What Iris Do You Have Coming ????

Thanks Bonjon. I'll look. Maybe the iris people are getting to that age, where they want to cut back. I assume the Ensata guys might be in that category. And I'm just starting, maybe I'm nuts.

Besides new sellers of irises we desperatly need new hybridizers to take up the slack. I know some of the major bearded hybridizers are older, but that goes for some of the major beardless hybridizers, too. The Ensata folks aren't that old, but not that young either. And to my eye, they are some of the very best JI hybridizers there are. I think Schafer/ Sacks are about in the same age group, maybe a little younger, but not a lot. When these people are done, who's left? I think it's scary.

Well Polly, where are your tweezers? We use locking foreceps ourselves.

you're right, I've met Bauer and Coble, not old. But they do have a working farm, seems like they said something about it's getting harder and harder to make everything fit in the area they have devoted to Ensata and in the time they have available.

maybe everyone is getting pickier about how they spend their time and which plants get it.

I have never even attempted to hybridize an iris. I'm going to change that as soon as I can, though, Lucy. I bought Gubijin, the pseudacorus pod parent for the Shimizu pseudatas last year, and I have plenty of JIs to cross with it. I think my problem is going to be Gubijin will bloom before the JIs. I have two ways to resolve that. I can keep the pollen from the JIs over winter, or I can get the pollen from someone south of me. Pirl has a great assortment of JIs, and is willing to send me pollen, but I don't know if hers will be early enough either. I am sure from the way Gubijin looks it has spread terrifically, and I'm sure it will bloom this year.

All Shimizus pseudatas are from Gubijin X various JIs. I have around 200 JIs now, and should be up to about 300 this year, so lots of possibilities for me.

If you (or anyone else) have any suggestions, I would be happy to hear them.

Not old, bonjon, but not young either. What would you say they are, maybe late 50s, early 60s ? I'm not expecting they will be quitting any time soon, but maybe cutting back. I think Bob had some heart surgery. Please don't think I'm saying they are old, certainly not, but at the age where a lot of people choose to retire, they might be cutting back.

Just to add, Ensata Gardens started in 1972, so I assume I am about correct on their ages. Hopefully they will both be Currier McEwens, hybridizing into the 100s.

??? I was 53 when I toured their place three years ago and I would have said younger than that. But then again, I would not have placed Keppel over 60. With gardeners, it's hard to tell age. We're all weatherbeaten and wrinkled by 30! few (except me) are unfit so we don't sag as much with age.

Considering they started their business in 1972, though.....If they were only say, 25 then they would be around early 60s now. I would hope even if they do cut back production, and I'm afraid they are doing so, from the size of their catalogue, that they keep up with the hybridizing. Their intros are so gorgeous. Last years intros, the blue JIs were so lovely. My favorite that I hope will bloom for me this year.

Sugar Dome (picture Ensata).

http://www.ensata.com/Japanese/SugarDome.JPG



Gardening definitely keeps you young.

I saw Pamela Harper give a speech two years ago and I could absolutely not believe she was in her 80s. She had the tinest waist! And I assume it was from all the bending over she does.



This message was edited Mar 14, 2009 10:44 PM

Dee and cat,

Have you both received your Winterberry catalogs already?!

I'm still waiting for mine. :-(

Marilyn

I have heard that Keppel didn't even start his iris business until he had retired from the Post Office. His business is a retirement business. Hopefully there will be more people retiring and taking up the iris business. I don' t know, but I do hope there are some younger people starting out that we don't know about.
But on the other hand, Keppel, Kerr, Blyth and Ghio are semi-retired, but are still hybridizing like crazy. We want them to keep hybridizing. We will be okay if someone else like Superstition or Blue Jay sells the older stuff from a variety of growers.
But, polly, you are probably starting out at a good age for an iris hybridizer. I get the feeling that it is hard to make a living in the iris business unless you already have a lot of land and know how. On the other hand, it makes a great retirement business.
I look forward to seeing a lot of you on this forum as the Kerrs, Kepples, Ghios, and Blyths of the future.

I don't ever plan on doing any hybridizing other than for fun. And my business is luckily just a retirement business. I was lucky enough to have a state job that allowed for retirement after 30 years service, no matter what age, so I really needed something to do to keep me busy.

But I'm really looking forward to the outcome of some of the hybridizers we have on this forum. Unfortunately for me, it's mostly bearded, and not the beardless. I haven't heard anyone talk about hybridizing JIs. I love the bearded, but my true love is the beardless.

I know Anita has talked about some species, but other than that, I've not heard anyone here talk about hybridizing bearless.

