Thanks everybody I'm glad you are enjoying Joe's seedlings he really has some amazing plants he is working on and what a pleasure it was to see them up close and this was just a small portion of them there were lot's more still coming on that we missed. I can't wait to see the catalog to and look at which ones he decided to give names to this year we will have some real beauties coming from Santa Cruz in the future.

Here is another group of them to look at some of the Plicata's shown here are unique because they come from Non- Plicata crosses so very interesting to get these patterns and something Joe was excited about wanting to work with them. I also agree with the rest of you guys the Luminata at the top was Awesome!! Hopefully it grows well that would be a fun plant to have at home.

One of the things that was fun for me this year that I had not done in the past when taking pictures was to pay attention to the tags of the seedlings when I visited the different gardens, was hoping to find some seedlings from plants I had used at home in my own crosses and get a idea of what produced what and if there was anything out there that constantly had good looking seedlings hoping to save some time and take a little bit of the guess work out of it while not all of tags give you the parentage because some are seedling crosses what I did notice is Joe's plants are being used all over with Outstanding results!! They are showing up in the pedigree's of a lot of my favorite new introductions and in seedlings all over the country, if you are thinking about making some crosses in the spring mix in some Ghio blood the results are excellent

It was almost impossible to pick a favorite because I wanted them all so many good plants but here is my top 10 that I would want to have at home.

And I haven't finished my first cup of coffee yet!

The first one reminds me of my princess pinafore I wore as a little girl. I really want that one. The other that took a bite out of my heart was the one on row seven far right and far left row eight. Rare beauty indeed. I wish I could show these to my granny. She left this world before I was born but I heard often about the pride she had in her garden. She could not dream that this much beauty was possible.

Bonnie, I've often had similar thoughts about those who have passed seeing the amazing developments today. My maternal grandmother had passed before I was born, but my mother always said I reminded her so much of her, and that I got my love of flowers from her. I've also thought how cool it would be to see the reactions of the early pioneers of Iris breeding if they could see today's beauties.

In row 7 of the plicatas, above your favorites, I love the red luminata!! And the pink at the beginning of that row looks to have very light blue beards. Is it a trick of the light or are they pale blue?

Thanks for showing us these pictures, Brad.

It blows my mind that ONE MAN created all that beauty!!!

Leslie -- I'm with you on that red luminata!

On your first group of photos I am interested in #15 on the left side (the red amoena) as I am working with that pattern in SDBs.

That one grabbed me too, Lucy. I love it.

Plicatas third row, first one. Love the subtlety.

Debra. Quite a beauty to it.

What a treat to get to see these. You've done it again Brad! They are all beautiful...and as Rob would say...I want them all!! But if I could only have one I would choose the first of Brad's top 10, the pink with the incredible ruffles!

Leslie... yes it had Blue Beards he had quite a few that were like that hopefully one of them gets a name soon

Marilyn and Bonnie... We may be in luck unless somethings changed Joe talked about that pink one getting a name this year it really is beautiful the pink band is really unique and it looked to have good branching and was growing well in it's home garden.

Lucy.. I like the red one too but it may be awhile before we see that one it was relatively new here is another picture of it for you.

I also love both of them that are in that photo!

The next stop on our Trip was Superstition Gardens and we caught them at almost the perfect time the seedling beds were at Peak bloom and the main gardens were getting close so I got to see a lot of really nice plants that I had never heard of before or seen up close I am not sure if they still have all these cataloged because I haven't seen mine yet but looking forward to going through it this weekend These are some of the plants that I saw that caught my attention and looked really good last year for those Ordering this year here are some more to consider that they were offering.

Augustine & Broome Sunset

Go West & Jazzberry

Fancy Ideas & Lesley My Love

Pixie Magic & Fancy A Flutter

One Step Beyond & Rum & Coke

Center Line & Picture Book

Geode & Inklination

Love Actually & By Jeeves

Brainstorm & Clotho's Web

American Original & Zlatovlaska

Camera Ready & Chocolate

Be Original & Molten Flame

Rags To Riches & Ice Planet

Oxford Countess & Mulberry Magic

Peach Pearl & Flute's Alfresco

Snapparazzi & Artistic Web

I got One Step Beyond and Ice Planet as bonuses last year. Lot's of nice ones to ponder!

They don't carry "Zlatovlaska" anymore.

These other two are not in the catalog, so you would have to contact them to see if they still had it:

Fancy Ideas
Geode

I still haven't gotten my Superstition catalog -- maybe I better remind them?

Mary Ann - You should email them and see if you are on the list to get one. Maybe this dropped through the cracks as it were. If you are on the list, then you should get it today

Geode and Peach Pearl!!!