CARL'S FOLLY (Harmon 08) 46-52", 5.5" Mid Tet Seedling S001-00 ((88-97 KING ARTHURS COURT x
VATICAN CITY) X RON VALENTE)) This plant is a Steve Moldovan seedling. I noticed this seedling
in Steve and Roy's 01 Seedling bed during a peak bloom work/vacation visit to Moldovan Gardens in
July 2004. The three things that struck me most was the unusual height, vigor of the then three
year old seedling and the large dark purple blooms on such a tall scape. Notice in the photo to
the left how many scapes are on this three year old seedling and how it towers over the other
seedlings, especially when you note that Steve and Roy do not grow many short plants in their
hybridizing programs. Please click on to enlarge the clump photo as taken in Moldovan gardens
when first seen as this is the true color as opposed to the single bloom photo; it is a dark
purple with and even darker eye or band around a yellow lime throat. What this plant lacks
is the branching and bud count to make it a complete plant. CARL'S FOLLY has 2-4 way branching
and 12-15 bud count. However, its vigor and large number of scapes make it a great landscape
plant for the back border of the garden and the dark purple holds up to the sun all day. CARL'S
FOLLY is fertile both ways but you should set pods early due to the height of the scape. Sold Out
Why am I introducing this plant? I want to make it abundantly clear that Steve Moldovan would not
have introduced this plant which is part of the reason why it is registered only under my name.
I also did not want someone who does not know me to think I was trying to take advantage of Steve's
name by registering as Moldovan-Harmon, but at the same time I had the quandary of not wanting to
take credit for the work of one our greatest hybridizers ever and one who I had the great privilege
to become friends with for the few years prior to his untimely passing. I have discussed this with
Roy Woodhall and he has agreed to this registration without the Moldovan name as the best course.
Those 5 day work trip/vacations to Moldovan Gardens were some of the best weeks of my adult life.
We worked hard, played hard and laughed often. Thank you Bill Chambers for inviting me on that first
trip and allowing me to meet so many wonderful daylily people in Ohio. When we visited in February of
2005 prior to Region 2 winter meeting I walked out to the seedlings and confirmed that this seedling
had not been flagged for selection. As this field was scheduled to be tilled under that summer, I asked
Steve and Roy if I could have that seedling and they said they would ship it to me in May. When they dug
the plant they joked that it was so huge they had to use a hammer to get it into the USPS box and that if
I wanted an introduction there were already enough fans to do so. At that point one of them said (and
my money is that it was Roy) that I should call it Carl's Folly. So that instantly became the garden
name and is now the name that is pending for its registration. I originally asked for this seedling
in the event I ever find the time to hybridize, as one of my potential interests would be very tall
scapes with large flowers that are not yellow. I still have not found the time to really hybridize
but dozens of my customers have asked to purchase Carl's Folly and I feel that if a plant is going
to be widely distributed it should be named. When I received this seedling I had no intention of ever
registering it. I did not expect that any one else would want it, in fact quite often when I pick out
what I think is the best seedling in a field I receive looks of disbelief. Both Steve and Gerda Brooker
did that to me on a Brooker seedling that I picked. Gerda gave it to me anyway in fact she begged me
to get it out of her garden.
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