Brad and Tom have inspired me with their wonderful seedlings. I have had the pleasure of watching my seedlings before but at my stage of life I realize I probably won't being enjoying the magical experience of watching a bunch of seedlings opening again. Having said that I often fantasize what the results of a cross would be. For instance I would like to see the result of a cross of Superhero by Ghio and Reckless abandon by Keppel. What would you like to see?

I would like to see some of your spectacular pinks in crosses, Paul. I know that the outcome may not be more or varied pinks but I would like to see what they do make. As for your age..... I am older than you mister and I plan to plant seeds and see them bloom for a long time to come. smiles

I would like to see the color and rebloom of Cantina with the ruffles/form of Ride the Waves.

I'd like to see some sprouts on my iris seed crosses! In the fridge for going on 8 weeks.
Thinking of planting them in pots anyway.

I plant when I see no sprouts and they sprout after planting. I don't necessarily like them to sprout before they go into the soil as I may damage the sprout when planting.

We do ours outside for the winter cold, don't fool with refrigerator. Fantasy cross would be reblooming SDBs.

I'll play...

My fantasy cross would be a strongly fragrant white reblooming iris, lots of ruffles and maybe space age with flounces, on white variegated foliage. Maybe a strongly contrasting orange beard like on 'Nordica' would be a nice finishing touch. (Or a strongly contrasting blue beard!)

Just to give an idea (as I have all of the irises below):

x x x x ?

reblooming x space age flounces x ruffles x orange beard x variegation and fragrance = ?

The day that I stop dabbing pollen and making and collecting and planting seeds, even if only a few (out of several hundred) is the day that you can just shoot me, because surely it is all downhill from there.

Seriously, you don't have to plant thousands or even hundreds of seeds. You don't even have to plant a score! But you have to be seriously space or mobility or health constrained if you can't manage at least half a dozen seedlings.

And regarding the "health constrained" part of that - I have found time in the garden, doing whatever - to be beneficial on several counts. Whatever my mood is (mad, sad, depressed), it helps... and if I stagger out there with a headache (I'm a chronic headache kind of person), just puttering around out there gives some relief in that direction, too.

(And I would say that I am not the only person to find outdoors time beneficial... DH not long ago found an article about certain populations that had the greatest longevity, and what was striking to him (he is *not* an outdoors person) was that a common denominator for the people in these cultures was that they all spent some amount of time outdoors, doing farming/gardening/other outdoorsy types of activities.)

So go make your fantasy cross. Go collect those seeds! Go plant at least some of them! And then wait and watch them grow... and finally bloom!

(And just so you all know... I am not an optimistic cheerleading type of person - at all! DH calls me "Ms Negative", so if *I* can find reasons to get out there and do it, and I can find or make the energy and time (otherwise sucked up by my dog, chores, and other pursuits) then you can, too.)

**From my phone, too hard to cut n paste links** (obsidian×Bratislavan Prince) × hello darkness. I'm going for a really dark with a gold crown. I should attempt this seriously. Sorry no pics

No pics is OK....I can go to the data base and check the parents out........

irisarian said: Fantasy cross would be reblooming SDBs.

There are a lot of reblooming SDBs around. I have one blooming in my garden right now -- one of Dee Stewart's cultivars. But maybe you mean you would cross two SDB rebloomers to expand the options?

Funny, I was thinking Magic Masquerade x Midnight Oil





edited to put up a better Midnight Oil pic

I would like to see dangerous mood and draculas kiss.

So would i

I am trying to imagine what they might do @creativeclover, what is your vision?

Maybe a near black with a bright red orange beard.......

Your right Paul. A dark iris with a bright orange beard.

Well Polymerous -- I like the way you think! Where have you been? You make me want to daub *just a little bit*. And I have three of those four white Irises!!

Lori -- that picture of Magic Masquerade is drop-dead gorgeous. And it's growing in my garden -- thank you, thank you!!!!

Alright, getting complex now. Gold Standards, gold beard, deep purple falls. I'll name her 'Glitter à L'or'
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I've been plotting my potential crosses for next summer. I could list them here, but then I'd have given away may secrets! You'll just have to wait until you see the seedlings, and then you can blast me with your critiques. What's weird is that every winter I do this, and then reality happens. Some don't bloom at all, other bloom at the wrong times, some don't have pollen, some don't get crossed because it rains non stop when you need to make the cross. But every once in a while it all comes together and you get seeds. Then you have to get them to grow, and survive the winters here, and just maybe there will be one worth keeping.

Paul...I can help with that one Mr. Keppel had the same thoughts in 2011 here are some pictures of the one he kept and it is a good one. Pictures from last year not sure if I have a current one from 2015

11-85A (Reckless Abandon x Superhero)