Irises-Non-Bearded 2012

[daveyp1970]

In 2007 I made a sowing of Iris sintenisii from Exchange seed. I got good germination and potted them on annually before planting out around seven plants in a bed I created particularly for species irises in 2009. They did rather well and below is a picture of a group of them and a close up last year.

They did so well that they took over a somewhat larger portion of the bed than I had anticipated. As they came back into life this year I noticed that a couple of large dandelions had thrived in the middle of the clump (There are a couple of grassed amenity areas near me absolutely full of dandelions and I get a lot of trouble from seedlings) as had a creeping weed that looks much like an oxalis of some kind.

I couldn't let them go on like that so about three weeks ago I decided to clean them up and split them up (yes, I know, not the right time of year!). Result: I've lost the lot.

If anyone has a spare plant at the right time of year I'd be very happy to refund postage and package costs and if anyone has spare seed I'd be happy for some of that too.

David i have babies from your seed if you would like some back:)

[David King]

Yesterday in the garden.

1.  Iris Hollandica 'Eye of the Tiger'
2.  Iris siberica 'Hoar Edge'

[David Nicholson]

David i have babies from your seed if you would like some back:)

Dave, will PM you.

[David Nicholson]

A few from the garden today:-

Iris sibirica 'Perry's Blue'-I think as the label has gone walkabout.
I. sibirica 'Sparkling Rose'
I. pseudacorus-that surprisingly seems to thrive in one of the driest parts of my garden
I. graminea

[daveyp1970]

A PC i was given last year and Iris tectorum grown from SRGC Seedex.

[PeterT]

A PC i was given last year

I think this is Broadleigh Edith or else Broadleigh Sybol (not sure of the spelling). I get the two varieties mixed up but both are 'good doers'

[Maggi Young]

I got some Broadleigh PCIs from CS when she visited Aberdeen for a talk to the Friends of the Cruickshank Botanic Garden some years ago.... they all died.
I think Roma got some too... I think hers are okay.......

[PeterT]

a familiar story Maggie, the two names I mention are tough though. Moving PCIs is best done in grey miserable automn weather with lots of rain and lots of loose, coarse, garden compost. Small bare root pieces are very difficult to establish in more arid conditions as there is a limited window of opportunity due to their having a short root growing season

[Tom Waters]

On Monday, my wife Karen and I went on an expedition into the Jemez Mountains in the Santa Fe National Forest to see Iris missouriensis in bloom in its habitat. It was amazing wildspread and diverse in this area. The photographs are from a spot 3250 meters in altitude. It grows in damp meadows in the midst of fir/spruce forest. The spot is perhaps 50 km from our home as the crow flies, but time-consuming to get to over rocky forest roads.

The first photo is a scenic view of Cerro Pedernal with Abiquiu Lake off to the right.

[Tom Waters]

These photos show the variation is form, color, and pattern among the blooms. I was quite taken to see some with almost solid blue-violet fall blades, with the usual veining hardly to be seen. All these were growing within a few hundred meters of each other.

[Tom Waters]

Final batch of photos

[daveyp1970]

Tom fantastic pics it's not one i grow,does it increase by stolons,on your pics there seem a lot of single fans.

[PeterT]

the forms I have grow like a setosa or sibirica Davey, not such dense clumps as most garden sibiricas. Avon Bulbs were stocking it.

[David Nicholson]

Lovely set of pics Tom, thanks for posting.

[Maggi Young]

Delightful to see the variation in these lovely flowers, Tom.  Always very instructive to see that... so often folks  seem to expect a plant to have no variation at all... these habitat pictures illustrate the truth very well.

P.S. Have you thought of getting a microlight aircraft ?.... then you too, can fly as the crow!