Dear Lucy, I love irises too! As you may know we do grow some great ones in Britain, that is not to say they do not grow fantastic ones everywhere else as they do! The problem I get is like Rose growers who become so stuffy and indeed Royal on their subject, they cannot talk to you, without an hour long explanation into how they grew it! That is why I am not interested in taking lots of pictures of Roses at the many shows I go to. I love to see all the plants on show.
I really have no time for Roses or Rose snobs, as they bore me intensely. There is no other plant in the UK that you would have to spend so much time on as Roses, to look after. Pruning twice a year, deadheading, spraying to stop blackspot, aphids, and the darn thorns. Then we get one or maybe two sessions of blooms per year in this country. I know the Tudor Rose is the National emblem of our country (England), but these people drive me mad.
Gertrude Jekyll when she went blind could tell what Rose it was by the smell, she could also tell you what tree it was by listening in the wind to its rustling. That is a gardener not a snob.
Hope you are well?
My most Kindest Regards.
Neil.
