I'm Anita Moran living in Pylesville, Maryland and started in iris about 10 years ago and fell hard. Joined the AIS the same year Region 4 hosted the National Convention and was astounded at what I saw. Because I volunteered to help with the convention I met Don and Ginny Spoon, Paul Black and Rick Tasco and many others that I still have as friends. I started hybridizing, opps planting seeds in 2001 with some I got from SIGNA and some I got from friends. My first love is aril and arilbreds and spend more time on them than other iris but I currently have 3 arilbred introductions as well as an IB and several versicolor and siberians. Dee Stewart introduces for me for everything but the arilbreds.

This is one of my upcomming arilbred seedlings

Its hotter'n L out today so I am cruising my currant intrest area Iris. I dont have luck with L Sunshine but would like to try again.

I am Jo Ann Gentle/I live near Lake Ontario in a Rochester suburb.

My DD#2 and SIL,and I sold our houses 4 years ago and bought a big one with a first floor suite which is mine.
I also have spent $$$$$ and time building gardens here. I guess collectivly they measure about 3thousand sq.feet.

It doesnt matter really ,everyones garden spot is special.

I am an artist ,made and sold potter for 30 years and turned to watercolor painting in '96. Loading kilns and hauling clay just got to be too much.

I raised 4 daughters, all in their 50's now. I am a grandmother of 4 post teens young adults is the best way to describe it.

I have always loved iris,my grandmother had rows of them in her gardens.I just didnt think I could take care of them so didnt squeeze them into the garden plan.
Funny how 4 years and plant deaths makes room for the next plant to love.

Hello avmoran that is just beautiful.

Anita and Jo Ann, I love both of your works of art! I dearly love that Arilbred seedling, Anita, and I can tell how talented you are, Jo Ann -- Love that iris!

Well, I guess I should also do this, although I hate talking about myself. I live in Bakersfield, CA, and I worked at California State University, Bakersfield as a secretary/admin. operations analyst for 28 years and have been retired for a number of years now. I am married and have a stepson, Jason, who thankfully comes over a lot to help us with "projects," as we are at the point now where we're having trouble keeping up with everything. We have 1/3 acre that is basically on a hill with quite a few steps, so it's definitely getting interesting around here as I have some problems with my feet and legs as I'm "maturing." I used to hybridize miniature roses but gave that up back in the early '90's when I became totally immersed in quilting -- and now my quilting phase is fading and I've been into irises for the last six years or so and am starting my "daylily crazies," as Newyorkrita calls it. I'm trying a little daylily hybridizing this year, although I don't know where I'll put the seedlings when they germinate -- I have over 400 irises and 250+ daylilies now, and right now I'm potting everything up until I can figure out where I'm going to put everything. Needless to say, I get caught up wanting to have everything NOW and I'm definitely a porcrastinator -- better at coming up with ideas than follow-through, unfortunately. But at least I'm having a lot of fun!

love that color Polly.. congrats!!

Hi Leon!
Hi Anita!
Hi Jo Ann!
Hi Betty!

Thanks all for the intros. Glad you're over here with us.

Well I'll jump in here to. Hi, I'm Cory Kauffman from northern IN. I may be the youngest member here (30), not sure. Married with a 9 mo old son Reed. Sleep, what sleep!!! Oh, and he's cutting teeth now too! I'm a CNC machinist during the day, and a Firefighter/EMT-B with my local fire dept. We just moved into or new home sept. of last year. Month and half before our son was born.

I've been growing beared irises for maybe 5 yrs now. My mom and sister got me hooked. it started with so NOID's and now I'm pushing 150 when I get this years orders in (Dee don't forget about my order!!LOL!!). I have lots of irises to move, have them in a temp bed from last yr. Now I get to move almost 100 up around the house now!!!

Have a good day!!! Cory

Hey Cory, nice to see you again! 9 mos, huh? We probably won't expect to see you much for another couple of years. Glad you're here.

Cory you iris will be shipped in the morning:) how is that for speed of light LOL

Welcome each and everyone. I feel this is so exciting to be included in the birth of something this big.

D

Thanks Dee!! That's what I call serivce now!!! Polly I'm around just soaking up info from everybody. Hey I've got 47 bearded seeds from bee pods to grow. I'm taken the info I've got from everyone, and hope the will grow.!!

Cory

same here Cory

Hi, I'm Sheryl. I got most of my iris from one of the post-Iris show buys a couple of years back (didn't you run that, Dee?). I got some fantastic iris, but several didn't bloom for me this year - might be a weed problem *sigh*.

Anywho, I'm in middle Tennessee in one of the prettiest places I've ever lived. Live here with DH, my 81 y/o mother and what ever animal I can fit - they're awful for dropping off dogs around here. We're up to 7 at the moment - anyone want a dog?




Anywho, looking forward to seeing everyone's beauties!

Make sure that your irises are not planted too deep. Hey, your mom has 5 yrs on me.

Sheryl, hi there! Glad you came to join us.

Also, it's not unusual for any iris to take a year off. I expect after the heat and drought this year, that will be the case next year, too.

But when they bloom, we want pictures!

Beautiful puppy. What soft sweet eyes.

We used to live in Nashville.

ok that makes me feel a bit better.. didn't realize that could happen.. going to dig a few to make sure there isn't damage there.. but going to wait for this bad heat to die down some.. or is it too late?

I'm caught up on reading and am happy to see new names. The things you guys are accomplishing is amazing! The pictures posted here are going to be amazing too!

Well they dump cats here all the time, but finally had to say no more, with 4 cats...all now come and go as they please. But after awhile the money for the food gets high, as for awhile we had 9 cats, found homes for the 5 but now I do not feed the wildcats around here.

D

Mostly since farm land afraid of bringing disease to my cats even tho my cats have all the shots, just do not need anything to the old guy.

D

OK, has anyone noticed the new Iris Badge? I just saw it this morning and got in my profile and added it!

Yes - rather nice is it not?

Very nice! And it looks like Dave has been busy -- he just added one for Roses too, and a peach for Georgia, etc.