Fieldstone Gardens Siberian Iris

I found an interesting place in Maine, Fieldstone Gardens

http://www.fieldstonegardens.com/index.cfm?page=content


They have two sections with Siberian Iris. One with older McEwen Intros and the other section with very recent intros from Dunlop or Cole.

I had e-mailed them last night and asked about shipping this spring. They answer was get your order in now and we can ship the week of May 4th. So thats what I did.

I ordered 7 Iris. My plan was to order 6 for a garden area (were 6 would fit) but 7 jumped into my cart. I got 3 McEwen intros which are older ones and 4 very recent intros by Dean Cole.

I am not familiar with either hybridizer as I am very new to Siberian Iris as most of you know. My Siberians are all the Shaffer/Sacks intos I just planted. The reason I know about Shaffer/Sacks intros is that I read about Joe Pye Weeds Garden as a place to order (with link) in one of the older Iris threads on this forum.

Here are the ones I ordered-

Pool Party (Cole 2008)

https://www.fieldstonegardens.com/secure/popimage.cfm?IDNUMBER=IDC350

This is my favorite of the ones I ordered I just gasped when I saw the picture.

Next -

Great Falls Wine (Cole 2008)

https://www.fieldstonegardens.com/secure/popimage.cfm?IDNUMBER=IDC755

I just flipped over this one too!

Next -

Great Falls Love (Cole 2007)

https://www.fieldstonegardens.com/secure/popimage.cfm?IDNUMBER=IDC750

Next-

My First Kiss (Cole 2005)

https://www.fieldstonegardens.com/secure/popimage.cfm?IDNUMBER=IDC300

The late Currier McEwen is the one who produced tet. siberians. He was 101 when he died. He introduced Dean Cole to siberian hybridizing. Schafer/Sacks prefer to work with the diploids.

Now to the McEwens that I choose-

Hubbard (McEwen 1982)

https://www.fieldstonegardens.com/secure/popimage.cfm?IDNUMBER=IRO3075

Next-

Ruffled Round (McEwen 1994)

https://www.fieldstonegardens.com/secure/popimage.cfm?IDNUMBER=IRO3830

And last-

Lavender Bounty (McEwen 1982)

https://www.fieldstonegardens.com/secure/popimage.cfm?IDNUMBER=IRO3275

I don't have a preference for dips or tets. With my Daylilies here, I have plenty of both. I just choose based on what I like. Remember when I said I tend to go for the new Sibs, hybridized after say 2000, but I just picked those three older ones because I very much liked them.

My favorites are always the Schafer /Sacks ones. I don't know what they do, or know that puts them so far ahead of anyone else.

I like the tetraploids for their vigor, very vigorous, but when I'm dividing them to sell I sure wish they were diploids.


Great choices, Rita!

Some of the older ones are beautiful also--especially 'Summer Sky" from the 1920s-30s. It is tall & the new ones look great with it.

I just love the tall older ones. Summer Sky is one of my very favorites. So graceful and elegant.

My order came today in the UPS truck. They pack them alittle differently. They put them in wet spagnum moss and wrap it in brown paper and rubberband. Looks good though and I will plant tomorrow. Can't keep up with all my spring planting.

There was a big thundershower this afternoon but as soon as the rain stopped I went out and planted them. At least I only had 7 Siberian Iris to plant this time, not like the 28 I had to do with the Joe Pie Weed order. The amount of the number of fans was all over the place. One of them had only 2 fans but the rest were better. There was one that had a very large number of fans but since I was hurrying to get done before dark, I forgot to count how many.

I would order from them again as they were very willing to work with me to ship this week so that I could plant this spring.

Very pleased to have a nice start of 35 new Siberian Iris so far and one more coming from Dee.

newyorkrita,
Dunlop & Cole SIB's are great and their gardens are beautiful!!!