I don’t want to “knock” the minifloras, but I am not sure how to proceed with breeding for them. Since I plant all of my seeds together in seedling beds, the seedlings of a particular cross are all raised together - planted 1" apart in rows 2" apart. So, in mini variety crosses, giving a good germination rate, the seedlings are often growing quite closely together. In these crosses, I tend to be quite ruthless with the larger growing seedlings, knowing that if left to grow side by side with the more diminutive seedlings, their growth would quickly overshadow the smaller seedlings. I think that I will continue to give preference to the smaller (more mini) seedlings, but will allow some of the very best larger seedlings to continue growing.
Does anyone have a strategy that is working, different from this? I think that I still like an excellent true mini better than an excellent miniflora (whatever that means). It just seems that the categories are blurring. I think that all of us who are involved in rose breeding know that roses come in sizes from 1/2" blooms up to 7"+ blooms and with everything in between.
Jim