Does ANYONE have Japanese water Iris

It took four years for mine to bloom. It is a species looking purple, very dainty.

My varigated foliage JI took four years to bloom! Not really worth the wait as there are so many other beautiful JI out there but the foliage makes you keep it.

D

Love the foliage.

I do too Polly. When all the JI have stopped this still has the nice foliage to look at.

D

Add me to the list. I'm wild about the foliage! Next time I'm in that JI garden I'll check for possible buds.

Let me know Pirl, as I am curious. I know none of the JI have started to bloom here which is strange but one of the Spuria has so that is even stranger.

D

Score! Yes, there are buds and Polly was right, as usual, since they did take about four years but there are several scapes!

THANKS, POLLY! There's nothing like a pro to come to our aid when we need it and Polly is our pro!

Yes, I am glad for Polly too-I was threatening to get rid of mine--I am a patient person, but real estate is too valuable here---lol--I raised blue indigo from seed and it finally bloomed this spring after 3 years--I gave it a good talking to last year about that !!! I think I scared it into blooming

Ditto on that, somethings I think you have to threaten a plant to make it do anything like BLOOM

LOL

D

That Baptisia can take a while to bloom. Much depends on the size of it when you buy it but growing it from seed gives you a big star or an A (or both) on your gardening report card.

Yes, starting baptisia from seed and waiting for it to bloom indicates a true gardener. I love baptisia.

You're welcome, Pirl.

Thanks girls--I appreciate that. I love to grow things from seed, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. But I don't care anything about dabbing pollen--lol
Sandra

Though I haven't tried that for irises, Sandra, it's tons of fun with daylilies...provided you have the room (1/2 acre more than many of us have) to allow them to grow.

My friend, the JI grower and hybridizer, Sharon Whitney (Eartheart Gardens) did show me how it's done but I haven't tried it...yet.

I would probably like it, if not for the paperwork involved as to the parents and all that stuff--I just let others do that part and enjoy their labors!
Sandra

I'm now at the "enjoy their labors" stage of life, like this beauty:

Well Pirl the first clump of varigated foliage JI NOTHING second which is larger is FULL of them and hope to get a great photo this year of both the iris and the clump in full bloom,

Now praying nothing happens out there after 6-18-09 as I will never know as from there on I will be running around like a chicken with my head cut off because of the wedding in the back yard on 6-21

D

Mittsy I meant last night to say Happy 46th Anniversary. Sorry this was late.
Pirl that is a beatiful blooom.

I think I'd be in a great state of agitation by June 20th, Dee! Who is getting married?

Thanks, RBN. It is one of Eartheart's, not one of mine.

Happy 46th Mittsy! Had I remained married to my ex this would have been my 47th, today, but I'd probably have killed him anyhow long before the anniversary.

Ouch! We do our 51 at the end of the month. Have to decide which restrauant to go to, after weeding of course.

Happy 51st!

How close is South Hamilton to Boston? We loved the Budapest Cafe when we were there years ago.

About 25 miles NE--It is really Hamilton--the south is a post office address which means the mail is delivered by truck.

Happy Anniversary early Irisma. 51 is wonderful. Hope yuo have a wonderful dinner. I think the Budapest Cafe sounds exciting.
Sorry you did not get to celebrate your 47th Pirl but not sorry you got out of an unhappy relation.

Happy 51st anniversary Lucy, we did 43 in Dec.

Pirl the wedding is our son in the back yard, will post a picture once it is all set up the day before...

Made the wedding dress sage green 2nd for both, all the florals, the bouts, the garter the ring bearer pillow, redid the garden and the end of the week we mulch it so it looks really pretty...

I am the grooms mother but the bride has also asked me to honor our relationship to give her away...

This day is almost as special as the day my kids were born.

D

...except there is no pain!

What a gift the bride has given you, Dee, by asking you to give her away. I'm sure we'd all love to see the photos.

RBN - if the first 26 + years with the ex was payment in advance for these last almost 20 years with Jack then it was all worth it, especially my kids.

Happy anniversary IrisMA and Mittsy. We've 'only' been married 39 years, so have some catching up to do.

Glad you got rid of him, Pirl.

Dee is going nuts with the wedding and not feeling good to boot.

I was a wreck both times we were part of the Southold Garden Tours. Can't imagine how crazed I'd be if a wedding was the big event.

Well I am starting to feel better because of all the drugs the doc has me on, he came out and toured the gardens and then called from the office to tell me there is a note on all my charts she needs powerful meds...LOL

He decided that I work enough for 4-5 people all myself...but am getting down to the wire on things...

Veil bridal wreath got to fit the ring to see if it really fits, if so will finish this week for her, do the stuffing of the pillow measure for garter, as what I am doing is putting on the garter something my son bought me when he was 16 and he is 43...so very special to me.

when he popped the question to her with the ring, I had given him a sterling silver box that I had for a long time to place the ring in to for her. She thought it was anything but the engagement ring then she realized that we did this together and she cried then called me...

She is special in many ways. Came from a real screwed up family and is learning to be huggers and lovers now.

D

Irisloverdee I am so Happy for you and your son and bride to be. That is truly a FAMILY when you all come together in your hearts and soals. Please do post photos and take care of yourself. It will be beautiful.

Here is a Japanese Iris website I have been drooling over for months...... http://www.ensata.com/HTML/PlantPages/japanese_index.htm

OK don't anyone laugh or throw a mushy potato at me. I checked and Gurney's is selling Sho-Gun. I sent for one so I can send it to PollyK to see just what it is. I did not know if it would grow here so want to have an expert on this one.
OW-I said no mushy Potato's!!

Sho Gun will be many colors but NOT red. It is a left over from the Dutch Gardens and it is NOT registered.

One of my Sho Gun looks exactly like Iris Psuerdorus....

D

She might kill you if that is what she gets LOLOLOL

I promise not to kill Steph. At least until she's done testing irises, LOL. Even if it's a pseudacorus. I have a couple already (near no bodies of water, and faithfully deadheaded).

That's so nice of you, Steph!

If it does bloom fire engine red, I will share my millions with you.

Where did you get your Sho-Gun Dee?

http://www.goodnessgrows.com/id282.html

A different 'Shogun'.

LOL! And the Gurney's site states that it is 12-18 inches tall, just right for cutting!

Spring Garden has it too, but for 9.99. I guess we know the places not to buy from.

http://www.springgarden.ca/product/863/

Fire Engine red and a mini too, Pard. What an iris!

It probably also deters deer, cures cancer and causes the owner to lose or gain the desired amount of weight!

Why I lost 5 pounds just ordering it. ( maybe cause I laughed so hard I wet my pants). Also I noticed my hair is not near so grey. Oops I forgot I dye it! Oh well

I got mine about 5-6 years ago thru Dutch Gardens looked so pretty and that time did not bother to LOOK to see if it was registered and what it was, just a pretty flower. Yeah right.

Well I remember I lost 10# and my hair turned from gray to blond with the phone call.

D

I can't wait to see the new me after Steph gets me one.

No one can ever say we don't have a great group of fun people on the iris forum.

You great people are now forcing my hand so I just might give it a try and let you know if my Shogun are red or brown or orange or aqua - maybe they'll be plaid!

Dee, are you sure it was Dutch Gardens or was it Dutch Bulbs? I love Dutch Gardens and never had any problem with any plant they sent - all have been true to name. That's not always the case with Dutch Bulbs, owned (I believe) by VanBourgondien.