Very Sad

I bought three different new GB Irises last year and only one survived. I'm so upset! I lost Edith Wolford and Superstition. I had wanted a black iris for so long.
:( Donna

I know how you feel. I lost a few of my TBs this winter. We had very wet weather for a prolonged time frame.

Thanks for the words of comfort.
:) Donna

I'm so sorry Donna. I know how it is when you lose something that you really love. Zone 4A is really cold! I'm glad that you have somewhere to share this where we all understand that it isn't really just a $3.00 rhizome. It's the dream of spring.

Thanks, doss.
:) Donna

You certainly have my sympathy, but I can't say I'm at all surprised by your losses. Over the years, I've probably lost five tall bearded cultivars (hundreds in total) for every one that's managed to settle in and survive here. TBs just haven't proven terribly hardy for me here in zone 3b. That's why I now concentrate on the dwarf and median beardeds, and various beardless irises. They're a whole lot tougher than most of the TBs.

There's a gal in zone 3 on the East Coast who grows TBs much more successfully than I. The difference is that she typically has heavy and reliable snow cover all winter, which I often do not. That white mulch really saves her TBs. This last winter, however, she had a very atypical, snowless period in January. Not surprisingly, she suffered significant TB losses this spring for the first time. I can always anticipate a lot of losses, too, in years following light snowfall winters. Fortunately for me, this last winter provided my irises with adequate snow cover, so my losses this spring have been minimal.

Ma Nature has her own way of weeding the weaklings out of our gardens. I've come to respect her wisdom.

Laurie

i lost everyone of waysides fall clearance sale!! darn and there were good ones in that group! :(

Evidently there weren't any good ones in that group. Tell Wayside and they should give you a credit. So sorry.

Thanks for the encouragement. It just ticked me off because I had all three by each other. I wish I could remember where I bought the two I lost. Sometimes I also think that besides Mother Nature that where you get them makes the difference to.
:) Donna

If it makes you feel any better, I only managed to keep Edith alive for two years (only bloomed once) before she died here. Superstition has clung tentatively to life here since 2000, but it didn't manage to bloom until last year. Even then, after four years, it only gave me two stalks with a few buds each. Hardly an impressive performer. If you're looking for a "black" iris with a reputation for performing well in frigid climates, try Hollywood Nights. I added it to my collection last year at the recommendation of my zone 3 East Coast iris friend, and it made it through its first winter here. I doubt if it'll bloom this year, but its survival so far puts it ahead of the game in my garden.

Just out of curiosity, which of the three irises you put in last summer did manage to survive for you?

Laurie

Laurie, the one that survived is Champagne Elegance. It has three fans and looks healthy! I've never heard or seen Hollywood Nights here. I guess I'll have to keep my eyes open more for it.
:) Donna

Hmm. I don't think I better mention what happened to my Champagne Elegance ... twice. ;-)

Laurie

Oooooh don't you dare!
;p Donna

Dori, you lost all of your Wayside? I lost 3, sadiemae, I think lost a few from Wayside also. They looked very healthy at planting time. I had order lenton rose, clematis and other stuff. It is thriving.

It does matter where you get your iris - last year I got two sets from a vendor who was like wayside. The first batch were totally moldy, and then they sent a second batch that were totally moldy. They didn't charge me for either batch, and a couple of them grew - but two were mismarked. I don't order from any of the general houses anymore - except a few good ones. Certainly not Wayside anymore. Although the catalog is great.

And Edith Wolford didn't work for me either. It grew here, but the flower wasn't substantial enough for the place that it was taking up. Too many great Iris in the world to fool around with marginal ones like that. Maybe it knew that you really wanted something else instead. :-)

You should look at laurief's website, Shadowood. Maybe that would give you some ideas of what has made it in her cold garden. Iris love it here. No rain in the summer and no freezing in the winter. Doesn't make lilacs happy though.
http://www.angelfire.com/mn3/shadowood/irislist.html

Wow, what a nice site.

Thank you, Doss, for posting the link to my site. It would be a mistake, though, for folks to think that it represents the irises I grow successfully here. The majority of TBs pictured on my site survived only long enough to bloom once and get their photos taken. Most of them have long since died here.

Most of the non-TBs are still alive and kicking, along with some of the TBs. If anyone is interested in seeing a list of the TBs that have survived here for more than 2 yrs, I'd be happy to post or email privately.

Laurie

Laurie, I would love to see such a list. I am helping a family member in zone 4a with her garden long distance. She wants iris now and I will get some for her if I can find a few that have proven to bloom and grow even for a few years.

Thank you for the list.
Lani

I was so saddened when I waited for two years for my chocolate irises to bloom and they turned out to be yellow and nothing special. We all know how you feel.

Yesterday, I went to a lady house had an ad, Iris for sale!
Each plant that I wanted, she did too! She was trying to sell her older plain yellow and purples. I finally did get a nice yellow and white one and one Breakers. Double the price in the ad. She did add a start of wisteria.

Potofgold, isn't it the biggest disappointment, when you wait just to see it bloom the first time and then it isn't what you hoped for.

Bluegrass..sure is especially when you put them in front for everyone to see. Guess no one will slow down to see these. Oh Well.