Okay from the title that's obvious, but hang on the type of petal determines what type of flower you end up with. At the moment I have no petals to demonstrate with, but I can assure you by mid summer I shall have, and  together we'll go through the various flower shapes. Of course it isn't just the flower shape that determined the bloom, it is the size of the petal coupled with the shape. How do I know? I've studied the few mistakes I've made since being a small time breeder. Why tell everybody? Because I'm not going to live for ever, and if I can put my two pennyworth in before I go, I'll die a happy man. Lets face it if everyone kept everything to their self we'd still be living in a cave, the wheel wouldn't have been invented, and I wouldn't be talking to you on the Internet like this.

So what can I tell you of size and petal shape? Let's get a couple of varieties up on the screen to show you what I've deduced from the flukes I've created.

Well I know everyone will think these two make strange bed fellows, but these are what were used to create G. I. Joe and Argyle Strawberry. Sacrilege some will say, to split the group like this, believe me the decision  wasn't taken lightly, in fact I didn't have much choice, because Hamari Gold was in the right state to receive pollen, and the only chap around to do the biz was Cornel. Now I know you purists will scoff at my efforts, but look at it in this light, when you're getting on, and reaching the stage in your life when going to funerals is getting more regular, and you can't be sure that the next one won't be yours. You'd cross the Queen of Sheba with Adolph Hitler if you thought it would produce a belter. Funny thing is, there was a dahlia called Adolph Hitler, but it didn't last long, just as well. Right are you ready to see the children.

Okay before anyone shoots me down, please look at the examples before you.  Notice the dimples at the ends of G. I. Joe's petals? At the bottom of each in the centre. Cornel has these, of course they don't look the same, they're smaller. Compare the points on Argyle Strawberry with those on Hamari gold, I knew you'd see them if I pointed them out. D'you get it?

What have I missed out in regards of these flowers? Colour, another part of the DNA that everything passes on to it's offspring. Do you see the gold flush in G. I. Joe isn't this the same colour in Hamari Gold? Hasn't Argyle Strawberry got some dark shades from it'd dad Cornel, even though it's a bit streaky? Alright they are not good examples of exhibition blooms, but they are a prime example for this study in `Petals Make the Flower' Incidentally they are both medium flowered decorative, of sorts.

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