John Lykkegaard

One of the great by having a hobby is to meet other people that share it, many skilled people that have really much to teach. A few years ago I come in touch with a lily grower, John Lykkegaard. I had bought some lily seeds from http://dils.dk/ ( danish iris and lily society), their seedlist and there where something I was wondering about some of his crosses. He replied and explained what I was wondering about. In that email or the next he asked me if I would have some lily seeds from him. I was grateful and said yes. Over the next year I wrote to him several times, and he replied. In one email he told e that he could send me more seeds. When I got the seeds from him there where quite many crosses he had sent me.
The pictures below are selected seedlings in my own garden from Johns seeds.

 

The last two pictures are from a seedling where only one seedling germinated the following spring one year after sowing.

 

In 2010 my wife and I spent a week's vacation in Denmark. Since John and his family didn't lived so far away we had been invited to their home. Before dinner John showed me his garden. This where in August so there where few lilies still blooming. John dug up some bulbs that he gave to me. Last summer Lilium hansonii was blooming and this year I really hope that a golden tango that he gave me will bloom.

 

Sadly, John died last fall and his expertise will be missed by many.

 

His seeds where given to a friend of him and he shared them out to many. Some of the seeds was given to me and I'm looking foreward to see many more exiting flowers the next years.