Help. Does Anyone Know "Who" This Is?

Mine was not a digital photo and was a close up. It did not show every bit of the beard but it appeared lighter (white?) towards the outer edge of the falls and appeared yellow going back to the heart.

I'd love to be right! I know what you mean by a bed that's not squared. If you can eliminate the WHO'S neighbors then it just might be Ruffled Ballet. I tried it in my search engine but the one decent photo was more like a thumbnail and I couldn't enlarge it. Now I'll go look for Sierra Grande.

Arlene

I'm excited. I checked 'Sierra Grande' and it has dark blue falls. Your initial photo has light blue and you mentioned the words "light blue" falls.

Sheryl, you were in a fix then. :-)
But you're right, Ruffled Ballet is all backwards. The color was very good though.
I've looked for a few.
One more thing is to carefully keep track of your iris as they are opening and to mark off the ones that clearly aren't it if at all possible. This will make your task a LOT easier. There are a lot of blue cultivars in your list that it's not. Like 'Oregon Skies', 'Metrolius Blues', 'Best Bet', 'Blue Eyed Blond, 'Blueberry Bliss', 'Mer Du Sud', orinoco flow, 'Rapture in Blue', 'River Hawk'.

Wow, I it's hard to believe but I just looked at Cooley's website and almost none of the cultivars you bought last year are there this year. What turnover!

Arlene,

Can you post a pic of your RUFFLED Ballet here? I'd love to see it for comparison.

I do think more info will become available (process of elimination,etc) as the season plays out. As virtually all of my iris are new, I am taking photos daily so will have a record. Yes, you are right "who" does have lt blue falls. This had been the only real problem with Sierra (aside from a journal record which shows it at another location). But, I have kept Sierra on the list because of the possibility of color variation due to growing conditions and the fact that I can't find any good pics other than the one shown on Schreiner's page. I often find the PF pics are more realistic as to color than are vendor's photos.

The mystery continues...

Sheryl

This message was edited May 13, 2005 12:50 PM

Sheryl,

It's a photo taken about 9 years ago with one of my Nikon SLR. Shall I try to find another one and I could just send you the photo so you can keep an eye on it?

Arlene*
*Have to shower, cook dinner and garden. I'll be back here around 5:00.

Here's the plantfiles reference to 'Cloud Ballet'. If you need help learning to use the plant files, just email me. You'll love using them.

http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/34511/index.html

Ok, I had to go back and review. I was going "Why is doss talking about Cloud Ballet now?" Of course, it was scutler who got us off track. Went back and changed my prior post. I meant to ask to see her photo of Ruffled Ballet.

doss, it is very kind of you to offer to spend time helping me with PF. I do truly appreciate your offer. Actually, DG's is practically my homepage and I live on PF's. I'm shy so only recently started to "talk", but have been "lurking" for a while. I do love PF and use it constantly. In fact, I have added some 150+ photos of my plants to PF so far. I was asking to see Arlene's photo because (1) she seems convinced that her RUFFLED Ballet looks like my Who and (2) there are only 2 photos of that variety in PF and while they are gorgeous they are both from the same person.

As so many things are blooming now, I am taking 100's of photos daily so I have a time-referenced record of my garden. As I am able to Id things, I assoc the name w/photo(s) and note the bloom time (and updated location where necessary) in my journal. This, too, will help with this process of elimination.

Sheryl

doss, from Cooley's I ordered exclusively from late season sales flyer. Received huge, multi-fanned,impressive rhizomes with large plastic labels (the kind that stand beside plant) for around $3ea. So those were probably "close-out" prices on plants they were planning to discontinue, hence the apparent 100% turnover. BTW, I love their lables. Of all the iris I ordered last fall, the Cooley's are the only ones that are 100% labeled. Which leads to my next point...

Went out to do the morning photo session. Found the Cooley's label "Ruffled Ballet" beside an iris that has not bloomed yet. It is located at the front of the "blue iris bed" and is some 3' away from Who. The Cooley's tags are the one thing I am sure about. They were stapled to the fan. Even though I was too sick to place them in the ground beside plants, they remained stapled securely even when the foliage died. Months later I was able to sit on my garden cart and transfer the labels to the ground. So, this makes it less likely that my Who is Ruffled Ballet. Also, if my Ruffled Ballet blooms I will be able to compare. I should think that it would have bloomed at the same time, however, if they were the same plant.

