I haven't really been growing a large number of irises for very long, so even though I started the thread, I am not sure that I could give a proper evaluation on 10 favorites that also perform well.
That being said, I DO have a few from last year that were a surprise, outstanding and vigorous, which bloomed the first year that I planted them. Many others did not bloom...some gave increases and others just died.
The first one is Beverly Sills. She is in part shade once the oaks leaf out.
She is an historic iris by Ben Hager (1979) and a Dykes winner.
The second one is Chasing Rainbows, also by Ben Hager 1998. HM AM
It bloomed quite late, though it was supposed to be a mid-bloomer. The flowers were large and strong , I didn't measure its height, but it was tall and had several branches with several buds per socket.
The third one is Elegance in Blue by Schreiner, 2004, which was well-branched for a first year's bloom
The fourth one is Golden Panther by Richard Tasco, 2000, which is a Dykes, Wister and President's Cup winner, which gets buried every year, but has no problems and is also in part shade.
The fifth one is Samurai Warrior, another historic from 1981 by Schreiner, with an Honorable Mention in 1983. It was supposed to be mid to late blooming, but was the first to bloom. (Maybe I didn't actually have any early ones.... )
It continued to bloom, even after I (naively) set a pod on it.
And last, but not least, (#6) Thornbird by Monty Byers 1989, a Dykes and Wister Award winner.
