Iris Show

[Dazed_Lily]

Admission to our local arboretum was free today, Mother's Day, courtesy of a local organization.
They had several things going on.
First off was a book sale. I managed to find one on How to Prune and the price ? Free ! One of the few remaining good ones that was free.
I walked the grounds but it was mighty hot out there.
I came back in to the Iris Show. Best as I can tell, they want several flowers in bloom on one stalk arranged in a progressive upward moving stair step fashion. The winner was Silverado which had 4, or maybe 5, flowers situated as described.
I was hoping they would be selling iris rhizomes, but not today.
It was a nice diversion for an hour.

[Tom]

Speaking of 'Iris Show', how about this one!
There is no trick photography going on here, this is a real flower!

[Rebecca]

Good golly, Miss Molly, Tom, that thing is gimongus! You been feeding it steroids?!

Only thing blooming here is one of my early SDI's 'Wild Cherry' and a couple of others are trying to. Then there's the early TBI's a beautiful sky blue Noid and 'Rare Treat' who also reblooms in the fall. I'm not seeing any bloom stalks coming on any of the others yet.

Here's a "litho" I made of it:

[Tom]

A few years ago I was out visiting this daylily gardener, who has a tremendous collection. A few years earlier he had ordered several very nice Iris, but had grown tired of them. He said he only wanted to concentrate on the daylilies. The day I was there he had just dug up all his iris, and had them in a big pile ready for the dump. Of course, none of them were in bloom, and were all mixed together without any names. Like most gardeners, I asked if I could have some of them and he said take all you want, the rest will go to the ditch out back. I loaded all I had energy to load into the back of my truck, brought them home and planted 2 rows, about 75' long. The next spring there was a rainbow of Iris blooms out there. I've been giving them away for the past 3 years.

Take a look at the inside of this one!

[vicki]

Just lovely Tom! If you want to share, I'd be more than willing to pay postage or trade you something for some. :)

[Dazed_Lily]

This iris is from a cemetery in northern Kansas near the Nebraska border. A co-workers wife gave me this iris which she brought back from there(has family in the cemetery). I call it the Sabetha iris. I'd like to think it was brought here by pioneering immigrants years ago.

[Dazed_Lily]

In addition to the photo above, here is Pink Cherub(and friends-Honoribile--an heirloom iris)

[Dazed_Lily]

In addition to the above 2 photos, here is the bed(another unknown kind is done blooming and isn't there and Glowing Seraphim has been blooming strong but I don't see it here(see separate thread with that name)--I'll have to go out and check):
I also see the white Nicotania is back (in the middle) !

[Rebecca]

I've an unknown TBI white one that is open now and several others, including 'Rare Treat', my re-bloomer (fall) and 'Batik', I've waited years to see it bloom!

Here's the white unknown:

[Rebecca]

Here's 'Rare Treat':

[Rebecca]

I also have a tall, very tall at that sky-blue bearded blooming, but I haven't been able to get a really good image of it. Here's one I got today, although it isn't as good as I would like! I have two clumps of this one and will have to lift and divide the bigger one this summer. The bloom is huge!

[Rebecca]

And, finally, here's 'Batik". Not the tallest of TB Iris. but it certainly has no problem being seen!

[Dazed_Lily]

I think all of the white irises are lovely--can't go wrong with a white iris.
Batik is eye catching for sure !
I heard that this year is a banner year for iris(at least here). Do you notice that where you live ?
This was in yesterday's paper. I wish they would put the photos in the on-line stories but they don't. They also abbreviate the story. They do mention the great growing year in line 1. They go on to talk about Betty Lou--oh my, she is an older gal who not only is an iris nut but a hem nut too. I think she is charter member of both clubs in Wichita. She is most likely somewhere in her 70's and look how many plants she still tends ! And I moan and groan about aches and pains now !


http://www.kansas.com/living/home_garden/story/406533.html

[Rebecca]

I had very few blooms last year, but then I had just divided everything the previous summer so I wasn't expecting to see much. Some of the dwarfs did welllast year, but this year they have all done well - well those big enough to bloom anyway.

Nearly all of the varieties I have cramed into this small bed look like they will be blooming this year. One is having some kind of a problem, as the bloom stem is somewhat gnarled and one of the fans in front that has a bloom stem is showing some of the same contortion.

However, this one isn't haing any "issues" at all ! First time to bloom for me and the other one I bought when I got 'Batik'. Two very different Iris! This is 'Radiant Apogee', kind of knocks yer sox off, doesn't it! Did mine! LOL!

Also have the fist of my Siberians in bloom today, 'Cesar's Brother' and it is going to be awesome this year since the clump has gotten huge!

[lbfoss]

I am pea-green with envy. I bought some irises from the end of season sales....they are brown??? Lovely, but brown??? what was I thinking.....I wanted any color, never knew they came in brown...
Oh well....
Linda

[Rebecca]

Linda,

I've seen some preetty deep mahogany reds, but I don't think I've ever seen a "brown" one. Can you post an image of your brown ones? I'd like to see them.

I'll be dividing my big clump of sky blue ones this summer and will have them for sale, cheap, holler if you want to be on the list! Might have a pink one as well.



Rebecca