Glad you had a fun trip Brad. Those first two irises are amazing! OMG are they ever nice. Good to hear that you will have some nice blooms this year.

Well said, Bonnie. You use words like Brad uses photography.

Wow, Barbara, that is high praise indeed.

and with everyone on those amazing pinks too!!

tveguy3 said:Glad you had a fun trip Brad. Those first two irises are amazing! OMG are they ever nice. Good to hear that you will have some nice blooms this year.

I agree!!!!!

iciris said:Well said, Bonnie. You use words like Brad uses photography.

And I certainly agree with this too!

Bonnie.. Thank You I'm glad you enjoyed them hopefully one day in the future will have some of my own to share.. The 1st picture was Joe's favorite pink it is a brand new seedling and opened up right before dark, I stumbled upon that one as the sun was dropping and it stopped me in my tracks and thought WOW lots of good pinks in the iris world but I have never seen one with wash on the falls like that when it 1st opens it has some yellow that shows in it beautiful blend of colors. Lot's of amazing plants coming from Santa Cruz in the future.

Our Iowa spring weather is crazy again this year.. I had frost the day before we left to visit California and it killed some trees that were leafing out now the past couple days the temps have been in the 80's with 90's forecast next week this will bring the season on fast. The 1st seedlings should start to bloom tomorrow and I will take lot's of pictures . The convention plants are not what they should be there is a lot more bloom then expected but would guess maybe 30% will bloom just too much rot out there in both rows, but at this point I will enjoy whatever we get I have taken a liking to SDB's they really put on a show here last week and out of all the ones sent here I don't think there was one that showed any rot will have to grow more of them in the future.

Partial quotes from Brad....

ARUBA1334 said:Bonnie.. Thank You I'm glad you enjoyed them hopefully one day in the future will have some of my own to share..

Swoon...... I know you have some remarkably beautiful seedlings and am looking forward to the day when I grow a few in my garden.

ARUBA1334 said:The 1st picture was Joe's favorite pink it is a brand new seedling and opened up right before dark, I stumbled upon that one as the sun was dropping and it stopped me in my tracks and thought WOW

I think Joe should let your words about his pink iris influence its name. Hearing you describe it, after seeing your gorgeous photos of it, makes me feel like it is even more beautiful. Coming upon it as the day was fading must have made you feel like there was a little bit of the sunset captured in that bloom.

ARUBA1334 said:I have taken a liking to SDB's they really put on a show here last week and out of all the ones sent here I don't think there was one that showed any rot will have to grow more of them in the future.

And someday you MUST do some pollen daubing on your favorite SDB's. With the results that you have achieved with your TB seedlings I can't even imagine the beauties you could make with the little irises. The dwarfs have definitely earned a place in the iris garden. They are like tug boats in a marina..... not flashy or regal, but they are steady and stalwart going about their business of decorating the 'early' iris garden.

I hope this crazy spring weather cooperates for a few weeks in Iowa. And all the plants put on a show for the convention. I am looking forward to seeing the photos of this years 'first seedling' bloom....... maybe later today???

"Like tugboats... not flashy or regal"

Hold on there missy! I think there are a whole mess of them that are quite flashy, and many clumps can look quite regal.

Well, if Brad get ahold of a few and does his magic......

This little guy is very late to the party. He is apparently a seedling. I will move him out of the bed to the NoID area. If he continues to bloom really late, and his bloomstalk is a little longer, I will plant him in a pot where I can see him more often.

Tomorrow I will go the rounds checking for any more seed pods that I may have missed or in a few years I will only have more of these 'volunteers'.

In the shade.....



In the sun.......

Bonnie, the bees made me humongous pods on La Scala and Obi-Wan Kenobi. Going to try my hand at germinating them.

both are beauties and should make some more beauties.

Dang, the bees are better then I am, couldn't get La Scala to work either way. Although, about 80% of the bee pods on the TB's have been empty for me.

I'll find out soon if this one has anything in it, Tom. Adventures abound!

I have never had an empty bee pod. May be a case of the bees putting pollen on everything from everything while hybridizers pick one to cross with one.

At least one of my SDB bee pods from last year has germinated. I honestly thought it would not, because the seeds looked under-developed and dried up compared to my other seeds, but guess Bonnie is right; bees are the true masters of pollination!

tveguy3 said:Dang, the bees are better then I am, couldn't get La Scala to work either way. Although, about 80% of the bee pods on the TB's have been empty for me.

It surprises me that so many are empty, but I've never had a bee seed pod mature. I've only had one and I didn't know what it was and chopped it off.