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Mike Giles and ISG's

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Do not link to pictures or this page without permission.
Photographer - © Mike Giles
© International Waterlily Collection

World Wide Exclusive

World's First Dark Purple Hardy

Nymphaea 'Purple Satin' is not a

one of a kind.

Breaking News ... There are at least 5 different plants that are blooming that are purple. Not divisions, different hybrids that have bloomed. The next ones that have received names are Nymphaea 'Royal Satin' and Nymphaea 'Purple Fringe'. The last one shown is not purple but is a gorgeous red that seems unreal in its color depth, Nymphaea 'Red Satin'.

Mike Giles is a great friend to the collection. Mike Giles did not break through the intersubgeneric (ISG) hybrid barrier between hardies and tropicals. He crashed through it to create the world's First Purple Hardy. Click on the picture to see more.

H x T 8,08 First Bloom has a name

Nymphaea 'Purple Satin'

Breaking News ... N. 'Purple Satin' is beginning

to branch like a hardy waterlily.

There have been a large number of intersubgeneric (ISG) hybrids created over the last several years. Many are fantastic looking plants and some are not so great. That is just what happens when the genetics begin to mix together.

One of the first major break-through events was when William Phillips created Nymphaea ‘William Phillips’ in 2002. It was an ISG with the parentage of N. 'Andre Leu' x N. 'White Colorata'.

The most famous ISG plant to date has been Pairat Songpanich’s Nymphaea ‘Siam Blue Hardy’ that was created in 2007. It is a really unique creation. Like many before him, he was on the quest to create a blue hardy. Pairat broke the barrier that had previously existed for everyone else. No other hardy had shown blue or purple tones in it’s flowers.

I’d like to mention the history of ISG’s even before they were called that. Perry Slocum tried for years to create a blue hardy. He was not successful in that endeavor. Many who knew him believed he did have quite a few hybrids that were crosses between nymphaea and brachyceras, they just were not blue. The world at large discounted his work because since no one else had been able to do it, the skepticism was that it could not be achieved. One of the plants that initially peaked Pairat’s attention was Nymphaea ‘Perry’s Fire Opal’. Pairat has documented using it for ISG hybridization. This plant was always claimed to be an ISG by Perry. Its registered heritage is N. 'Peter Slocum' x N. 'Director George T. Moore'. The problem is that no one had the ability back in 1987 when it was created to do DNA studies. This fact is evident by the number of people in prisons who have been released through current day forensic DNA studies of old evidence. Even now, it is not cost effective unless you know someone in a University environment that can help do the work for you. Pairat’s DNA tests on Nymphaea ‘Siam Blue Hardy’ stopped the skepticism. Pairat’s meticulous documentation and record keeping along with DNA studies to prove his results was as much of a break through as the hybrids themselves. It stopped all of those who still held the view that “the world was flat” as far as waterlilies were concerned. We want to thank him for both achievements.

Now I’d like to introduce you to someone you probably have not heard of. Mike Giles is a hybridizer on the east coast of the United States who has been working full time to create new hardies and also create new ISG’s in an attempt to get a blue hardy. Mike was able to successfully make ISG crosses as early as 2005. Mike was new to hybridization at the time and unfortunately did not know how to care for the seedlings and consequently lost them all. He has still continued to create many new exciting hardies that are not ISG’s but that has not been his long term goal. He wants to create new waterlilies that have not been possible before now.
Pairat broke the barrier with his Nymphaea ‘Siam Blue Hardy’.
I’m proud to show you how Mike Giles has crashed through the barrier. Here are the first published pictures anywhere of a new purple hardy waterlily. For the time being it is called H x T 8,08. As you can see it is not only purple but a strong purple, as strong as Nymphaea ‘Tina’ which is a great brachyceras. The parenatge will be disclosed at a later date.

Look below and just say "Wow"...

Nymphaea 'Purple Satin'

New Pictures 09-09-2010

Breaking News ... N. 'Purple Satin' is beginning

to branch like a hardy waterlily.

Notice the different growth points and buds in the photos below.
This means that it will not be a single plant and that it will be available at some point in the future. Stay tuned to the IWC to learn how to get one in the next few years.

All data, text and photos copyrighted. No unauthorized links.
Do not link to pictures or this page without permission.
Photographer - © Mike Giles
© International Waterlily Collection

Here are some other ISG crosses so you can see a few more of the surprises coming out of Mike's world...

H x T 5,08

H x T 10,08

There is more to come in the near future... stick around for breaking information.

All data, text and photos copyrighted. No unauthorized links.
Do not link to pictures or this page without permission.
Photographer - © Mike Giles
© International Waterlily Collection

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