Arlene,

Don't go to a lot of trouble, but if you have a photo of your iris handy, I'd love to see it. Have seen the one in PF, but would like to see yours if available. Sure, you can email it to me. Hopefully, you see that I have located my Cooley's plant labeled Ruffled Ballet some 3' away from the iris in question.

Sheryl

Hi Sheryl,

Do you want me to mail you the photo I have from Cooley's? That's what I have taped on the index card with all the data. I mistakenly thought it was my own until I saw the words Award Winner.

I have the card marked 30" and bloom dates 6/3, 6/2, 6/10 but I guess these wouldn't apply to your warmer climate. I'm only a "paying" member since 5/1 so I never even thought of the PF's. I just typed "Ruffled Ballet" iris into my search engine and came up with a few photos.

Just so you know, Cooley's has one section where they sell collections and each photo is roughly the size of a half dollar. Remember I'm talking about 1993. Anyhow the photo is much darker than the real life. On the front of my index card the color is the same as yours.

I checked my old photos and what I found is that while the shots are great I never wrote the name on the back! You know that invincible feeling of "I'll remember which one this is".

Arlene

I'm so glad that you're putting images in the plant files Sheryl. If you can find the time, please put a note there saying what your experience is. I really appreciate them and they have helped me a lot when people do put them in. Sorry I misunderstood. :-)

Hi Arlene,

Boy DO I know that "I'll remember" feeling; I'm trying to learn that without labels I can't always reliably remember the photos I took last WEEK. To sad, but so true. Thanks for checking on the photo. No need to go to that much trouble. I was really more interested in seeing yours. I did look at the 2 in PF and the close up one is a great photo. Did you see above that I have located a plant which bears the Cooley's tag for Ruffled Ballet a few feet away from this one. That one has not yet bloomed. Hopefully, that one will bloom soon and I can compare them.

It is interesting that you mention that the vendor's picture of Ruffled Ballet shows a darker bloom; that also coincides with doss's theory about Sierra Grande.

Well, the saga continues...

Sheryl

oh, doss, no problem about the misunderstanding. I was truly impressed with your very generous offer to help me "off-line".

I'm on a mission to add at least 1 photo of everything to PF (as time allows) because the photos have been very helpful to me. Thanks for letting me know that the notes are important to you. I've added a few, but will try to give that more attention in the future. I did add a note to rose Scentimental to let others know that in hot climates (like mine) its blooms are a very dissapointing solid red. I bought a second one before I realized, so wanted to warn others. I've gotten thank you notes from others regarding that one.

And on that note (hot climates), wanted to let you "guys" know that it is already so hot here that at 2PM I can't take photos because my camera burns my hands!!! Is that unreal, or what? Hope all of you have kinder climates.

Sheryl

Oh, BTW, this is only my 2nd Iris season hence no iris photos in PF yet. Last year I got my 1st 2 plants to blooms and was so excited ... well 300 iris later.

Just went to look at Cooley's site, and there is just no way around it, I need a bigger yard. I've been fantasizing about sneaking over to plant stuff in neighbors' yards at night while they are sleeping. lol.

Sheryl

Ah yes! I recognize the symptons: Iris fever. No cure. Enjoy!

You do have the bug - and a large yard too I suppose.

And it' funny about the rose. I just posted a thread in the California forum asking about what was a really good repeat blooming climber in hot climates. You must have one you love. Although we've certainly wandered away from the ID.

Doss - I see your messages on a few sites and always seem to notice the Stanford, CA. Tonight on Jeopardy there was one and I knew the correct answer: Stanford. It was in regard to the college attended by Tiger Woods and two others. Thanks for being a constant reminder.

Still no identification on the iris scutler?

Oh, you're welcome - I always love to be the answer to a Jeopardy question. :-) DH is a retired professor and we live on campus. It's a lovely place to be.

It looks like my Sierra Grande that I got from Cooley's last year. Maybe it is an extra they threw in. Mine is a very profuse bloomer, just getting toward the end of bloom now (May 12th).

Kay

Hi Kay,

Thank You! Distilling all of the information we've compiled to date, I have become increasingly convinced that Sierra Grande is the only remaining option. It has the white standards, lt blue beards, broad shoulders, ruffles, even the lighter color around the edges of the falls. The darker color of the falls depicted in the Schreiner's photo has been the only problem. Well, ok, my journal does indicate that it is planted at another location but (1) I was bombed on post-surgery meds then and (2) as you point out, I could have 2 of them.

