I've got a question for everybody. What's everyone's opinion on ordering from Schreiner's? Now I haven't ordered from them in like 15 years I bet. I don't remember having a problem with them. I do like to have my plants early July, not sure if the offer options or not. I pretty much stick with my normal 4 or 5. Which include Keith Keppel, MId-America, Sutton's, and Robin (Iris sisters). They seem to be at the front of the hybridizing game, so that helps me out. Schreiner's seems to be a bit behind when it comes to new things. Which is fine, I know that they wait till they have a large amount of a plant before the sell it. I know for a fact that takes TIME!!!

I'm asking because they have one of Brad's plants that I would like to use in my breeding program. I've also found a couple more that may be fun to work into the program.

I have ordered many times from Schreiners and unlike some other suppliers I have gotten bad orders from, Schreiners has never sent me a mislabeled iris. And generally the rhizomes are big, meaning that the last time I ordered 6 iris from them, 5 out of the 6 bloomed the very next spring.

I've gotten daylilies and iris from Schreiner's. I got one mislabeled daylily, and it was cheerfully replaced. The iris are usually good sized. The only exception to that has been my order for "That's All, Folks." It was small, and I was worried about it for awhile, but it did send up new growth after it flowered.

Every order I have received one mislabelled so I am a bit frustrated by Schreiners. The iris always arrive in good shape ( though some with the shortest roots ever). They are the only ones carrying Brad's intros so go for it. You should have no problems with the actual rhizome. I have a few of Brad's older seedlings and they are beautiful.

I once received a mislabeled iris from Shreiner's. They did replace it, but they nevet would tell me what I originally received. They do send good size rhizomes.

I've received smaller sized rhizomes from Schreiner's. I don't think that I've ever gotten a wrong one from them, though.

I have gotten wrong irises from Schreiner's. The last order I got from them were large, but very dry. They did grow though, and I guess that's the most important thing. You should be OK ordering Brad's irises from them, They are remarkable!

Who is Brad? I would like to check him out. And to chime in with a few others, I like Schreiners, and have had good luck. I like that their paper tags have a photo and seem to stand up to weather until I can get a metal marker made.

Brad is our homeboy here. If you look in the database you'll see a lot of pictures by aruba - that's Brad Collins. He has been mentored by people like Ghio and Keppel. After many years of hybridizing, last year he finally went pro when Schreiner's agreed to carry some of his intros. Brad's iris are spectacular. Last year about this time he put out a long thread with hundreds of amazing seedlings and was also generous with his advice for those of interested in that.

ttkc4704 said: Who is Brad? I would like to check him out. And to chime in with a few others, I like Schreiners, and have had good luck. I like that their paper tags have a photo and seem to stand up to weather until I can get a metal marker made.

I have visited Brad's gardens a couple of times, They are spectacular. Here's a couple of pics from his gardens.

I've always had good luck with Schreiners. I've had 2 be wrong, they were able to correctly ID for me and then make right the following season.
The earlier you order, the more likely you are to receive rhizomes that are really fresh and larger. It seems to me some of the complaints about 'small, dried up' rhizomes are coming from those who ordered very late in the season and basically got what was left.

I think ObsidianFire must be correct. I have always ordered from them in about February, for delivery in late July, and the rhizomes have always been big, fat, healthy, and accurately labeled.

I have ordered from them consistently since 2010,and even before in the late 80's early 90's.
I order much less from them these days,mostly replacements,because at one point I had gotten almost all the iris they sold.
I did order 2 of Brad's new intro's this year,and was ordering Ghio's.
Except for year before last,all the rhizomes were large and healthy and most all bloomed the next year.
I have gotten maybe 6 that were mislabeled over the years.They tried to help me ID them,and they did replace them.I will admit I leave the tags on my iris from them,so it was easy to prove I was sent the wrong iris when they bloomed.
Another reason I order from them less now is because I believe their hybridization program is lagging behind others.

Thanks for answering everybody. I just haven't ordered from them in a while and wanted to know if it was money will spend!! Main reason is to order Brad's intro, wish I could just pay him directly! That would save me the middleman. But I know Brad said he doesn't have time for all that stuff, so I will go to where they are offered.

KyDeltaD said: I have ordered from them consistently since 2010,and even before in the late 80's early 90's.
I order much less from them these days,mostly replacements,because at one point I had gotten almost all the iris they sold.
I did order 2 of Brad's new intro's this year,and was ordering Ghio's.
Except for year before last,all the rhizomes were large and healthy and most all bloomed the next year.
I have gotten maybe 6 that were mislabeled over the years.They tried to help me ID them,and they did replace them.I will admit I leave the tags on my iris from them,so it was easy to prove I was sent the wrong iris when they bloomed.
Another reason I order from them less now is because I believe their hybridization program is lagging behind others.

This is one of the biggest reasons i have ordered from them in a while, is their hybridizing is behind the others. And that's what I do with my irises.