Seedlings - My favorite Subject... Here's a few more of mine

my notes: #1 lovely BB--don't think there are others exactly that color, great form

#4 I like red bitones, not too happy with 'fold' in falls, but maybe not fresh. Do you have a red which is smooth at hafts? Still could result in a bitone?
#5 good width in the falls
#6 could use more width in F cross them with each other?
#7 good pastel
# 9 one look and said 'Allegiance' (an oldie) MUCH better form and with luck stronger growth
#10 Lovely!!

irisMA... Thanks for your comments. re:#4 First year bloom, all falls folded in. I wasn't very happy with that either, but hoping it will do better this year. It also needs a sunnier location. Including photo #11 of another red. Hafts not completely smooth. This one was hard to photograph. It's almost iridescent, with shades of orange thru purple showing up in the sunlight.

My wife will be pleased with your comments on #1. She's claimed it since day one.

Thanks Again, Hope you have a good evening, Dan

Number 11

Lovely image of that dragonfly BTW!!

Nice and crisp close up!! Good Job to the photographer!!

Lisa H

Love the dragon fly LOL I am convinced these guys are hams
#1 - Very nice BB using back one for form adn (R) for buds looks like ~7 buds? Nice placement, the color is wonderful and those BEARDS!!!!!!! (hm soory got carried away)
#2-3 - Give this one another year
#4 - According to the BOOK, open standards are not acceptable unless there is something to see in the center. Well!!!!! there is something to see in this one. this shot looks like a sunrise. I like this one alot.
#5 - interesting color combo
#6-7 I'm on the fence with these two
#8 - I love the thick beard but...
#9 - Most people do not like selfs but if you look close and notice the dark shoulders and the wonderful dark veining and just a hint of gold on the beards it is great. Is that a very small horn at the end of the beard????
#10 - like C. Song, very elegant
#11 - Would like to see this one completely open to see form

You have a nice crop of seedlings Let us see more and please post the dogs on that thread it gives us something to brighten our day to know we are not alone
LOL
A

I really like the color of #ll. You can see how it does this yr. Picture again this yrs. bloom. I see that others were better at counting buds on #l. How many buds in a socket. When you have enough to spare please try them at a convention,especially a different climate. It gives you information. My theory about convention seedlings: if it is under number & good,people write it down. If not right, they ignore it. Under name and not right, the name is remembered. If people see it as a seedling & like it, there is a better chance of ballot votes when introduced. (the last sentance not part of the theory).I know it is done. Credit should be given when a plant performs in different climates.

IrisMA I think that is the number one MOST important thing a hybridizer can do. Even if you do not want to send it to a convention, Find friends from on line that are in differnt climates and have them test it. I have done that with many of my iris, some have disappointed but for the most part they have done very well. 2008 is the first time I will have an iris at a convention, actually I will have some at the national and some on the Aril teck in NM. The two Iris I introduced this year even the Arilbred grew well in all situations I sent it too from desert to frozen north, to surviving 109" of rain. If you just want to enjoy your own creations that is fine to. But if you plan to introduce any send them out.

:)
Anita

This is one that I might intro in 2009 going to see how it does elsewhere.

If I intro it
Reach for the Sky is the name reserved for it.

D

Wow Dee, spoons, and what a descriptive name for it. I often wondered what space agers were doing. I have some horned seedlings, BB & spec. X. Not planned but they appeared.

Anita, even when the plants journey around not every they do or don't do turns up. I introduced a couple of BBs in the mid-90s. One (Margaret Beaufort) did well at several conventions, always staying in class. Then a person in MS wanted to use it and found that while it increased rapidly, it refused to put up a bloomstalk. A friend in KY grew the sib successfully and I warned him about the other one. He thought "nonsence KY is not the deep south" and planted it. It bloomed the first year and then must have heard him mutter about bloom, so left the garden the next yr.

irisMA this is just one of several SA that have long spoons not really looking for that but several are quite unique.

This year I sent several RE that RE here, to Neb and to Anita in Maryland will see if they RE for them.

D

Hi Dee-

When's your website opening up (....tired of the gray winter and needing to make long lists of iris to order....)?

Neil

Working hard on it, this is why so many broken links on the Photo Gallery hope to be up by the 1st of Feb...if not then the 15th but shooting for the 1st.

