This exotic-looking bloom stands out in the garden due to its large size and long blooming season (almost into September in 1997). A little different from the usual "round and ruffled", but nevertheless very pleasing to the eye. Named after "Cousin Essie", actually a great-cousin of my wife's, who died in the spring of 1997 after struggling with emphysema for many years.

A head-on picture of a single bloom shows the unusual eye pattern more clearly. Photo by: Nick Chase.

This 1998 picture, taken after a rainstorm, also clearly shows the unusual eye pattern, along with the bloom's resistance to foul weather. Photo by: Nick Chase.