Steve Saxton.		And the back.

Steve Saxton came out of a Karma Naomi cross, it's partner in this chance union was one of my old crosses Pamela. Now Pamela was a lovely pink small water lily type flower, which had a rubbery stem, a stem that wouldn't support toffee. I wanted to get very dark water lily and ended up with something bordering on a semi-decorative. I don't think it has enough petals to make a show flower, but as the colour is so intense, in reality it is much darker. I'm retaining it to breed with. In any case I know it will get into Bob's catalogue for it's colour alone, as Bob Hendley says, "How many National Dahlia Society Members are there? and "How many general gardeners who enjoy their dahlias?" Point taken. Incidentally when I asked Steve Saxton, the guy who helped me to understand the whole concept of maintaining a web site, what colour would he like, he said blue, chance would be a fine thing. I told him I didn't have one yet. Anyway when I sent the Saxton's a few to choose, this is the one he picked. You've already seen his wife's. I hope they both do well.

	Topsie.		Sugar Candy

Just to end on, two varieties that I think are pretty, but will never make a show flower. I'm certain the general public will love them. Why Topsie, cos it just grew, no seriously, it's because the flower sits perfectly on top of it's stem, in show terms a major fault. Sugar Candy is a similar flower but has that forty five degree angle that all respectable show flowers should have, except pompons of course. I don't know how many exhibitors would like to see this criterion carried over to the ball dahlias, there are a few that seem to grow like this. I suppose it is because, somewhere along the line, breeders have introduced the pompon dahlia into there miniature ball breeding programme. Just a thought.

Just one more seedling I forgot to tell you about, there are two shots of it one with a flash and one with natural light.

	Monet Parchment natural light.		Monet Parchment with flash.

I'd forgotten this one until I saw the second set of flowers, it came late, it was out of a Yvonne x Charlie Dimmock cross. Has a lot of it's mother in the shape, and left all the pink, orange and red from the two parents out. Funny thing is I keep on thinking of Sascha, and wonder if Cor Geerling used Yvonne in his cross to get that wonderful cut flower variety. Water lily flowered dahlias are one of the favourites of the flower arranger, and  the florist trade find them invaluable. Talking of these little beauties, for some reason Jack has only just realised the water lily variety Ken's Rarity is a cracker. I've had it for years, ever since it was introduced, a number of people seem to think I had something to do with it. I wish I had, but I'm practically certain it was introduced from New Zealand and the raiser was ................ I'm going to have to make sure by visiting the Encyclopaedia man's site.

I was nearly right, it was named by Ken Farquhar who lives in the neighbouring Country of Australia. Any way Jack's going to be please I've got a bit of seed spare from this variety, and both Sascha, and G.V. H. come on keep up, Gloria Van Heemstede.

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