As to what is my preference: I really like all iris. The Japanese have a graceful beauty, the Louisiana's have bold color, and the bearded come in so many shapes and colors. I like a mix of new and old so you have the smooth standards and falls of the historic growing next to the fluffy newbie.
Most everyone on this site knows by now that I love the space agers especially Tom Burseens. Give me the horns and spoons and pom poms! But also give me the blends of Blyth. Throw in some flatties for more variety. Give them a gentle mix and there you have my crazy quilt of irises.

tveguy3 said:I'm still looking for my favorite, that's why I have around 600 of them. Once I think I have found it, out comes the new intros, and I'm back thinking I have to have that one, It's going to be my favorite for sure. And it is for a while, until the next batch of intro's comes out. It's a lot like the guy at the bar saying, just one more beer! I know, I'm hopeless.

Tveguh3, you have me by probably 300 irises. I have a paisly 300 or so I. The garden.

EJarrett said:

Mary Ann,
Go to the iris database then choose search by characteristics. This will bring you to a screen where you can search by pattern, color, hybridizer, etc. In the hybridizer space type in the hybridizer's name, hit search then prepare to be awed

Aha!!! I knew there was a missing step in there! I don't extrapolate well -- so I need step-by-step directions, like this:

1) Click on Plant Database;
2) On the next page, click on *Irises* on the right hand side of the page;
3) On the next page, click on characteristics;
4) On the next page, in the space provided for *Hybridizer*, enter desired name.

Thank you Eric -- you got me there!!

Mary Ann, I'm sorry. If I'd known you didn't know how to get there, I would have been more helpful. Shesh! I can be pretty dense. My bad.

creativeclover said:

Tveguh3, you have me by probably 300 irises. I have a paisly 300 or so I. The garden.

300 is a pretty darned good start, Richard!!! No need to hang your head about that!!!

Zencat said:Mary Ann, I'm sorry. If I'd known you didn't know how to get there, I would have been more helpful. Shesh! I can be pretty dense. My bad.

No worries Celia. Obviously I'm the one who's dense -- how would you know?

I think I like the oldies and crazy colored dwarfs the best. I like most everything though, except for the overly frilly ones that look like a bad bridesmaid's dress. And I am kinda sick of purple.

I'm quite fond of many of the historics.. They work really nicely in the garden, as do many of the selfs and bi-tones.. On the modern end of things, I'm really enjoying Lines and Spatters and Emma Cook patterns. I've got a few Flatties that are fun, as well as some with spoons and flounces that just make me smile.. I'm enjoying some of the bubble-ruffled ones that Ghio has been working on.. I wouldn't say I'm done with plicatas, because Rick Tasco keeps introducing really interesting ones... but it's got to be *really* interesting now to turn my head. I'm getting so jaded

I'm interested to see how the Arils do for Sue, because there are several that turned my head when I visited Superstition this past Spring.

So many Iris, so little time.....

I like ALL of them, just some better than others. Can someone post me a pic of a flattie lol.

Now, I am into the frilly ones. I like the intense colors with a contrasting beard Wow!

I find that I tend to focus on the form of the flower as well as the color and type, maybe that's why I am attracted to the Historics. I just am not into "Ruffles", and the Historics for the most part did not
have any Ruffles. But everyone has their own preferences, and their certainly are a lot of very nice
new modern Iris cultivars being introduced recently.

Muddymitts said:

300 is a pretty darned good start, Richard!!! No need to hang your head about that!!!

Mary Ann, I am not hanging my head about that. Sorry if it seems that I was.

Teresa....look at Fluffy Pillows in the data base. It is a flattie. As to preferred form......I was a judge in the 70's and 80's when the leading hybridizers were working hard to produce wider more ruffled modern looking iris with good substance.. My eye just came to select the modern form. Narrow plain seedlings were discarded. To my knowledge no one is successfully introducing iris with a historic look. The wonderful thing about a garden is that the gardener can grow what he likes. Do not give me any orange marigolds. If you like them your choice. My Grand Children would say that we live in the United States and have freedom of choice. If historics are your cup of tea then go for them. If you like a variety of forms go for it. I love ruffles but am not crazy for lace.........I'm rambling

I find that I agree with you on that conclusion Paul -- love the ruffles, not loving the lace. That being said, one of my favorite Irises is an older one called Morning Hymn -- and it has lots of lace. But what I love about this Iris is the color -- so other aspects of the bloom can over-ride the off-put.

Ooooo! I like that color, too.

I like both lace and ruffles. But then, I like the historics too. Guess I'm just hopeless!

Celia -- the color on that Iris is just incredible -- pictures can't capture it well.

Tom -- that's the best way to enjoy Irises, IMHO!!!!

Morning Hymn is lovely. It isn't overly anything or boring to me.

And Schreiner's calls it lavender. I guess words really can't describe some colors. I have Kaligazam described as raspberry/pink but that doesn't do it justice, either.

Since I like my garden to be a chaotic cacophony of color and blooms of many types, my irises need to be tough performers in the crowded mixed garden. That being said, I'm committed these days to keeping a tidier garden in order to welcome some of these wonderful newer selections. They're still going to have to have strong stems and be good growers to stick around though.