For starters, I don't have the ability to alter how the database search engine works. Beyond that, I don't think even Dave can do it. The Plant Admins had discussions about "ranged searches" a few times over the years and the answer was always that it was a good idea, but the structure of the database wouldn't support it.
That said, if you have some understanding of how the search engine works, you can make it do ranged searches to a limited extent. For example, if you want to see all of the irises that were introduced in the 1980s, just type "198" (without the quote marks) in the Year of Introduction box of the Search by Characteristics page of the Irises Database:
https://garden.org/plants/grou...
For what it's worth, the premise that irises were once bred for good growth but are now bred just for striking appearance is wrong. Hybridizers have always valued striking appearance, for the simple reason that that's what sells. Not to mention, it's pretty much the whole point of breeding them in the first place. The perception that older varieties are tougher is just a result of a natural winnowing process: varieties that don't grow well eventually disappear. The vast majority of irises introduced in 1980s (or the 60s or the 30s or whatever) no longer exist. The survivors are almost all good growers that do well across a wide range of climates. Good growth and hardiness aren't the only factors that determine long term survival, but they are certainly important.