I'm hearing more and more great crosses are coming from the fellas at Superstition, Pajar. They may be the next great ones, they and Tom Johnson at Mid America have a great head start that direction. I've heard rave comments from one of our iris judges here about all three.

Yes, I agree, they are the comers in the iris world and let us not forget that there may be others we haven't even heard of who are just trying things in their back yard. I do love the work of Tom Johnson and Rick Tasco, but Roger Duncan and Paul Black are far from ready to be put out to pasture! I have many of Black's cultivars and several of Duncan's -- All Night Long being a truly outstanding one.

ANL - have it adore it, made sure to cross it, had a pod. then got an email from Duncan saying it was very stubborn breeder and not to expect much. sure nough, the pod was empty.

Alas, for the empty pod, but stubborn doesn't mean impossible. Keep trying. You may get a Dykes medal for your efforts. Stranger things have happened.
I have 40 arilbreds coming. Of course, I will order some bearded as well. But so far I have on order:

Almost Apricot
Anaheim Daughter
Byzantine Art
Hamurabi
Holy Moley Plum
Rivers of Babylon
Saracen Silks
Tribute to Rex
Tsha' Deetch
Anacrucis
Arabian Midnight
Aurora's Veil
Bangladesh
Bionic Burst
Bionic Flash
Bionic Focus
Bold Sentry
Bronze Age
Calypso Clown
Concerto Grosso
Desert Diamond
Domingo
Emerald Fantasy
Esther, the Queen
Genetic Artist
Genetic Leader
Grand Visier
Heimdall
Kalifa Gulnare
Kalifa's Robe
Keret -- out probably
Kuza-Nama
Omar's Gold
Persian Star
Prairie Thunder
Queen Sheeba -- out
Scrumptious
Tel Aviv
Vera Anne
Vera Marina
Welcome Reward
Zerzura

And that is just the aril/breds.
Going to need to dig a lot of holes!

well, glad to see I am not the only one with the bug, this year I need to dig and divide, so one really should not get a lot more iris in addition, yah right we all know the story, I will be up to my eyeballs in iris moving, digging, dividing you know the drill, you look over the catalogs and next thing you know, 100 iris arrived and you say where the *&^%% am I going to put these things......:)

lucious lace
new face
carnival of color
fashion diva
sordid lives
gothic lord
lets romp
poetic walk
eye of sauran
parting glances

flame amber
teenybopper
eye to eye
adoree
fashionista
gaze
rogue trader
wordsmith

bonnie kate
on her toes

new lee walker
craola something

alpine
i. lactea
i. maackii
i. missouriensis
i sintenshi'
I aphylla
I confusa

ensata order yet not done
arils of paradise sent

tascos arils

some spuria from 3 sources

D

What's the new Craola one Dee? Those are very pretty. Ensata has First Strike Craola. Kool Craola Ice is a very pretty one also.

Where did you order your AB's from, Pajaritomt? We seem to have similar tastes......I have about twelve or so on your list. Another year, I'll have to increase that bed.

Dee- I've seen a photo of New Face and really like it.... now I have to look up the rest.

I've decided to start an "historic bed" and ordered these from Superstition (some were just on sale and not historic):
Anthem
Burnt Toffee
Chenedolle
Demi-deuil
Golden Zebra
Gypsy Queen
Jungle Shadows
Mexicana
Oriental Glory
Romeo
Scalawag
Tabasco
Victorine
Whole Cloth
Los Coyotes
Northern Mist
Opposing Forces
Symphony of Light
Tanzanian Tangerine
Cover Page


This message was edited Mar 15, 2009 8:49 AM

I have a list of tentative acquisitions, but no orders until the pine needles are off (usually the first week of April) and we see what's what. the beds are full up with seedlings, although some of those will be tossed. Got rid of a lot of yellow SDBs last year which were not good enough.

Polly, many beardless breeders remove pollen before the flower opens, then tie it up so no bees. I used to send pumila pollen to Loyd Zurbrigg & when he asked about his pollen, asked him to send plicata TB. After all the SDBs were developed that way. I'm sure that pirl's pollen will be in time.

Too many to list, I may be done this season finally? Yeah right!!!!!!!!

marilynbeth, Winterberrys should be here very soon


bonjon, I have some of those on your want list when/if you would like to trade?

I hope so, Lucy. She's not too far ahead of us, though, and only a zone warmer. I'll know better when I find out when Gubijin blooms. Ensata said it blooms quite a bit before the JIs for them. Otherwise, I'll have to figure out how to overwinter the pollen.

