TB Iris questions

I've gone a bit iris crazy this year, and ordered about 70 named irises.

I also got a bunch of unnamed rhizomes, which are kind of small. How long does it take for a smaller rhizome (say dime sized) to bloom?

And of the named, this is what I'm getting or have already received. I ordered from MountainView, Sutton's, Superstition, and Willow Bend. Oh, and Snowpeak. Has anyone had experience with any of these?:

Barely There (I don't even know what this one looks like)
Virga
Hookem' Horns
Wake Water
Clarence
Returning Rose
Sultan's Palace
Round Table
Arctic Dawn
Skating Party
Wings of Peace
Happy Carver
Cantina
City Lights
Superstition
Warrior King
Gallant Moment
Blue Eyed Brunette
Brigadoon
Moonlit Sea
Prairie Sunset
Stunning
Beverly Sills
Cascading Rainbow
Island Dancer
Jean Cayeaux
Madison County
Erin Stroll
Hy Klass
Wake Water
Border Bandit
Brown Lasso
Xanthippe's Halo
Marie Carriere
Collette Thurillet
Ruban Bleu
Silver Peak
Stunning
Flaming Victory
Breakers
Caribbean Dream
Lookout Point
Immortality
Table Time
Blaney marlow
Black as Night
Cross Current
Merlot
Rising Star
Elainealope
Dune Sea
Exuberant
Ginger Swirl
Tequila Sunrise
Victoria Falls
Edith Wolford
Black Fantasty
Kentucky Bluegrass
Michael Paul
Pumpin' Iron
Busy Being Blue
Hellcat
Chimera
Golden Flare
Perfection
Mango Smoothy
Jersey Cream
Cocoa Pink
Amaryllis
Lyrique
Sculptured Wild.

I think I just counted 70. Holy Cow!

Rhizome size doesn't necessarily have anything to do with rhizome maturity (whether or not it's ready to bloom next season). In my very cold climate,even mature blooming size rzs are very small (esp. compared to those grown on the West Coast). Also, rzs of historic cultivars are often quite small in comparison to modern rzs. Reputable commercial growers like those from whom you purchased your irises only sell mature rzs, so you should get equally good bloom from any size rzs you acquire from them.

As far as your unknown irises are concerned, the only way you can judge comparative size of those rzs is if you received a bunch of rzs from the same clump - some small and some larger. In that case, you could assume the smaller rzs are immature and may take an extra year or two to bloom. Of course that also depends on your soil and cultural technique. If you are growing them in lean soil, limited sun, and excessively dry conditions, they will naturally take longer to mature than they would under more favorable growing conditions.

I have grown, tried unsuccessfully to grow, or am still growing a number of the irises on your list, but my experience with them is likely to be entirely opposite what you can expect in your garden. You are out there in Iris Heaven, and I am here in Iris ... uh ... let's just say it's *not* Heaven. ;-)

You have put together quite a diverse list of irises there - different bearded classes and eras. Very nice. I love diversity in the iris beds.

Happy gardening,

Laurie

Thanks for the response Laurie! You know what I love about gardening? That it's midsummer and I'm already excited for next spring to see my irises..........(the ones that decide to bloom for me, anyway. I'm not counting on much but even a couple would suffice). The ones that I put in the ground about 3 weeks ago already have new leaves! I hope this is a good sign for next year!

