Rob...don't you wish that whole truck load was Ghio rhizomes!!!
Brad, the pictures of Joe's roses are beautiful! Thanks for sharing them!! I used to grow roses at my old house. Now I only have 1 that I planted this year. Maybe I'll add a few more a time goes on...but first I need to get my irises planted!!
Barbara, great collection of Ghio irises... and some nice photos to enjoy too!
Sherry I had Comfortable but got rid of it. I didn't like the way it would fade. Started out nice, but the color would fade too much for my liking. His newer ones with that color pattern are more ruffly, and I think the color holds up better, like Brouhaha or Celebratory. I don't know if people in other areas have noticed that fading thing though.
Politicians are like diapers, they need to be changed often, and for the same reason.
I have been away from the forum/computer for four days and still trying to catch up with all of the posts! Drooling is out of control.
Here is what I added this year from the Ghio portfolio:
Border Skirmish
Bowled Over
Boy Genius
Cupid's Arrow
Explicit
Going Big Time
Magical
Oil Painting
Platinum Jubilee
Plot Line
Smart Money
Snowed In
Superhero
Vapor
Visiting Royalty
I have noticed that Joe Ghio's introductions are not as prevalent in my area (PA/MD) as other big names. Not sure why that is. I like his stuff, but I have not done much trading with others in my area because they have not been readily available. Don't know if it is that no one has his stuff or if his stuff is not doing well for folks so it is not available for trading.
Glad it's doing well for you Mary Ann. I've had some problems with some of his older stuff not doing well here, but it seems like the recent intros are doing fine. I'm glad of that, as I sure like his irises.
Politicians are like diapers, they need to be changed often, and for the same reason.
Name: Bonnie Sojourner Harris Brake Lake, Arkansas (Zone 7a) Magnolia zone
I have been away for the weekend too but i have tried to catch up on a cell phone. The only ones I have of Ghios are Lady Friend and Designer Gown. I have Hush Money, an LA. It is a Mary Dunn but introduced by Ghio - I think. Platinum Jubilee is on my wish list.
Thro' all the tumult and the strife I hear the music ringing; It finds an echo in my soul— How can I keep from singing?
Tom -- I did notice that Impressionist really took a long time to settle in here -- and then after moving it, and after last winter/spring -- it died. Debra sent me a couple of little rhizomes on the off-chance they would make it here -- so apparently she had trouble with it too (in Texas).
This isn't indicative of all of Joe Ghio's Irises that I have here -- but that one for sure is very finicky.
I love his Irises too! Hope the newer ones do better for all of us!!
Thoughts become things -- choose the good ones. (www.tut.com)
I noted several Pacific coast Iris hybrids from him in the data base, which are gorgeous, by the way! But that made me wonder if his bearded hybrids may perform better in milder, dryer climates.
He has some lovely spuria hybrids too.
"...and don't think the garden loses its ecstasy in winter. It's quiet, but the roots are down there riotous." Rumi
Greg I am curious what you use for winter protection for your plants ? The good majority of his plants did well here and Last winter was a disaster for us here I lost more than half of my garden and not just Iris it was a total wipeout for Shrubs, Tree's, perennials and some conifers that I really liked. I originally thought my Iris problem was from using compost from a new source but after hearing about rot issues all over the country my thinking now is it was the extremes we hit last year. I know in Iowa we had the 5th or 6th coldest on record with very little snow cover during the worst of it so this leads me to believe it was a fluke year and hopefully we never have to go through it again. I think the key is some kind of winter protection for all of our plants especially the 1st year after coming from a warm climate from any where on the west coast they need to acclimate to ours. I am experimenting with different things this year still don't have the right answer for what will work the best for me but will keep a close eye on things through the worst of it this winter.
Name: Bonnie Sojourner Harris Brake Lake, Arkansas (Zone 7a) Magnolia zone
I did not have too much iris rot last winter. However, a lot of the members of CAIS lost most of their irises to rot. One member lost over 400 culitvars. I was curious as to why some of us experienced little rot while other gardens were decimated. So..... I sort of took an unofficial poll. Without being too nosey I chatted with growers and asked whether or not their gardening methods had changed, whether they had changed their soil amendments, etc. One member lost all of the irises in a 'new' bed. He had used new amendments on that one alone. Other members with substantial losses had also used new organic products. I think in my area that it was perhaps a combination of both the weather and products introduced into the soil. I read your post and totally agree that we need to give protection to the irises that are new to our area...... perhaps for several winters. We do not get nearly as cold as your folks up north but last winter we got considerably colder than where a lot of my irises came from. My question is, what is a good protection for irises. I can leave the oak leaves on the ground overwinter but I have been told in the past that harmful insects overwinter or lay their eggs to overwinter in leaves or debris. Would pine needle mulch be a better prospect?.... pine bark mulch? Or perhaps leave the oak leaves on until very early spring? Any guidance would be appreciated.
Thro' all the tumult and the strife I hear the music ringing; It finds an echo in my soul— How can I keep from singing?
Lovely plants. I would like to see the entire plant for the BB.
As to winter mulch--We use pine needles which are very light. We used to do the entire garden (using needle donation from a neighbor) but now only do the new planted irises. If the ground styed frozen it would be ok without, but here alternating freeze & thaw. With the heavy snow last winter, we had no difficulty.
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I think Rare Coin tops my want list out of those new ones. 
