Iris 2011

Iris koreana was looking particularly great today, growing exponentially since moving it from another spot which was too dry.  There is a form of this species being sold by Garden Vision Epimedium that is supposed to be much better flowering, although in my case, simply moving it from one spot to another turned a virtually non-flowering Iris into a yearly flowering spectacle.  Folks, find those microclimates, move your plants around if they're not succeeding.

That is awesome, Mark!  And again, you are so far ahead in the season.  I don't even have Iris pumila blooming yet!  Although, I. suaveolens began a couple days ago, and an unknown twice blooming one just today.

Rick:  funny that your season is so far behind yet our I. suaveolens is blooming at the same time!

Wim (and others): I will try to collect seed on I. koreana... it has to be picked at just the right point, and watched to be protected from squirrels & chipmunks (and other vermin?) that like eating the pods.  It sounds like a seed swap is in order ;).  The trick this year, now that I'm back to my long work days and long commute-from-Hades, is catching the seed at just the right moment.

They say Iris tectorum does not have a lot of variability compared to most species, so I was interested to see what was special about the type from Sun Moon Lake area.  I obtained seed from the Species Iris Group of North America (SIGNA) seed exchange, and I am very pleased with the results.

Gadzooks!  Look at those crests!

The iris season is starting in the Southern hemisphere! The Retics are in bud and the winter iris are also out.
In the Sand bed this Juno, Iris planifolia has flowered for the second time!

It was grown from seed and even produced a pod itself last year!
cheers
fermi

Some of the "retics" have started,
"Harmony"

"George"

cheers
fermi

Hello Tom, and welcome to the NARGS forum!  Very glad you stopped in.  I looked at your website, too, and am impressed.  I went to bookmark it, and found I already had it bookmarked!  (So many good sites I don't want to forget - but I do anyway!)  your site kinda says you started with iris only in 2010.  But your knowledge indicates a much longer iris love affair.  Did you garden somewhere else previously?

Tom wrote:

Are those cumquats?

Hi Tom,
no they are fruit of the Mexican Hawthorn (Crataegus pubescens, syn CC mexicana, stipulacea).
cheers
fermi

More retics:
Pauline

Springtime

Alida

Pixie

Natascha

cheers
fermi

A Dwarf bearded iris raised in NZ by Jean Stevens and named for her home town is "Wanganui Gem"

cheers
fermi

Fermi, my best bulb catalog carries some of the Iris reticulatas you mentioned, like Pixie and Natascha, but unfortunately not Pauline.  Looks like a wonderful little iris.