It has finally turned cold in Iowa the news said we set a record of 270 plus days without significant snowfall, and in one day mother nature decided to play catch up and so far since last night we have 13" on the ground and more falling. The kids are just tickled they are ready for sledding and building a snowman, but I on the other hand was enjoying my time outside working on the yard in December that just came to a halt until spring so I guess it's time to start my countdown until bloom season is here again and I can play in the dirt.

I thought I would share some pictures of the different gardens I visited this spring in California and Oregon. I think my favorite of all of them to see for Iris would be Schreiners for those that are un aware of there size they are the largest Commercial Iris Grower in the World they have over 200 acres of just Iris and supply most of the large Box stores with Bulbs all over the country. They have show gardens set up around there office with hundreds of Varieties of Iris, perennials and annuals mixed in beds that go well together and bloom at the same time, around the outer edges of the gardens they have Spring flowering trees and large shrubs mixed in for a beautiful show. If you have never seen Oregon in the spring time it is a trip I highly recommend.

I spent a couple days of my trip just walking there fields with camera in hand looking for different plants, that I had seen in there catalog and was curious to see how they looked in the perfect growing conditions before I bought them and tried to get them to live through our horrible midwest weather. A couple of the things I noticed was very little wind, we start the season off with stakes for everything in Iowa, with out them nothing would be standing after a spring storm. I also noticed there was very few bugs, this was my first year of trying to make crosses and get some plants to set pods and I seemed to fight the bugs for the pollen, it was neat to be able to see thousands of Iris unaffected by the same pests I fought during bloom. I was also surprised to find out that they move all of these bulbs every year to maintain there size what a incredible amount of work.
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Never a teddy bear when we are there for iris convention. Amazing to see an acre of irises like corn in the field..

OMG Brad, Such a treat, I just came in from battleing the elements feeding my horses. Put some wood on the fire and poured a big glass of wine, these pictures couldn't have come at a better time. Thanks so much for sharing them. We've had a mix of snow, then rain, and then snow again. Just a sloppy mess here.

Last but not least the Seedlings I think they had some beautiful ones that I am hoping we will see in the years to come.I find myself drawn to the different color patterns and they had a few that I would like to grow at home.

Lucy I think the Teddy Bear was new this year I don't remember seeing it in the years past, and it was a real treat to catch it just right in bloom and be able to have those fields to myself for the day I enjoyed every minute of it.

Tom I don't know if you are getting the storm we have right now or vice versus but it is miserable outside, we have trees down everywhere from the weight of the wet snow and the wind is blowing 40 plus, it will be nice to have a White Christmas, but a couple inches would have been just fine with me. I should be ready for this as it is the midwest in the end of December but just last week was almost 60, I was thinking maybe another California winter here.

I'm with Tom, what a treat! I keep opening the pictures to see the plant combos.

Brad, why do you think they move the plants each year? To virgin soil, or for some other reason?

My favorite seedling is the third one down on the right, the bicolor blue.

Thank you so much for keeping out spirits up.

Polly I asked him about that and he told me it helps with the size of the bulb by moving and dividing them each year the bulb grows bigger I am assuming because the plant can grow without competing for space..I couldn't help but think you would need a army to move all those bulbs every year, what a tremendous amount of work.I did not see much virgin soil there those fields were full. But i know somehow they move dig them all with a tractor all those rows were spaced perfectly and not a weed anywhere.

Brad -- thank you for sharing those wonderful photos. Heaven on earth, for sure. Do you, by chance, know the identity of the purple Iris in the foreground of the second picture?

Thanks Brad, wow, what a job!

Mary Ann it is Purple Serenade here is a close up

Wow, these pictures are beautiful, how lucky to be able to go and visit there must have been magical.

Oh -- thank you -- that is just gorgeous. Another one for my wish-list.

Same here, added to wish list.

Thank's Brad, Nice to look at on a cold, winter morning!..Arlyn

What a treat. Polly,I was looking at combos too with plants other than iris.

Extremely beautiful pictures is an understatement. Beautiful beyond words.
Thanks

Thanks All for the compliments I enjoyed every minute there, The next one I wanted to share was Mid America Gardens this is Paul Black and Tom Johnson's Gardens and it is one of the best landscaped private homes I have ever seen, there collection of plants is extremely impressive the mixture of Conifers and Japanese Maples with different shrubs and Roses is just fabulous.I have to admit I am envious of some of them I have spent a small fortune trying to get Japanese Maples to grow in Iowa and very few make it through the winter or past the late frosts. If you ever take a trip to the Salem area there gardens are a must see they have a commercial hosta garden set up on sight which was really nice, I don't grow any because I have such little shade areas around my home but I was amazed at all the different colors and textures that they come in and they were planted all over the property mixed in with other plants. They also had large rows of Peonies I am not sure if they are going to sell them commercially, I forgot to ask but they were Outstanding. I once again got lucky and hit there gardens right at peak bloom or just a little after because the Iris looked great. They have some gorgeous plants they are hybridizing and I am looking forward to there new intros over the next couple years.
Here are some pics of there gardens and Iris fields.

Wow. Makes my place look like crap. The hostas are amazing......................

Absolutly fantastic.
I wonder if that is a JM Seriyu in image #46 and #48?