Iris early summer 2007

[Anthony Darby]

Interesting name Susan.  Not sure it's a plant that I'd want to grow?

[Susan Band]

Never noticed it was named after you, pity you don't like it  .
Thought I would try this hybrid first to see how it does up here, as it is meant to be tough one. Since it has done so well I think I wll try some of the species working up to the lovely white and brown I. elegantissima! Not sure wether to leave it in the ground or lift it and bake it as is usually suggested. Only bought it last Autumn, so this years flowers are not really of my making . I am just happy not to have killed it.
Also have a small plant of I. sari sitting in a pot waiting for a decision.

[David Shaw]

'waiting for a decision'
I like that phrase, Susan.
We have loads of pots waiting for a decision; even more soon as I continue potting on.
Have to make a resolution not to buy anything at Gardening Scotland . Some hope.

[Carol Shaw]

Well you can make that resolution - but don't expect me to take any notice of it 

[ruweiss]

When Pavel Krivka (co-autor of The Caucasus and its Flowers) was with us, he showed us slides of Iris lineolata growing and flowering without any protection among his strawberries.
He gave me a small plant and it increases and flowers now in the second year, I just gave it a good drainage and a situation near a
conifer which creates a rather dry condition; during the growing season additional watering and fertilizing is much apreciated.
In my opinion this plant is the easiest of all the onco's

[Susan Band]

One of the most beautiful as well. Would love to try it.

[Anthony Darby]

I didn't say I didn't like it, but, as the name suggests, I'd probably make an a**e of growing it?

[David Shaw]

Iris reticulata Cantab

If you buy cheap bulbs you can expect surprises, some very pleasant ones, too.
This is obviously not Cantab as I took the picture an hour ago, mid June.
It is a bulbus Dutch iris about 18 inches tall.
I will happily put it in the garden without a name, but does anyone recognise it? Maybe it is a brand new, secret variety and the bulbs are worth £50 each!

[TC]

A couple of Irises now in flower.  The purple one, I think, is an Iris ensata but the label disappeared a couple of years ago thanks to over zealous Blackbirds.
The other is Iris ensata "Kogesho".  This has been kept in a pot, out of the wind, so that the flowers survive more than a day. 

[David Nicholson]

Iris reticulata Cantab

I will happily put it in the garden without a name, but does anyone recognise it? Maybe it is a brand new, secret variety and the bulbs are worth £50 each!

Are you looking for a name David? I can suggest 'David's Pension'!!

[David Shaw]

Like that, David!

[fermi de Sousa]

Sorry to tell you, David,
that it looks like what is in the trade here as "Bronze beauty" or some such nonsense! It appears to be half way between the usual blues and yellows and the good chocolate brown types. I think it may be useful for breeding with the browns to get some different shades.
The pictures on the packets of "Mixed Dutch Iris" always used to show a brown one but after buying them on and off fro 20 years the results were always the blues and yellows and an occasional white. I presumed that the sellers just used pictures that came from overseas and that we didn't have any of the true brown ones in Australia.
About 5 years ago a nurseryman friend gave me some bulblets of "Thunderbolt" which is yellow in the bud but opens a chocolatety brown. If I ever get my act together I may get around to crossing this one with some of the others, but it is a late flowerer and I think last year there were no other Dutch Iris around when it bloomed ( it was a bad year for them last year due to a drought in the growing season).
cheers
fermi

[David Shaw]

Better put my tie on and head for the office then. Shame.
Maybe next time

[Anthony Darby]

I bought this [ Iris ensata 'Laughing Lion'] a couple of weeks ago at the Torwood Garden Centre (Chip Lima). The pic was taken on 16 June, but another flower has opened today. I like it.