You mention that yours is a profuse bloomer and is getting near the end of its bloom period. That, too, fits the one in question. It has been blooming heavily for a while now and is winding down. I thought it was done, but today I noticed one last bud about to open.

Ok, I can't believe I did not think of this before, but tomorrow morning I will go out to the location where I have indicated in my journal that Sierra should be planted. I will look for a tag; most of the Schreiner's iris were tagged. That won't answer the question but will be interesting input. If there is no tag that increases the likelihood of an error in the journal and lends further credence to the idea that Who is Sierra Grande. If there is a tag, it presents something of a problem because if I have 2 of them I would expect both to bloom around the same time.

Ok, tomorrow I'll check it out and report back. BTW, Kay, do you have a photo of your Sierra Grande handy?

Sheryl

Sheryl,
Your 'hot sun' may very well be the difference between your iris and Schreiner's. Some Iris fade pretty quickly in hot sun so a lighter color on yours would make sense.

I'm still not totally convinced that it's 'Sierra Grande'. It'll be interesting to find out next year when you grow another one.

oh, doss, did you get an answer to the question about a good reblooming, climbing rose for hot climate? I have a number of roses climbing in trees as well as on arbor, trellises, fence, etc. (i.e., my property is beginning to have a canopy like a rainforest). Would be happy to discuss and show you photos. Answer would depend on several criteria like do you have a color preference, spray of small flowers vs large blooms, growth habit, etc. Email me if you'd like to discuss. Oh, and, no, I don't have a huge property. I live in the city limits so have only about 4/10 acre and my house has a large footprint which takes up a good deal of that. But when I'm tempted to move to the outlying areas where I might have several acres, I remember that I can't even keep up with the yard I have. BTW, what subject area/discipline did DH teach at Stanford? Ok, I know this is off subject, but, well, that's how real conversations work anyhow.

Sheryl

DH is a cryptographer. He was in the Electrical Engineering department. If you've ever used a credit card on line, you've used his work. I'll email you about roses. Thanks!

scutler - In the morning are the falls as dark as sites portray 'Sierra Grande' being? I'm still believing in 'Ruffled Ballet' from YOUR own photographs.

Hi Arlene,

Arlene, I know that you are convinced that my mystery iris is Ruffled Ballet, and I would so love for that to be true. But I cannot get past these discrepancies: Photos and description indicate Ruffled Ballet has distinct yellow beards (or yellow beards tipped white) while my Who has light blue beards. Also, my iris has light blue falls that fade to a distinct and very noticeable pale blue band around edges - about 1" wide. Ruffled Ballet's falls are the inverse of this. It has light blue falls that darken at edges. To me these are serious discrepancies that I can't reconcile. I asked if you had a photo of yours because I wanted to see if yours also had the traits described.

On the other hand, the only discrepancy between mystery iris and Sierra Grande is the fact that the vendor photo shows the falls as med blue while mine are absolutely light blue. (I don't need to check that. I agree with you there.) But, Arlene, recall that you yourself pointed out that the Cooley's photo of Ruffled Ballet shows the falls of that one as distinctly darker than your actual iris. So if the Cooley's photo of Ruffled Ballet shows the color "incorrectly", so might the Schreiner's photo of Sierra. I do admit that the color discrepancy with Sierra Grande gives me pause, but it is possible to explain that away. Vendor photos don't alway depict realistic colors, and colors can vary due to growing conditions. But beard color should not be different; nor should pattern of relative light to dark areas.

I just cannot reconcile the difference in beard color and color pattern. : (
Did you compare the photo in PF http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/32882/ with my photos? See those prominent yellow beards and the lighter area in the center of the falls? : (

Ok, am going out now to take photos, check for iris tag, etc.

Sheryl

I see your point about the beard. With my two photos from '93 Cooley's of RB one is just like your photo on this page and the other smaller shot is darker. It bloomed like this page photo of yours. Adds to my belief that every plant should be stamped (like Swan Island Dahlias does with their tubers) and you should get a marker for every fan. You get one in nursery plants (not always but most times). Happy hunting.

Ok, went out and checked the location where my journal says Sierra Grande is planted, and, "scream", there it was: the plant, that has not yet bloomed, proudly and securely wearing its Schreiner's tag marked Sierra Grande. It is 15-20' from the mystery iris. So here is what we have so far:

Dover Beach: has yellow beard while mine has lt blue beard. Per tazzy shoulders not wide enough. From journal, not clear if I actually have Dover Beach.