I know it is gray and yucky here as well

D

Dan,
#s 1, 5, and 11 for me please. I'm impressed, again. Nice job. Have fun this year with all of the new blooms. You are inspiring. Thanks.
Laura

This is a BB on first bloom that is a cross out of Koi and Strozzapreti by Bianco

D

This is a first bloom out of a cross of Little Episode and Slang

Elephant Footprints and Time to Shine

Out of Jillaroo and unknown

I will voulunteer to be anyones test garden!!! LOL

No seriously though if you want to think about sending some sdlg's to me, let me know.
I would of course vow not to sell any increase and send you back what you want in 2 yrs or so..... as long as i get to snag pollen off it and am able to use it if i want.....thats all i want is the pollen ...lol

I am in West Virginia by the way and zone 5-6. So southern or northern members can feel free to test what they want here if ya choose! :)

Anita and irisMA... Thanks for the info about spreading my seedlings to other growers around the country, and to the conventions. I hope to register and possibly introduce a few some day, but my main drive is to name a few in honor of my grandaughters and some other family members. My quantities are limited, but so is my space, so I will plan on sending some out when I divide this year.

Laura... Once again, Thank You for your feedback and motivating comments. I hope you have a great bloom season too.

irisloverdee... Thanks for sharing your seedling photos. You have some very nice ones. My favorite so far is Elephant Footprints X Time To Shine. A lovely shade of blue.

Lisa... Glad you liked the dragon fly photo. It was quite cold that morning and he did not intend on moving for awhile, so I had a chance to get a few closeups.As mentioned in my comments above, I hope to send a few seedlings out this year, so I will keep you in mind. Glad to see you are excited about hybridizing this spring. You'll love it!

Dan

Anita / iris MA... Looked through my photos and here's the best shot I have of #11. It was planted too close (right in the middle) of some daffodils, and the foliage from them seemed to give it a hard time. The stalks were weak, and just refused to grow without leaning over. It has been moved to another location. Dan

Here's another... #12

Clump shot of #10

What good clean foliage on #10!

That clump shot is absolutely gorgeous Dan!! You can come and help me with my beds anyday dear!!
Plus we could sit and chat about IRIS!!!!

Lisa H

Thank You... if only all my beds and foliage were like #10.

Dan

Dan
#11 WOW what color really like it I thought completely opened it would be nice.
#12 - is this a dwarf? If not let's talk
#10 - Good stalks nice bud counts (guessing look like 7-8) except on the one with the extra branch branch placement is good and all flowers except that one lower branch look to be at or above foliage

Anita,

Thanks for your comments. They are always much appreciated. Number 12 is a Tall Bearded. I'll respond to your d-mail.

Dan

Number 13

Number 14

Number 15

#16 sib. to above

#17 this one bloomed out the first year. Meaning the seedling rhizome bloomed, but didn't make any increase.

#18 another one that bloomed out the first season.

#19

#20 sibling to #19

#19 & 20--20 seems to have better shape or camera angle? Both have very interesting beards.

Thanks irisMA... I appreciate the feedback. #19 has very flared falls and is more dainty than #20. The standards are more ruffled, and have more blue in them too. Here's a different angle on #19 during maiden bloom a couple of years ago. #20 is a little larger with wide bushy three colored beards.

I love both #19 and #20. I would have a hard time choosing between them, but I think I slightly prefer #20. On the other hand I would have to see lots of both before I could make up my mind. The beards on both are amazing!

Hi Dan,

I know you know, but so everyone will know let me share my thoughts on first your seedlings 1-11:
I really like your broken color seedlings! I find those unique and interesting! Also from what I can tell they look to have pretty decent form. I especially like the pattern on #3! And seedling #11 is another I'd be interested in. I like the red highlights I see in that seedling. The form and ruffling look to be rather nice on it too!

Then in the next selection on your seedlings 12-20 - my favorite among those would have to be #20. It looks as if the horns would remain consistent from flower to flower - leaving a lovely and balanced look to the blooms on the stalk. The color combination between the beard and the petals is also quite lovely!

Keep up the good work! :-) We DO enjoy seeing your results!
~Margie

I was pleased with the different #19 picture. Both it and sib are interesting, could be planted among plainer selfs, & would stand out as a focus. The beards are supposed to attract insects--certainly attract us.
while I want TB flowers to be in proportion to the plant, I like dainty flowers, not sure if it is because of my median focus or the smaller size of New England gardens.