My goodness Turtlelu! What a yard you will have next year! And We DO expect to see photos...

no ugly ones in your order just rember you got some like pumping iron that is a sdb and short so stick them on front row i dint't know this when i first got in to iris and had all short ones on back row always look up higth before plantingnext year will be heaven or your own garden of eden. supustion is a good co so is stuttons,mountain view ,is good so is willow bendalso ck. mid american gardens.htp://www.midamericangarden.com

Turtlelu, so glad to find someone else who is going Iris crazy this year. Last fall I got lots of new daylilies, but this year it's the Iris that seem to be calling my name. I ordered 45, but a few I've been told were out of stock. Just got my first order today from Iris City Garden: Hot Spiced Wine, Jurassic Park, Pagan Dance and Xanthippe's Halo. For free bonus ones they sent Sonada in Blue, Ocean Pacific and Regal Affair.
Here are the other ones I ordered from various places:

Cat's Eye
Jewler's Art
Kid Creek
Opal Wings
Wild Passions
Social Graces
Starring
Whispering Spirit
Carnival Ride
Glitzy
Wild Frontier
Desert Passion
Lady Friend
Millenium Sunrise
Lavender Park
Exactitude
Reality
Amplified
Devil's Fork
Splash of Raspberry
Anaconda Love
I'ma Kinda Lima
Ostentatious
Voluminious
Oylpic Returns
Fantasm
Red Hawk
Return Address
Fjord
Romatic Evening
Great Gatsby
Hot Dogs and Mustard
Orange Blossom Special
Princess Pride
Millenium Falcon
Queen Circle
Starship Enterprise
Splashacato

Anyone grow any of these? Comments on how you like them?
Looks like we don't have a lot of the same ones Turtlelu. Maybe we can do some trading in a few years.

Susan

lincolnitess--you HAVE been busy! I have a few on your list & will be watching them too. Can't wait to see your photos next spring!

Lincolnitess I'm so jealous of your Xanthippe's Halo! I received my order yesterday from the people I ordered it from and they had run out so they subbed 'Prince of Pirates".....a nice enough iris, just not the same.

Post a picture next spring, I'd love to see it an untouched photo!

Wow! You'll definitely be busy planting.

I have --

Clarence
Superstition
Brigadoon
Island Dancer
Victoria Falls
Edith Wolford
Cocoa Pink

After they're established in your garden and clump, I'd love to trade others you don't already have for a start of --
Wake Water
Wings of Peace
Moonlit Sea
Breakers
Dune Sea
Tequila Sunrise
Mango Smoothy

Check out my page for photos

Watch out-first it was the Iris bug that bit me then came the daylily bug wow did that one HURT and now a new one-the HOSTA bug has bitten!!

OH my watch out turtlelu!

Oh heavens,

I have the iris bug, daylily bug and hosta bug. Guess there is no hope for me !

I think it's a general "gardening disease" that's contagious and has many specialized afflictions like "daylilies", "iris", "hosta" etc... Lord knows I"M INFECTED and I try to pass it on...

Wandasflowers: Making the world more beautiful--one garden at a time....

Since joining DG, I've added the brug, coleus and canna bug to my many other infections. I getting scared to visits other forums. Danger seems to be lurking on all of them.

Susan

We (Northern Lights Iris Society) in Manitoba just received our order from
Iris City Gardens. Wonderfully packed. Still moist after 2 weeks sitting in !@#$ Canada customs. Can't say enough nice things about them.

It is so easy to become addicted to things. On another list there are a ton of day lily nuts. Now I've joined them, also hostas ahd heucheras. Ah me.


Inanda in Manitoba

So many iris, so little grass left in my yard... No, I guess I still have lots of room because I still have grass left...

Wish we were not all so far away from each other. Would love to see everyones garden in full bloom. Think that Laurie is the nearest to me, a couple of hundred miles. at least. Cannot imagine buying 70 iris all thesame year. What bliss that would be.

I've just finished potting the Iris City Garden order. Mainly Las )Louisianas )don't ask why) Can't live without them.

Hot August weather here forthe last few days -- finally ...

Inanda

Well, you can all just envy ME now! Tazzy brought me some historics form her very own garden ! I'm sooo excited! I 'll get them in this fall & I hope it's not too late for spring blooms.

Tazzy also shared with me one of her iris photo albums. I learned more from her in an hour than I've learned in 40 years of growing them!!! I just think she wanted to show off all the blue ribbons she earned for her babies....