Ruffled Ballet: has yellow beard (tipped white); mine has lt blue beard. Color pattern on falls is the inverse of mine. Journal indicates I have 1 from Cooley's; it has been located some 3' away and has not bloomed yet.

Sierra Grande: has the same beard color, color pattern on falls, and general form. Color value or shade of falls as depicted in Schreiner's photo is considerably darker than mine. Journal indicates I have 1 from Schreiners which has been located elsewhere in garden and which has not yet bloomed.

As doss pointed out, all have similarities; none seems an exact match. Well, if either of the iris labeled RB or SG blooms I will be able to compare them at that time. Meanwhile, the search continues...

Sheryl

Good thing you're not into alcohol. "Who" is a pretty name anyhow. Kind of reminds me of the Abbot and Costello "Who's on first" routine.

lol pirl - you're dating yourself. And us. :-)

she was watching vintage tv.

good call, pgirl. the search for Who's Identity has become something of an Abbot and Costello routine, hasn't it? oh, I have been watching vintage tv, too. : )

Can we talk radio? :-)

The Bickersons with Don Ameche and Frances Langford or Arthur Godfrey and his gal from Hawaii or that squeaking door on some ancient radio show?

Who was that masked man Kimosabe?

Only the shadow knows!

LOL!!!!!!

How about the radio commercial: (to stomping or marching music) L A V A, L A V A

Wasn't that the FBI in War and Peace?

I loved it because I was a tyke and memorized it and thought I was so "big" to be able to spell.

Sorry scutler, we just freaked out here for awhile. Identifying iris by this method is a call for comic relief.

Goodnight all, including "Who".

You've got me on this one pirl. But it sure sounds like fun.

Sheryl, any new ideas?

Just realized that I've been misspelling pirl's screen name. Oops. I am very sorry. Will try to be more careful.

Hey, no problem about the topic. I think it's much more natural for conversations to develop in this manner. Anyhow, we've worked very hard to Id this iris. We deserve a break. : )

I wasn't ignoring you guys. I went outside this afternoon to do some work in the garden. Didn't get back in until 9ish. And, well, to be honest... I have no clue what you guys are talking about. But, I guess my cover was blown with the tv comment. : )

No new developments in the search for Who's true identity. I think it's a new cultivar! You know how you read that this or that variety of plant x was discovered in a private garden somewhere, well, there you go... I'm working on the name now... And preparing to for my photo shoot when she wins the Dykes Medal.

Oh Who's on First was just on Radio before TV. Kemosabe was what Tonto called the Lone Ranger, and the Shadow was a mystery character. We didn't get to Orson Wells' War of the Worlds that started a national riot with people thinking that invaders were coming. Was it from outerspace pirl? Can't remember. It's THAT bad.

Love the solution about the Dykes medal winning mystery Iris. What a lovely idea!

In honor of doss you could call it 'Doss Who?'

Sorry that you have no idea of what we're talking about but when rock music comes up as a category on Jeopardy my DH and I look at each other with blank faces. Red Hot Chili Peppers? I cook with them.

Ah yes, Doss, the Martians from outer space. Now that was before I was born but one my mother always talked about. She heard the commotion across the street and Mr. and Mrs. Paterson had packed the family car and the kids and she was crying (loudly) and they were leaving to beat the Martians out of town.

It was rebroadcast, in it's entirety, on radio in the mid sixties. I had to move this huge radio/"phonograph"/Hi Fi from the living room to a little guest room so I could hear it as my ex thought it was old hat and boring. It sounded very authentic as Orson Wells meant it to be. It started out as maybe a music show and then came this interruption, "Ladies and gentlemen we interrupt this broadcast to warn you there are unconfirmed reports of Martians landing in (some town) in New Jersey. . . ." it really did sound like a news bulletin interrupting a show, probably "atop the Grand Ballroom of the Waldorf Astoria" or someplace "swanky". Anyhow they did have real interruptions to advise that this is just a story, it's not true, it's not happening but there was panic in the streets. Many people didn't listen long enough to hear it was just a story. When my mom saw the neighbors packing she said she called them (not to their faces, of course) "fools - it's just a show".

Takes me back to the days of the Fugitive with Richard Jannsen, in '64. During the show the phone rang and it was my boss but he said he was Dr. Kimball and could he come over and hide out with us. I was shaking (from the excitement of the show) but answered "yes, oh yes". Then he told me who he was.

Gone on too long (as one rabbit said to the other). Out to garden, see ya later alligator, after while Crocodile.

Arlene (thanks for the fun)