Elsa when you see it in person the flowers look like molten lava.

Misawa77 said:Front of the Line

• Tall Bearded Iris (Iris 'Front of the Line')
• Uploaded by Misawa77

Ghio
TB 2016
Early-Mid

If your Ghio's are struggling don't throw them out too soon! I have only a few of his, and after the first year they all looked pathetic. Since then those that survived have gone from surviving to thriving. It took them awhile to settle in I guess. My Beloved and Magical are now going gangbusters. Those that bloomed right out of the gate, like Rare Find and Plot Line, started off well then died.

I agree about Magical, it increased slowly for the first couple of years and now is doing great.

My Rare Find is a struggler too but still hanging in there. Magical is as you said, slow to increase but it is coming on now. Both are beautiful.

Same report from me on Magical and Rare Find. Plot Line was slow to take off too, but is doing well now.

Ghio's My Beloved performed spectacularly in my garden this year.
Very tall, and with many buds.

I had issues as well. Would do well the first year or so and then go into a steady decline and either die or struggle. None have thrived.

These are the Ghio irises I have and how they do here in zone 5.

All By Design Barely alive
Border Skirmish Died after a 4 year struggle
Bowled Over Has not bloomed yet, slow grower
Boy Genius Tood 4 years to bloom, slow grower
Bravery Bloomed second year, and once since, growing nicely now though
Brouhaha Hasn't bloomed yet in 2 years. Growing slow
Bubble Bubble Doing well blooms most years
Cardinal Rule Doing Well
Celebratory Struggling, bloomed once.
Chivalrous Struggling, hasn't bloomed yet.
Chuckles Does well here.
Chutney Slow grower, took 8 years to bloom.
Comedy Has bloomed twice, after 6 years, it's still only one rhizome.
Day On The Bay Does well here.
Dazzle Slow grower, but has bloomed once in 4 years.
Double Wedding Hasn't bloomed yet in 3 years.
Down To The Wire Doing well here.
Emblematic Barely alive after 4 years.
Engagement Ring struggling, hasn't bloomed yet in 3 years.
Epicenter Bloomed once in 7 years, think it's gone.
Exploding Galaxy Hasn't bloomed yet, not growing fast
Expose Slow grower, but blooms every year.
Front Of The Line have had it one year, hasn't bloomed yet, but doing well.
Gentle Soul Hasn't bloomed yet.
Going Big Time Grows steady but slow. Has bloomed and is fertile.
Got The Picture Got it last year, and it bloomed this summer. Doing well.
Hospitality Got 2 rhizomes when new, one left, not growing very fast.
House Afire Have my second planting of it. 4 years still waiting to see it.
Iconic OK grower, has bloomed 2 times in 4 years.
Illusionist Good grower and bloomer. Is fertile.
Liaison (Historic) Excellent grower and bloomer.
Magic Mirror decent grower and bloomer.
Magical Great grower here and steady bloomer.
My Beloved poor grower, hasn't bloomed yet in 4 years.
Mystique Good grower and bloomer.
Novel Idea Poor grower and bloomer.
Oil Painting good grower here, and finally bloomed this year after 3 years.
Ostentatious Older one, grows slow but steady, blooms every once in a while.
Other Side Of Heaven Fair grower and good parent.
Path To Heaven Got 2, one died, the other is struggling.
Picture Book Growing well, but hasn't bloomed yet in 2 years.
Platinum Jubilee Bloomed this year after waiting 4 years. Grows well.
Plot Line Got 3 rhizomes, still have about that many, one weak bloom.
Rare Coin fair grower and bloomer here.
Rogue Fair grower here.
Role Reversal Grows well, blooms well, fertile both ways.
Smart Money Does well here.
Snowed In Older one, grows well.
Soul Mate Great grower and steady bloomer here.
Spiral Galaxy Has not bloomed in 4 years, hanging on.
Splurge Second try here, still alive.
Star Turn Barely alive. Had one SDB sized bloom once. used it's pollen and it worked.
Starring Slow grower here, but steady.
Super Hero Good grower here and good bloomer.
Uninhibited struggling.
Vapor fair grower, bloomed once sofar.
Vow Of Silence Bloomed once, struggles here.
Wedding Night did well here, but ditched it as blooms always fell over.
Well Endowed Died.
What A Beauty Average grower, good bloomer. fertile.
Winning Hand Don't think it will make the winter.
Your's Truly good grower and bloomer.

thanks tom. thank you for taking the time to list all and their descriptions of their fare.

How disappointing for you, Tom. I wonder why so many of his aren't
doing well for you? Could it be a regional thing? I have many favorite Ghios, but we both live in California. Maybe they can't handle Wisconsin winters? I was especially sorry to read that Emblematic and Star Turn, two of my favorites, aren't thriving.
At least Magical, another favorite, is doing well for you!

i don't have many irises as i did before, but many that i do have are ghio's. they are all doing all right. the sutton's in general have been the largest, but i'll have to check all on their bloom performance. i have keppel's that grow fairly well but haven't bloomed. that said, i think i must give them another year to see about their bloom........that will be next year which will be year three.

@tveguy you've just given me a winter project...to list as you have (the irises' performances) by hybridizer . i think that's an excellent idea, and it will help steer and keep me on track as to what thrives in my garden as opposed to buying willy nilly just because i like the form and color. i have such limited space they have to perform well, or they have to go. it shouldn't take me that long, i don't have that many.

Tom, I have many of the ones that aren't doing well for you. I can send you some next year if you want to to give them another try,

Excellent list, Tom. I have actually been avoiding Ghio's based solely on their reputation and climate differences, which of course may be completely unfair. How they behave in a more challenging iris climate is very valuable and could provide a good starting point for me to add a few, so thank you.

Hmm... always liked the looks of this one...

He has produced some really great irises, so I try to get them hoping they will survive our winters here. It's interesting that some that don't do well for me here, do just fine in some of my friends gardens near by. And some that do well for me don't do so well for them.

Just noticed the acorns, Thanks.

What William said! for the effort!

IrisLilli said:What William said! for the effort!

Magical did very well at the AIS convention in Wisconsin several years ago. Great for a CA iris.

Magical is such a beauty! ...and fertile!