There was a lot of buzz about Rose F. Kennedy when it first came out. I remember talking to Mary Collier Fisher about it at the 2007 Convention, and she shipped it to me after that convention. George has had some health issues, and Mary introduces and sells for him. The first pictures I took of it were in 2007 in this garden. Visitors and club members wanted it for years before I had enough to divide, but I sold off several fans ( 5, I think) back in 2012. Because I have a small garden and not room enough to line plants out, I had to dig up the entire clump in order to take fans, and the plant sulked that year after it was divided. RFK makes smallish fans. The scape height is about what is registered ( 29") and after just going out to count, there are 13 fans here now. I'd describe increase as slow to moderate in this climate. Vigor is OK although this is not the most vigorous plant in the garden by a long shot. Blooms are distinctive - this is one of those that needs no nametag once you've seen it.
These are pictures all taken here. First was 2008,. 2nd was in 2009- picture was published in several publications, last was taken here this year. Consistent blooms.
You will notice that the color - especially the green -shows better in some sunlight. The pics from 2015 were taken before the sun hit, and it looks rather blah.
Although I'd spoken to George by phone several times, we never met until 2013 when he and Mary attended a Region 3 meeting in DE. George, like many of us, has limited space and when we spoke in 2013, he'd been dealing with deer issues and had put up a deer fence. I heard him say that one of his newer intros called 'Igor F. Palacios, MD' is what he considers to be one of his best. I am thrilled to grow it. It has ( in the one year its been here) been a more vigorous plant than RFK, and George registered this as "a large green eyezone spilling onto a purple border." With time, I may come to love this one more than Rose F. Kennedy. It's a stunner with nice tall scapes and gorgeous blooms.
Here are a couple pictures of Igor F. Palacios, MD ( named after his cardiologist) taken this season.
