I'm a total newbie to the forum and am just barely considering putting in some iris in a bed I haven't constructed yet! So I'm no good in the contest, but I sure have enjoyed reading all of your posts! I bet somebody will reveal what an "SDB" is. So much I have to learn!

Standard Dwarf Bearded(sdb)..you'll catch on quick and

Hi Barbalee! Welcome to our little corner of the world. I'm so happy you're here! And if you're just *considering putting a few in a yet-to-be bed* -- well, we'll help you right out with that!!! We're very good at helping people to acquire a few Irises!!!

Welcome to the iris forum, Barbalee! You have joined us at a great time...... spring bloom season! As to your question bearded irises are classed by height as well as many other traits. The smallest is MDB or miniature dwarf bearded followed by the SDB or standard dwarf bearded. Then you have MTB, IB, BB and last, but not least, the TB which are the tallest with the largest blooms of all the beardeds. Stick around and you will see them all in bloom this spring along with many other wonderful types of irises posted right here on the iris forum. And again..... Welcome!

Hi Barbalee, Welcome to the iris forum. It's not so much a contest as it is a measure of our descent into iris addiction. If the bug catches you, in time you will see your garden turn into a haven for irises, and you will also be able to assess your level of addition. this is one addiction that is a good thing! At least I hope it is.

Welcome. Amerillo will sure stress test any Bearded Iris you get. You might want to consider a few really tough varieties at first. We live in KC and Titan's Glory, Dusky Challenger, Darcy's Choice and Premier Edition have done well for us.
I am sure we could send you a few to get you started. It would only cost you postage. And the rhizomes would be fairly large as they have been in the ground three years. Just remind us around June. All we ask is a report in a few years on how they are doing. I spent the Winter of 1963 at Amerillo AFB, by far the meanest winter I have ever been in. I remember an old addage about the wind, went something like this. Get a six foot length piece of telephone pole. Stick it in the ground and hang a heavy duty chain from it. When the chain gets to flapping around so bad that links break off, you know tomorrow is going to be windy.

Blessings

Thank you all! I appreciate the warm welcome and the info on SDB. I grew up in the midwest, and my mom had 2 addictions: daylilies and irises. I fear I'm taking those on!

@John - you bet I'll take you up on that offer~surely I'll have a bed going in June. I've just moved to Amarillo so I haven't seen an ugly winter yet, but the wind sure do blow! That's an adage I hadn't heard, but I can believe it!

Welcome, Barbalee.


John

Amarillo's environment is tough on plants AND on people, but it is workable.

Maybe some kind of a wind block would work, like a solid privacy fence to block prevailing winds, and give some afternoon shade in the hot part of the summer.

I used to have a lot of relatives and still have friends up there they all had flower and vegetable gardens and they really do have wind breaks, the rural areas need them more.

Barbalee. if your mother grew Iris I'm sure your not giving yourself enough credit in the "knowledge" department. Stick around, this is a great group of people to learn from.

Truth!!!!

Barbalee!

Yep this group turned me into a crazy iris lady in no time!

Sadly, I am just kid stuff but I am hoping with trades to possibly reach the it's a good start level. Wow some of you must have generous pocketbooks!!