Hi Monty. Welcome to the Iris forums. There are some very knowledgeable people here, so if you stick around, you're going to learn a lot!!!

Regarding your vanishing pink Iris: if your beds have been untended for a long time, then it is likely that the pink rhizomes are being squeezed out by the more robust yellow ones. If it continues, you will lose the pink ones altogether. Sadly -- this is exactly how historic cultivars have been lost over the years, which is a shame.

You would be well advised to spend some time digging out the pink rhizomes (mark the leaves when they bloom in the spring) -- and replant them somewhere where they have room to grow. The rhizomes will thank you with a resurgence in growth and bloom in years to come.

Two other things -- you made reference to your vintage Irises being from the 70's or so? The ones that you showed pictures of are more likely historics from the 20's , 30's and 40's. And the Irises that you bought from Walmart and Lowes are highly likely to not be the cultivar advertised on the package. Both businesses are notorious for selling mis-labeled Irises. My Cherub's Smile turned out to be a white Iris which is probably Immortality. If yours is too -- then surprise -- you DO own a re-bloomer!!!

Regardless of all of the above -- your Iris beds are lovely!!

Thank you Mary Ann! I have learned a lot already, and I haven't been here very long! You can trust that I'll be sticking around here because I love it.

I have already done some of that with the two stalks that came up and bloomed. Both have been transplanted elsewhere so I can continue to try and re-expand that iris type and keep it blooming. There were once pink irises like these that bloomed in every segmented bed, but now it appears to be just bed 4 they bloom in. Or as seen by the last two bloom seasons.
I eventually plan to repurpose all four of the beds into something really nice and kept up, so perhaps I can track down some of those pink-iris rhizomes and plant them where they can grow well without being crowded out by the more vigorous noids of mine and the weeds too. Interestingly enough, where these pink beauties bloom in bed 4, that's the only place in all four beds where there's a lack of fans. (As in, for some reason, the irises haven't expanded into this area which is quite barren considering what the other beds look like )

Since I have been here, we haven't ID'd them, but the closest iris type which looks almost identical to what I have all come before the 70s and around the 30s-40s and 50s. With some might even coming from earlier. This house was built in 1990, so perhaps the gardener planted some 'old-fashioned' irises here?

I have also learned that getting bearded irises blooming or bagged from Lowes or Walmart might not be the greatest of ideas. I figured out one of the other types I got from Walmart last year, 'Full Tide' but it too has not bloomed. (I wouldn't expect it too in only one season, really). They may or may not have been true with what I purchased being ID'd as 'Cherub's Smile' and 'Full Tide' but if it blooms at all, I'll be happy. I do not remember where Walmart had these shipped from, but what I see in Walmart's 'catalog' of sorts, I'm not liking. Most seem to be shipped from Hirt's Gardens, and by the looks of the ratings....haha no. I do not plan to get anything from Hirt's.

Luckily for me, even though I do not know where Walmart got Cherub's Smile and Full Tide from, the rhizomes look absolutely healthy and they sent up four or five fans just as they were. I'll have to check for the 2019 bloom season and see if any of the three varieties purchased from Walmart come up. (There was a third variety, which I only got one of that I forget the name of. )

Rebloomers are high on my agenda, and that agenda has been very quickly filled at least for now. I have always wanted rebloomers because of the chance to get an 'extended' bloom season. Since this orignal post, due to an order and some kindness, I now have nine rebloomers (or more) to look forward to! As well as five more non-rebloom varieties!

I'm not going to expect anything blooming from this year, or perhaps next year's bloom season of everything I have now, as the new varieties may decide they're not ready to bloom yet, but I sure will hold out some hope. Thanks for the great post, Mary Ann!

So glad you have so many responses - but, people in here are really nice - they put up with me !
So, from some of the comments --- I also have 'Heirloom' ones !

Peggy
[ who wrote the Novel, but sent it by Tree-mail ]

- now, to just finish making 'plans' for a much smaller garden -