I thought I would share some seedling pictures from the trip in 2012 it will hopefully help to get through the next couple weeks until the weather improves, and get us a little closer to spring. I am sure a lot of these will never hit the market but one of my favorite things about visiting all these different gardens, is seeing the new patterns and colors and finding something brand new and unique that's what makes it fun for me. I thought I would start with a few of my favorites from the trip that I wish I found in my seedling bed , as we all know there needs to be a lot more to a plant than just a pretty face for it to grow and do well all over the country but in the end the flower is the most important that's what we all buy, and who knows maybe one day some of these will get a name in the coming years they definitely caught my eye, only had a few days and at some places and a couple hours at others to take pictures so could not get the best quality on all of them but there were quite a few that turned out pretty good. I am curious to everyones favorites please share your opinions as we go through these. Which one's would you buy? If they were all available today judging them just on the flower.

The third one down on the right is just stunning that is my favorite but I also like 5 6 and 8 on the right side

3 and 6 on the right for me

Omigosh Brad -- where to start???

Picture 3L -- what a beautiful color! Looks like a modernized Lady Friend.

Picture 3R -- one of the most striking of the group -- unusual color combination. I probably wouldn't buy this one though (at least not early on), because it looks so much like Strozzapreti -- which I already have:


Actually, it's kind of a cross between Strozz and Terra del Fuoco, isn't it?


Wish I could see 4R fully open.......the color is yummy!!

6L is wonderful!! I love brown Irises -- and this one has brown in the standards and falls -- and I love the edges on the falls!

6R is also wonderful -- first time I've ever seen a cream and purple -- am I right about it being a completely new color combination?

7L is stunning -- and would have to be my pick of the group. It's so close to the holy grail of black and white. And I love the splash of purple below the white on the fall, and also love the gold edge on the standard.

I haven't enlarged any of the pictures yet, so am reserving judgement on 7R and 8L -- gonna go do that now.

The others are very nice -- just not my favorite color combinations and/or look like Irises that I already have.

I'm so glad you posted those -- what a great treat this morning!!!

My Favorits are ths 6th pair down The one on the left it is really cool, (I like the browns) and the one on the right is very different, and I like it a lot. I like how the veins are dark and edged in either white or yellow. Like the purple flecks in the standards too. The one on the left of the 7th pair down is nice, but much like Super Hero, which I like a lot.
The third pair down, on the right, the one with the redish standards and almost black falls is nice too. If the beard were more brilliant it would be a knock out. The one on top sure has some intersting colors blended into it, and seems to have nice form as well, and the bottom two are nice too. These are the ones I'd buy. I'm not too much for the pastel colors or light colors, although the second pair has nice form. I love the bright orange beard on the one on the left of the fifth pair. The one next to it has nice edge and shape as well. I doubt if I'd throw any of them away if I were to get them! The one on the right of the 4th pair down has an intersting two colored beard. (probably the only thing it has going for it)
BTW, who's seedlings are these?

Great pics Brad. Welcome back to the real world of the Midwest. I like the dusty pink next to last row. Also the very first one.

Thanks All for your opinions it's always neat to see what everyone likes and what we all agree upon it looks like 6R caught everyones eye in this group, I like it a lot as well because of the unique color but the 1st couple in the group were my favorite the 1st one just glowed and it stopped me in my tracks, I remember thinking Wow what a great color and the 2nd one looks like a updated Magical.

Tom these are a mix from Superstition, Napa, Joe Ghio's, Schreiner's ,Mid America and Kieth's gardens.

Mary Ann it is definitely unique I have not seen anything like it anywhere it was from the Keppel garden and we have some really neat new colors and patterns to look at I do have another picture of 4R so you can see it open the beards really make it different


Marvin Thanks !! it was another bitterly cold day but it sounds like we will get a break towards the end of the week high's in the 40s for the weekend that will feel like T-shirt weather



Here is the next bunch of pictures for tonight

Of the first group I love 3R! Especially if the falls are as black as they look! And, being a sucker for plicata's, would probably spring for 8R too. 8L is different, and I like it but prefer more color in my garden.

The second group has a lot of nice ones too...but 3R is the only one I'd add to my wish list as some of the others are too similar to ones I already have.

Thanks for bringing spring indoors! We had 16" of snow here, a record for us! It has melted down to about 4 and now record rainfall is coming our way, with warnings of area flooding. Tame compared to much of the country, I know, thank goodness!

It's easier to tell which couple I least like in this group. That would be the two in the 6th group. All the rest are really interesting and I especially like the difference in groups 4 and 5. Is 7 L really that red? I can see I better start trashing some of my old ones to make room for the up and coming group!

I have a demanding puppy on my lap -- will have to get back to this -- lol.

Of this group, I like the first one and 6L.

I like them all but I really like the first one and 5L.

Since no one else has spoken for it, can I have the one in row #2, please? (I'm assuming that the close-up and the clump shot are of the same flower). I love irises that glow like they have little candles inside.

I'm with you, Brett -- I think that's the pick of the litter!! Although I also love 7L -- talk about bright!! And 7R is no slouch either.

I sure hope that some of these come to the markeplace!! I'm like Tom though -- I'm gonna have to start throwing some away to make room for the new ones coming out...........

Tom It's pretty close picture was taken in full sun so it makes them glow and seem brighter but that one was really nice and remember these pictures are a couple years old 2012 stuff, I'll bet some of them may have children blooming this year those will really be interesting.

Patti 16" of snow that has got to be horrible I am glad I did not have to shovel any of that hopefully the rain isn't as bad as there forecasting sounds like this winter has been bad everywhere.

Brett it is all yours the good news is that one you picked is a Schreiner's seedling and we may see it one day because they were lining it out to grow, but the bad news is from what I could tell they wait till they have 10000 bulbs or about half a football field before they introduce one so it may be quite awhile but who knows it really is striking and looked like it grew well.

Mary Ann we are just getting started lots more to come

I want 1R, 2L, 3R, 4L and R, 6L and 8L. 6 R is nice but too much like Louisa's Song. Maybe it's falls are a bit darker. A nice bloom though. 8R is nice color, but wonder if the shap is always that irregular? 7 L is similar to Cold Fusion, but not as nice. If I could only choose one to have, I'd have a hard time to choose between 4R and 2L. Oh, so many irises, and so little time.

Tom - My choices are the same as yours with only one exception; I would take 7L. Wow is all I can say.

For me -- 8L is the bomb. What a beautiful Iris. I'm in love -- simply put.

Greg, Great minds think alike! lol, it's not that I don't like 7L, Just that it's very similar to Cold Fusion, just not as nice as it is.
Cold Fusion You have to enlarge to see all the neat details.

Cold fusion is on the "list". But as we all know, the "List" is ever increasing and incredibly long.