Henhouse said:I've had some Historics for many years, but have added many more over the past couple of years. Some, I obviously need to give more time (especially those that haven't bloomed yet!).. Some are good old standbys, and some really surprised me. I like my plants to not only have a flower that has merit, but also have good form and be garden worthy.

So here are a *few* standouts this year.

'Confetti' - very elegant form

• Tall Bearded Iris (Iris 'Confetti')
• Uploaded by Henhouse

• Tall Bearded Iris (Iris 'Confetti')
• Uploaded by Henhouse

'Cherie'- this is really very sweet

• Tall Bearded Iris (Iris 'Cherie')
• Uploaded by Henhouse

'Mme. Chereau'- flowers are miniscule compared to moderns, but very charming anyway.


'True Delight'- beautiful form. I can't take a picture of this that does it justice. Graceful, elegant.
'Father Rigney'- deeper and richer than this photo.

• Tall Bearded Iris (Iris 'True Delight')
• Uploaded by Henhouse

• Tall Bearded Iris (Iris 'Father Rigney')
• Uploaded by Henhouse

Yellow NOID- what can I say? It's already re-blooming.Very vigorous.


'Orloff'- makes me think of cinnamon sprinkled on something..

• Tall Bearded Iris (Iris 'Orloff')
• Uploaded by Henhouse

'Alcazar'- I could see this one in mass plantings. First year in the ground and seems vigorous.

• Tall Bearded Iris (Iris 'Alcazar')
• Uploaded by Henhouse

• Tall Bearded Iris (Iris 'Alcazar')
• Uploaded by Henhouse

Yes, Sherry, I think "good form" is what I look for in an Iris, and that is why I am attracted to the Historical Irises. I like their Flower form. They are very different looking than the modern Iris being hybridized today, which are way to "Ruffly" for me. I will replace "Alcazar" and look into "Father Rigbey". I'm finding I'm not always able to find a lot of detailed information on various Iris - I try to find "Reviews" from other growers, but some older Iris that information just
isn't available. I don't know "Orloff" at all. And "Cherie" was a free gift from Iris City Gardens, but I never ended up planting it because their order came very late and I ran out of space in my garden. For those Iris of yours that "haven't bloomed yet", how long have they been planted in your garden ???

I have descendants of 'cherie' but the are standard dwarf irises produced the original way by crossing I. pumila with it. Now most SDBs are just crossed with each other but they were developed in the 1950s.

grannysgarden said:Caitlinsgarden, I have tons of information on mycorrhizae. For a brief overview just go to Wikipedia or google it and read about this wonderful fungus. M eats the nutrients in the soil, whether natural or chemical, breaks them down and feeds our plants. In turn our plants feed M carbs such as glucose and sucrose. M is more complex than even scientists know so far. M can hoard nitrogen and feed plants when there is a nitrogen shortage, or supply some plants the extreme nutrition that they need to re-colonize a location, such as lodge pole pines. M can even eat heavy metals and 'clean' contaminated sites over a period of time so that plants can reclaim the area.

It is an extremely interesting fungus and most all of our plants rely on it to some degree. Last I heard grasses and sedges do not. Associations of fungi with the roots of plants have been known since at least the mid-19th century. However early observers simply recorded the fact without investigating the relationships between the two organisms. More in being learned about this vital link between plant and fungus.

I wonder what Round-up does to it. We may never know as studies of round-up are prohibited!

I don't remember if I have shared my pic of Shah Jehan. It bloomed for the first time this year and it is absolutely magnificent!

Patrick, you know about HIPS, right? http://www.historiciris.org/
There are articles you can access through the site that might provide some of the information you're looking for. Fun reading the old articles

Yes, I am a member of HIPS, and I have ordered past years of the issues of ROOTS, and I thoroughly enjoy reading those bulletins, plus I love the photos of all the old Historic Iris
in each issue.

Patrick, is there a place you can pop extra rhizomes? Like a library garden or a park? I guerrilla garden a strip on the edge of a parking lot.

Linnea, you may have something there. Hmmm. I like the idea. I only have 2 rhizomes left - they are supposed to be 'The Red Douglas' but the vendor who sent them to me is not sure they are because the plant was so close to the one next to it, I may end of up 'Amethyst Flame' instead.
LOL. But I have a neighbor across the street who grows iris (the BB's, IB types) in front of his house. Maybe he would like me to plant these in his garden ? Great idea! Thanks, Linnea!

You're

We love 'Kaliedoscope' MTB. Each flower is different.

I don't grow MTBs. I grow TBs. BTW Linnea, Yes, my neighbor was interested in receiving my extra Iris rhizomes. So thank you for suggesting that I 'share' my rhizomes! It worked. Thank You.

I do not grow that one, Lucy. I will have to look it up.

Bonnie, it is such a fun little iris- I think you'd love it! Let me know if you'd like me to send you some rhizomes.

Broken color, indeed.

I would love some Neal! Thank you.

Can I hit you up for some next year Neal? It's pretty cute..

I got some from Neal -- I can't wait to see them bloom!!!

I keep trying to cross Honorabile to get some cool new flower. It doesn't pod easily.

Sure thing Sherry!

Bonnie, it's still planting time in your zone isn't it? I can get some dug and in the mail at the first of the week...

yes, I can plant thru September here. In October I plant in pots to make sure if we have an early frost I can pull them in for a day or two. There have been years when we did not get a frost until January and I had big pots of impatiens decorating the holiday tables. Then there have been years when crocus started blooming on January 1 and I had irises blooming in late February. I am in one of those areas of great differences from year to year.