I'm soooo happy I went yesterday, no crowds. And it stormed during the night and is colder this morning. You know all those beautiful flowers will be ruined for convention goers.

My son said to me: "Who helps him take care of all this?" I said that as far as I knew he takes care of it all himself. He has about two acres and I saw NO weeds. He also mows no grass, he has none, it is all irises. He was so hard of hearing that I didn't ask many questions. He was hurrying to get back to making crosses. He really is the mad scientist he purports himself to be. I used to really enjoy teasing him back when I went to meetings all the time in the 90's. He could hear better then and I loved him to pieces.

Dot

Great pictures of beautiful blooms, Dot! He has some really unusual and beautiful irises and I've always heard that he's a real character too. I'm so glad you and your son were able to get away and enjoy a nice day doing something so pleasant and getting a little exercise. And I'm so thankful that he's doing well so soon after surgery. Thanks for sharing these pictures with us!

Great report ,Dot! It's quite an honor to have a namesake iris! If I ever was to have a plant named for me, I'm sure it would be a weed!...Arlyn

He lip reads very well.

The garden tours to Burseen's were the day following the overnite storms. Flowers had been hit hard and grounds were muddy. As can be seen in following photos, the 40+ degree temperatures and strong north winds added little to the viewing of an otherwise great display of bloom. Additional garden displays will be posted later.

Hi Dennis -- thanks for the photos. How I would have loved to see that in person, conditions notwithstanding. Can't wait to see the rest of your pics!

My son and I went the day before the storms, those same beds were covered in blooms. It was hot and sunny, and I was so engrosed with what I wanted to buy that I completely forgot to take some garden shots before I got tired. Maybe next year I will get it together.

Dot

Dennis Thanks for sharing it would of been nice to walk his garden I'll bet he had some neat seedlings.

Great shots, Dennis. Please do post more, it'll be a long time before I see TBs here.

The garden tours at the AIS Convention were awesome! Wish everyone could have gone.
Ladylovingdove-I went to Burseen's after the tours, but he wasn't outside. I wish he would have been so I could have looked more & shown my hubby his backyard & beyond. So spectular & the day of the tour there was so cold that I really couldn't enjoy it like I would have if the weather had of cooperated. Some of Burseen's gardens!

It was taking to long to load an additional pic so I'll try again.
Ladylovingdove-I bought Tobacco Chew last year but it hasn't bloomed yet!
More of Burseen's gardens.

Very nice,! Thanks...Arlyn

Thanks for sharing!

I saw Tobacco Chew blooming in his garden, I really did like it. I will get his order in Sept. It's too hot to plant in the summer here. I pot them up into one gallon pots and let them stay in them all winter. I put them under a big crepe myrtle in the shade until they are growing good. I plant them out in the spring.

Tom is such a sweet person, but you have to talk fast, he has a very short attention span. Has always been that way. I used to have SOOO much fun with him when I went to meetings. I got a card from him, he didn't talk much to me and went back to making crosses, the day I was there. He is so funny. Anyway, he said that there aren't many of "us" left anymore. I went to meetings back in the late 80's and 90's. He said he doesn't go much anymore because he has such a hard time hearing now. He always had a hard time hearing, but I would sit next to him and tease him. Now he can hardly hear at all, such a shame because he is such a dear person. But he seems happy to just be doing his thing.

Dot