Thank you Arlyn!!

Iriswarehouse looks really good. I signed up for newsletters and notifications on a few out of stock items. The prices are very reasonable and the stock is a nice assortment.

Y'all can have some Cherry Tart after it multiplies.

Elfin Shadows is lovely, Lucy. Arlyn is right -- ya done good!!

Sounds like I need to find a vendor that carries Lucy's creations. smiles

There are not that many of them. The people who introduced for us retired & now our few irises will be coming out through Winterberry Iris Gardens.

I like doing business with Winterberry. I will look for your irises when I order next spring.

UndertheSun said:Nice

Note to self: Make sure you send Leslie the correct rhizome.

Don't worry Rob. I am only messing with the big box stores! And only because they have it labeled as two different iris at once. I am sure that all the ATP traders would not do such a thing deliberately ......

Thank you. A new BB intro (not full of ruffles) they have a few MTBs including John's & his pumilas & MDBs.

I sorta did this with Walmart. My daughter worked there and was well liked by the "Garden mgr". I made the mistake of mentioning to her in his presence (i did not know he was a mgr- he did not look the part) that all of the big box stores did not have the info on the packaging correct and that most would die because they were last years model (Note: "Last Years model" - I was making the statement in September; meaning that the irises were dug over a year from the conversation time and would be 22 months old at bloom time).

He took did not think I was correct. OK, put up or shut up.

I took 10 packages home (free) and planted them. Only 60% survived the Winter (with an iris expert vs regular gardening public). Only 20% were correct to name. He was surprised at the low numbers. I told him I was surprised too (that 60% survived and 20% correct as I expected high loss and lower correctness.

In the end, THEY DON"T CARE. A sale is a sale is sale. You got an iris didn't you?

Now, take that attitude throughout their product offering and you get a glimpse into their troubles in the market place.

The "American Way" is often to sell you anything, lie about it if needed, deny any liability, but take your money. I am surprised that a WalMart mgr allowed such a thing as planting and verifying; also surprised that the person was still the mgr a year or more later.
My solution is to avoid all the doubtful places; if they get no sales for suspiciously labeled items those items will be pulled off the shelves.

If I get any "so cheap, why not?" rhizomes, they will get their own section as NOIDS.

Another note about acquisition:

Do you remember the BIG Christmas Sears and Roebuck catalogue back in the day? When we were kids, we would take our own color crayon and put an X on everything we wanted. It was psychologically as if we received every toy with an X.

That is what I am doing with irises. When I see something I like, I put it on my want list. Then I don't have to buy it.

In 2 years, when this year's acquisitions have multiplied, I figure someone will want to trade something.

Well I got a response from the bulb company:

" Good morning and and thank you for your interest in our product. I spoke with the Director of XXXXXXXXX and he stated, " Yes, if the package says Grateful Red then that what it is." We also sell the Red Hawk too. If you should have any further questions regarding this matter please do not hesitate to contact me. Thank you for choosing XXXXXXXX and have a wonderful day."

Doesn't really answer the question does it? "If it says Grateful Red then that is what it is." Guess there will be a whole lot of people expecting Grateful Red to look like Red Hawk then! Doesn't help that they also sell Red Hawk, because it could still be either (or yet another red iris for that matter). I wrote back to request that they change the picture on the package, and suggested that Schreiner's picture of Grateful Red would probably sell them a bunch of rhizomes (it IS a nice picture).

As to the rhizomes - many looked to be very dry, but the one I chose was a pretty healthy rhizome. Lots of roots (many didn't have) and some of the fan was still green (gasp!). So I feel pretty certain it will survive the winter. If it ever blooms, and it really is Grateful Red then I win out. If it is another red - I won't kick it to the curb though because I like reds.

Doubt I will change the world, but thought I would give it a little try.

Good for you for trying, Leslie!! Woot!!

Don't you just love those canned responces that tell you nothing and they admit to nothing either.

Canned response is definitely what I got! Now if I could throw that can.....

I understand that thinking Linnea, it is most of the other buyers that concern me. They buy what to them is a beautiful iris named XXXX, grow it and instead of XXXX, it is 0000. So they trade it as XXXX, sell it as XXXX and generally a family, club, neighborhood or any group grows 0000 but have it labeled as XXXX. If all buyers had your knowledge that they were just getting a beautiful iris and that it will be a surprise NoID when it blooms, that would be ideal. Perhaps that is why some of the iris databases have such varied photos of the same iris. I know that some iris look different because of soil and climate but some of the photos I see I just have to say, no way!

My Stout Gardens order arrived yesterday. Kind of late - but the biggest rhizomes yet. That's the good part. Nine irises. .But the two I really wanted didn't get in the box! But he included a fabulous $50 intro of his called Backdraft. And several others. I emailed him and he said he thinks he has the two that were missing . If he does send them, then he gets the gold star this year. Enormous root systems.

Cool beans, Jan!! Gold star for Stout Gardens!!

Bonnie -- whenever I find what looks to be an error on the ATP database, I bring it to the attention of the moderators. If they agree, they will contact the person who submitted the photo and try to nail it down. Sometimes it IS the same Iris -- just geographical or weather-related differences. But sometimes the person isn't really certain of the identity, and confusion is prevented. So my point is -- speak up!!

Some photos on facebook can show difference as to the time of day photo was taken. there have been some interesting discussions as to the best time to take the photos. Some photos of my red MTB seedling did not turn out true to color this year. Not sue what I did wrong so they are not in the computer.