REALLY HAPPY with first order from Ensata!

Well, this is my first time to order JI's and thus my first experience with Ensata. I ordered the 10 JI Collection and sent a list of the 3-falled cultivars that I would appreciate for my garden. I included about 30 different cultivars on the list. The collection costs $39. A friend who grows JIs in Mississippi had advised me that the 6-falled cultivars have difficulty blooming in our heat and humidity, so I didn't want to sink more money than that in to my first try with them. Here's what they included in my collection:

Blue Embers - normally $8
Calamari - normally $10
Chiyo No Haru - normally $8
Geisha Dance - normally $10
Haru No Umi - normally $10
Ink on Ice - normally $10
Joyous Troubador - normally $10
Oregon Marmalade - normally $10
Rainbow Darter - normally $10
Saru Odori - normally $10

So, for $39, I received a total of $96 in irises if I had purchased them at regular price!!!! To say I'm thrilled is an understatement!

Does anybody have experience with these cultivars? Any tips or information would be greatly appreciated by this JI newbie. Thanks! =)

This message was edited Aug 28, 2009 3:24 AM

The cultivar planting sheet that they enclose with the order offers very good information. I would add to mulch well and keep watered until new roots are established. If you could shade with an umbrella or screen of some kind it would reduce stress until they are settled in.

Great collection Evey! Ensatas collections just can't be beat. I have all of those, and like them all. Rainbow Darter is an especially lovley one.

aren't the fellas up there just wonderful? so very nice. I was there a few years ago visiting, because I had never seen a blooming JI before and couldn't decide what to order. DH was nice enough to detour up their way for me at the end of an emergency trip out to SD.

Blissful, Thanks to your post. I also ordered the Ensata JI collection. I recieved:

Angel Mountian---8
Bobs Choice------14
Classical Charm--14
Eileens Dream----12
Foreign Intrige-----12
Icy Peaks------------10
Jocasta--------------10
Pink Dance--------14
Saru Odori---------10
Tropical Storm----10

The complete collection was 39.00 plus shipping. The indivial prices would have been 114.00 now thats a sweet deal.

Cathy

Haru No Umi was one of the Must haves I put on my list when I was there.

Bonjon, I truly can't wait until next bloom season! I'm excited to see which ones truly perform well here. =)

Cathy, I'm glad your order turned out so great! I plan on ordering one of their collections again next year as well!

wish I had ordered, but have too many other things to plant. am going to compose an order for next spring ,though.

Mee too. Also we will have to do a little trading ;o).

Cathy

Definitely, Cathy! You're in my saved dmail so I don't lose the note by next season. =)

I have posted before about JI from ensata but this is today's pic. Mine are doing
super, some leaves are 40+ inches. 5 bloomed this year after late spring planting.
Order for spring shipment for the best results.

This year I had an infestation of bud fly, so yesterday I trimmed all the foliage on my Siberian and Japanese irises to 6 inches. I have bagged it and will burn it per instructions. The next step is to spray with Orthene or Isotox in April. I am looking for Merit granules to sprinkle on the ground in areas where I can't spray. The best info came from Eartheart. Be aware and look for any tiny holes appearing in the buds of your Siberian or Japanese. I too had purchased the Ensata collection last year, blooms were disfigured and destroyed by the budfly. I so hope they'll be bug free this Spring.

Sharon Whitney (Eartheart) is a gem! She was showing us, at her Open Garden Day, a mite and the damage they do. What a sweet woman!

I only lost 1 Ensata this spring, from 4 I ordered and planted last fall. I moved it and it just failed.
Good info about the 6 fall variety. I have trouble with those big ones. Frosted Plum gust flopped over and I had to stake it.