Who All Is Going to AIS this year?

Stuck here in San Antonio, wishing I was in my iris garden back home. Missed coming to Austin's convention. It got me to thinking about this year's convention.

Money situation has changed drastically this year. It's going to hurt, pushing the budget beyond doable, to go.

so I'm wondering: if I go, will I meet many of my iris-ing friends?

I think it is more expensive thn last year's convention. Would you be going from SA or N. Carolina? Plenty of friendly people at the conventions, we're not going this year.

I'm not going and so far that I know of neither is Thomas Johnson, Paul Black, Keith Keppel and me...

It is more expensive than most and not as many gardens...

I will go in 2010 and to Canada

D

Region 4 is usually very well represented at the conventions. This year not so much. I would love to go but I can not with current financial situation. and not knowing what is going to happen this year. I will go to the regional but that's about it.
Anita

I'm going, guess I'll be there all alone!!!!LOL I'm in region 18, so this is our regional. I can't afford to go when it is far away. I can drive to this one, about 3 hours. I hope someone on here goes.

I have a friend from Nebraska checking on my seedlings for me. she's a very good friend.

IrisMa are nyou going to have seedlings at nationals?? If so, let me know what to look for. Happy Tuesday BIF's!

I was concerned that, due to economy, I'd go and no one else would! sounds like that's just the case. Still, the allure of seeing seedlings.......

bonjon I am someone!!! LOL I maybe old and decrepitated, but I'm still breathing! I hope you come!

I have never been to a National. I am thinking of going. It is probably a 20 minute drive for me.

Irisawe

they are fun...everyone that loves iris should go at least once in their life. I have been to three.

My seedlings will be at the 2010 and 2011 nationals

D

right now I'm in San Antonio helping a friend and getting so homesick I don't know if I'm going to want to travel again soon.

If I do go, it will be from NC. I still have some work to do in my garden.

bonjon
Region 4 is in fredricksburg VA this year and there are seedlings there as well
:)
A

irisawe--since you are so close I would reccommend attending. Be there on the Wed. for the section meeting & then the 3 days of garden tours. You can even meet people hanging around the hotel. Tour buses usually leave by 7 or 7:30 am. to go to the gardens. There is an historic iris area this year which is great, might be able to ID plants which grow in your neighborhood.

Thank you for the info. I could schedule a vacation day and that would still free me up to be home for the family on the weekend. I need as much info as possible on the scheduling of events.

Irisawe

Usually--Wed meetings Thurs, Fri & Sat garden tours. Check the convention web site. If you don't know it , AIS conventions & events should give it to you.

Just tours=$155 Full registration =$235 Banquets (included in full registration) are priced separately : Welcome Dinner 5-13 Wed. at 7:30PM.=$35 Awards Banquet Saturday 5-16@ 7:30PM=$45.00. If you wanted to take just one day Optional tour to St. Joseph on 5-12(Tuesday) for $45(lunch included) might be your best bet. They have amazing gardens! You will at least have to come meet me!!! Ruth and I will be up Monday afternoon, so we can make the tour to SJ.Maybe you will let us look at your garden on Wed.Happy Wed. BIF's!!

Although that's close to me, I'll wait a couple of years when we have some $$$. I can see gardens locally for now...being a newbie and all. By then I'll be able to have seedlings at one then...WooHoo! :)

did the " iris virus " get you, too SusanLouise? hehehehehe

I'm STUCK! I can't seem to get out of TX and back to my iris garden! The storm has all eastern seaboard flights cancelling.

Bonjon,

Wondering if a 12 step program would help :0...LOL

last I checked, no cure and no treament. Just MORE IRISES

Don't worry bonjon--your irises will still be there when you arrive.

irisMA, they are. But I wish I knew what would get my SDBs to blooming. it should be about time, and there's no evidence of buds. they were even under snow this last week. their 2nd year and still nothing.

Isn't Raleigh in the foothills? If so, they should come. Ask Winterberry for advice, Vspoon.com

Ginny's e-mail is

VSpoon@aol.com

I usually do not get SDBs doing anything until april at least
When we had our regional in Raleigh they had TBs and Siberians late april so I would expect late march for SDBs and remember you recently had very cold weather for that region so a little delay is not unusual.

Keep the faith
:)

A

Sorry that I had the incorrect e-mail.

I was excited thought they finally had a website had to rush out and check
LOL
LOL
A

Yes, it sure would be nice if they got a website. Catalogues are great, but looking at pictures on a website....And they are good photographers from what I've seen, so that shouldn't be a problem.

Very nice people, the Spoons.

Time can be a problem however--the catalog covers so many types of bearded plants & so many catagories of TBs.

Yes, it is quite the catalogue. Chock full of information.

Yep the Spoons are great
I am so lucky to have them near by so I can pick both their brains and they are very honest in their critiquing of my iris seedlings which is great and keeps me from keeping too many
:)
A

I enjoyed last spring's conference with the judge's training with all the info on which seedlings to keep and not.

Yes, I missed the Spoons for years because they didn't have an online presence. What changed me was winning a Spoon intro at the AIS Convention. I asked for a catalog and they sent me one so I ordered some other things as well. All wonderful. Now I will even endure a paper catalog in order to buy from the Spoons.

They have some older MDBs & SDBs which you can't find anywhere else. They are the best source for the miniature dwarfs anywhere. That might not work further south, but fantastic for northern gardens.

Dwarfs work great here because of our high altitude and cool climate. I have a couple of miniatures in the ground and hope they will bloom this year for the first time. SDB's do great here because we have a cold winter.
But Spoons also have a lot of Tall Bearded which is the most commonly grown iris here.

my favorite thing about

Don's catalogue is all the info in it
!

my favorite thing about their garden is that it's on a steep slope like mine and we got loads of ideas for how to plant seedling beds on the slope - I think I saw DH taking measurements...

I am passing on the Kansas City Convention and going to the Greenville TN Iris Festival, I believe there are a few fellow Dave's members that are going too, I hope to have a group picture to post here, I think it would be neat to have a face with a user ID.
I would almost rather wait until the Oregon Convention comes around again, I LOVE THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST, the scenery there is incredible !!!!! As well as the weather.

I may get to go to Kansas City after all. I have enjoyed the last two so much and I like the looks of the gardens that will be featured in Kansas City. I still have the sick dog, but I think I have found someone who will help DH give her medication morning and night. It is pretty expensive this year and I have to think about whether I can really afford it or not, but there is at least a chance I can go which there didn't seem to be a month ago. I thought about Tall Bearded Society conv. versus AIS conv. That was a hard choice, but I think I like AIS because it is longer. Besides, I have never been to Kansas City and people I trust tell me it's nice.
Still thinking, but feeling more positive than before.

Watch the registration deadline, for the lowest price.