tveguy3 said:What's scary is that I have many of these.

That is because you are selective in your purchases, so get only the best and brightest every year. And we benefit from you letting us know if the iris does well or not.
As far as median and dwarfs go, you are becoming my go to guy. All the smalls I have gotten from you/because of you are amazing growers and increasers..

Part Ten of Barbara's Wish List







Sundaze - Can't find a photo, Database has registered but not introduced















to be continued later Well I've enabled myself into several more listings.

tveguy3 said:Used to be if it was on my wish list I got it. Now it's more like, "Is it enough different from anything else I have to be worthy of adding it to the collection?, or is it enough of an improvement over one I have to replace it? or is it one that has characteristics I want to add to the gene pool for making crosses? Then I have to ask myself, what am I willing to give up to make room. I'm really at a saturation point for keeping up all these beds, and I'm not getting any younger.

Tom, I'm going to have to do something like what your doing. Our pasture is in the flood zone so I can't plant anything down there, plus the gopher/squirrels would have a field day with them. Someday I want to terrace my hill, but that is going to be very costly. My plan is to put my NO ID's inbetween the front fence and street which will free up some of my beds. The lawn is shrinking too.

Leslie, I bought so many new one last year and this year too that i completely understand having to wait. My Badlands did the same thing yours is doing. It diminished and then just died. If Orchid Dove is a iffy grower maybe I should take it off my list. Maybe if one of us gets Die Laughing then we can share the following year(s). Silken Trim bloomed for me in 2015 but I think it was a no show in 2014. I got it in 2012, and I'm sure it bloomed in 2013.

Charlotte, It is is amazing that your posting the pictures of the iris on my list. Thank you so much! I know I like peach color iris but I see a trend in the pictures your posting. Thank you for your offer on trading Border Guard. It is a very pretty iris.
Looking at the pictures you posted has confirmed some must haves: All My Dreams, Captain Thunderbolt, Cross my Heart, Evening Tidings, Fall Line, and Flamingo Frenzy is a must have and that is just off the first and start of the second post... So now you all know why my wish list is soooooo long. Oh "Imagine This" is a must have too.

Jane I have a few on your want list to.

I can take Grace Upon Grace and Reckless in Denim off the wish list because I bought them this year.

Jan, I would love to get on your future share list for Ginger Ice.

I'm looking at my Ipad while typing this on the computer so I'm on part five of Charlotte's post and Just Wichery and Leinster Ellen Jean are must haves too!

Thank you again Charlotte for posting these!

Hopeless Romantic survive in cold areas as it did well when AIS convention was in Wisconsin.

I really like a bunch of those posted and I like the people here on this forum. It is just a nice thing to be helpful to others.

Barbara - I better keep a sharp eye on my Badlands if yours did the same thing. It was bloom crazy in the spring. Wore itself out, but I hope it doesn't die. It's child Coal Seams is a good grower and bloomer. I tad bit darker but with much the same form as Badlands. If they weren't separated in my garden, you would have to look closely to determine which is which (Badlands has more of the white spreckles at the top of the falls).

Badlands is the 3 at the left, Coal Seams is the 6 at the front

Part Eleven of Barbara's Wish List

Boy Leslie -- you're right about the two black Irises looking so much alike. The form and base color looks identical!

Some more of Barbara's Beauties!!!

"Jan, I would love to get on your future share list for Ginger Ice."

Barb, I'll take an inventory next year and make a list of what I have to share.. People can treemail me
as a reminder.
My memory isn't great. I'm not very good at keeping others' wants straight. It'll probably be first
come, first served or somesuch !

Isn't it a thrill to see all these wonderful pics of "wanted" iris!



[/quote]

Loving Suzanne's photo of Orchid Dove, and hoping that mine (planted a month or so ago)
does well in my California garden! Concerned about reviews.

...and with the drought, if we're going to continue gardening, we have to dig/drill for a well.
I'll be on a slimmer budget for quite a while.

Charlotte, what a show! Thanks for posting all the photos.
I kept realizing that some I admired, like Strawberry Spy and
Stylized, were ones I planted this summer - and forgot how
beautiful they are! Haven't seen them bloom yet.

Jan - Orchid Dove may be quite a bit more happy in a dry environment than in my humid and hot one!


Barbara - ask me in the spring about Bolder Boulder. I may have enough to divide.

With all the irises out there, how do you all decide what to put on your lists and what to bypass? It sounds like several of you were looking at some of the same varieties but I'm not sure what about them caught your attention.

I am just going into my third year full-out with Iris. At this point, I am looking at form (becoming more enamored with ruffles all the time); do I like the color(s); do I already have one similar to this, and, if so, is it different enough to keep on the list; what is the registered bloom season (looking to avoid buying Mid Season bloomers because I have so many already and want as extended a bloom season as I can get; what type of Bearded is it: Tall, Arilbred, Intermediate, Border, Standard Dwarf, etc.; does it have rebloom genes; and who is the hybridizer--I have developed a fondness for Blyth, Burseen, Keppel, and Lauer; and how much does it cost (that's a biggie! ).

5sillydogs, Debra gave you a good list of things that she's looking to do with here collection. If I look at one and think Oh my, I have to have that one it goes on the list. It may come off later, or it may be pushed down on the list depending on competing issues, like money, space, or just that others are liked better. I want those that are uniquely different then any that I have. Since I have about 600 of them, that takes a quite a bit. I often find that some I don't really like that much when I first see them will later strike my fancy. It's always personal to your taste.

[quote="lovemyhouse"]... At this point, I am looking at form (becoming more enamored with ruffles all the time);
what is the registered bloom season (looking to avoid buying Mid Season bloomers because I have so many already and want as extended a bloom season as I can get;....

I'm still fairly new in the Iris field and I would love the see some information on what "good form" should be.
I also love the ruffles and I agree with Debra about extending bloom time, but where I live it's been way to hot for really late bloomers. I need to move the ones I have to a somewhat shadier area and to see if that helps keep their bloom. So at this point I'm trying to avoid the very late bloomers and buy more of the very early bloomers.
Most of what I buy is what I like (and I like a lot of them)
Next year I'm going to have to do more of what Tom and Debra are doing which is seeing if I have something like the one I'm considering or is it better.
And yes the cost is important too.

Tom's last point is the most important, in my opinion. When you have an extensive collection, as many of us do -- it takes a pretty spectacular Iris to make us sit up and take notice. But it's really no different for people who are just beginning their collection -- there are going to be Irises that *speak* to you, -- that make you stop and think "oh mannnnnnnnnnnn -- I have GOT to have that Iris". Personal taste. Fill your garden with flowers that make your heart happy.

Yes, choose what makes your heart happy. I like that, Mary Ann.

I agree. And while many of us oh and aw over the same iris, we also have very unique tastes. I love Burseen's space agers, Paul and Mary Ann love pink iris, I like broken color iris, Mary Ann hates them; some collect Keppel iris (beautiful but not good growers here so I don't collect many), many collect Blyth iris because there are so many lovely iris produced by Blyth (any disagreements??!!). Some, like Bonnie and Lucy love the dwarfs and medians best. So it really IS a matter of personal taste at the end of the day. And those that will grow well for you will inform your future buying decisions.

I'm also on the pink bench!