, and there were benches available close at hand!

Bubble Bounce  2018

The Daylilies of Suzanne Eck

Quilled Crispate; Scape Height 37in., Bloom size 6.5in., Early Season, Dormant, Diploid 19 buds, 3 branches
Warm white with a sweeping blush rose eye. Most unique is the crimped tawny blotch of color in the center of each petal,  creating a pattern. Sepals strongly quill, with hooks at the tips. The tousled edge and elongated chartreuse throat finish the show. Easily both pod and pollen fertile.

This bloom was originally from Jane Saliaris' seedling bed, located in Jamie Gossard's garden. Jane had promised to send it to me, but then fell ill and passed. Jamie was kind enough to send along Jane's gift to me.
Single Fan $60

I rode Roll-O-Plane just once. I became violently ill, and knew my aspirations of spacewalking were dashed. For those not familiar, not only does it go around like a Ferris Wheel, but the bullet seats spin at the same time. To add insult to injury, the operator would stop it, and throw it into reverse, ensuring everyone on the ride would be ill after getting off the ride!

Strat-O-Stat  2019

Miniature; Scape Height 18in., Bloom size 2.25in., Early Season, Dormant, Diploid 18 buds, 3 branches, fast rebloom for long bloom season, in good years lasting from mid June through August in my 4b zoned garden.
This miniature is a wide petaled, softly hued salmon pink with rose veining, brushed rose banding, prominent midribs and piecrust ruffling. An early morning opener that forms a crysanthemum style mound of blooms. Scapes are close, but not into the foliage, with no crowding of flowers. Easily both pod and pollen fertile.
Martin Kamensky was kind enough to share three seedlings with me back in 2011, and Bubble Bounce was one of them. It was such a joy to have true miniatures to work with, and I appreciate Martin's generosity. He was happy to know Bubble Bounce was being registered.

Single Fan $60

Bubble Bounce is a deceptive ride. Not only does it go around, but each cart spins, manually by all the riders in the cart. The more you hang on to the center wheel and pull, the faster the cart will spin. While you go around in a circle, the ride lifts up and down, and centrifugal force takes over, spinning you even faster.

 Roll-O-Plane  2018

Spider-Cascade-Crispate; Scape Height 37in., Bloom size 5.5in., Early Season, Dormant, Diploid, 3 branches, 12 buds conservatively
Rich raspberry red holds a dusky halo and dusky veining, and a tight lime throat. The midribs are pale and wiry, with an edge of ivory picotee. Both pod and pollen fertile. As a small spider, it's ratio is 4.08: 1. As a cascade the sepals recurve, and as a crispate, the tips twist. Wild Mouse is a shape-shifter, and is highly variable in scape height (32-54 inches) and bud count (9-17) as well as form.  (Little Jasper Spider x The Mouse That Roared).
Mentored by Pat Cochenour for small spider and small UF programs, Pat gifted me seedling 135A, which was later introduced as 'The Mouse That Roared'.
Single Fan $60

Wild Mouse was one of my favorite rides at Riverview Park. A small roller coaster, it had extremely tight twists and turns. Cars held only two people who were seated forward in the car. At every turn you thought you would fly off the track and into the Chicago river, being built on it's banks. I knew right away I would be giving this plant the name. My mentor, Pat Cochenour, sent one of her seedlings to me to work with, 135A. Later named The Mouse That Roared, it is the pollen parent of Wild Mouse.

Cascade / Twisted-Quilled Crispate; Scape Height 36-40in., Bloom size 7-9in., MidSeason, Dormant, Diploid 30-36 buds, 3 well spaced branches in my 4b zoned garden.
This flower has it all for both the Unusual Form and stippled/streaked lover. A halo of stippled rose with matching veining graces the petals. The sepals, always streaked rose on either side, curl, twist and/or quill. All this overlays a happy light yellow blossom with a green throat.
The petals occasionally also show the spatulate form, are always wide, and carry midribs of near white. Scapes are tall, strong, and branching is well spaced for these large blooms, with no crowding of flowers.
A fast increaser that is easily pod fertile, pollen a bit difficult but not impossible, crossing early morning is best.
Fun For All Ages was a seedling I purchased from Robin Calderon when she downsized her seedling beds. With thanks, Robin!
Single Fan $75

'Fun For All Ages' was one of Riverview Park's famous slogans.