Some people freeze pollen, but I don't know the technique.

Walter Moores gave me some info on it. I think you use acetone? I'll have to find it.

New Craola out of Lee is Craola Fiesta 6 falls 31" M light gray falls with dakr blue violet centers and red violet veining running to the edge, dark yellow signal with light violet veins and white edge. Lucky Lee is brining me some..:) Has another one that is beautiful too and that is Blue Circle Dance 6 falls 30" M. white ground falls have a 1" blue violet edge and veining with a a medium yellow signal veined dark yellow light cream styles are light blue violet at the tip. Want this one too.

Polly what Neil told me to do was you know that packages in medicine bottles use that to keep the pollen dry.

D

Dee? Who is Lee?

Neil I ordered from Arils of Paradise in Paradise, California -- as did Anita and Dee. It is going out of business and is offering a huge selection of arilbreds for excellent prices. It is operated by Dolores Bates whose info is available at the ASI website:
http://www.arilsociety.org/index.pl?Nurseries
There are several other good sources listed there as well.

Lee Walker, first love is his JI, then Spuria and then SDB and TB...

Love his Craola Series...and I test his bearded for him...

D

Does he have a nursery?

No, does not have catalog or webpage. Wildwood Intro for him and also Sharon of Eartheart Gardens does most of the JI for him

D

Thanks. I will checkout Wildwood.

ROTFLMAO makj, I just read your last post to DH, and he said, "so, you sent a dmail to yourself?"

did I need to freeze the pollen I collected last year? thought if I just kept it dry in the envelopes. drat.

Freezing only if you carry it over the winter. We just keep it in envelopes in jars with drying material (Flower dri in our case) during the spring season if we will use it that year.

Man We are doing list
ahhh OK But I warned you

Afrosiab
Ameera
Aquilifer
Bakhshish
Betty McPherson
Dream Keeper
Eastern Blush
Frank Rice
Hammurabi
Hannah's Prayer
Honey Not Tonight
Iridescent Orange
Kalifa's Joy
Masada's Glory
Mixed Messages
Qumran Canary
Refiner's Fire
Skies Always Blue
Tarnished Corn
Afrosiab
Arabian Midnight
Aril Skyline
Asoka Of Nepal
Bedouin Child
Bionic Burst
Bionic Comet
Bionic Flash
Blond Bearded Lady
Check Me Out
Circus Parade
Code Talker
Corning
Daglari
Dancing Sheik
Desert Cloud
Desert Plum
Dorcas
Emerald Fantasy
Gelee Royal
Genetic Artist
Genetic Leader
Gotcha
Hidden Pink
Hoopla
Ib-mac
Jordanian Prince
King's Silk
Lavender Lemon
Leo Tee
Mondsee
Moonspot
New Discovery
Noncomformist
One More Kiss
Ono Sunset
Persian Star
Pro News
Quincinera
Quinta
Renee
Saffron Charm
Sand Etching
Scrumptious
Sky Signal
Stars over Chicago
Stars over Lpaso
Stol-aphylla Blue
Stol-bee
Summer Set
Sunspun
Sunset Dunes
Syrian Princess
Syrian Signal
Thabor
Things To Come
Trail Boss
Turkish Treat
Urmia
Vera-Beatrice
Vera-Marina
Vera-Olivia
Vera-Ruby
Zemira
Zizah


Ok This is just from Aril of Paradise
Then I order Tasco's Arils Aztec Prince and Exotic Treasure and Tall bearded Black Magic Woman

Afrosiab is quite the grower here, definately have to divide yearly.

It was a good sale wasn't it, Anita? I am glad to hear that Afrosaib grows well for you, 1913cat. I put it in last year and haven't had it long enough to notice -- irises just starting to put out green tops now. Better check on Afrosaib. Plenty of others have lots of babies.

I will definitely order some bearded iris as well, but felt I had better get my arilbred order in since prices were so low and this is Arils of Paradise's last year.

I am still working on my lists for the growers of bearded irises.

Happy Sunday BIF's!!! I noticed Greenhorn Valley Iris has his new 2009 web-site up. He is selling everything for $2.25. For you people looking for Historic, he would be a good source.

Thanks Nicky, I have never heard of Greenhorn Valley. I will check it out.

Sutton's won't be taking order until mid-April...ARGH.... so mean time my list keeps growing.

y'all are making me SOOO happy. My DH thought I was nuts, and looky here at all the people just like me!

It's the illness
NIH and World Health organization are looking into a cure but it does not look promising