I see that Keith Keppel has his new introductions up and his web page is updated. Not sure he's taking orders yet, but it looks like one could by printing an order blank and sending it through the mail. He sure has a lot of new ones this year. I see 9 or 10 I want already. Oh Dear! He also has a lot of Blyth irises.

http://www.keithkeppeliris.com...

Oh Dear! is right!

How many of the Keppel intros can I afford and what about the Blyths that he carries and what will Joe Ghio introduce and then there is Mid-America and others.......

Good thing I found a kid who is good at gardening and I can hire next year. I don't think I can cull enough old ones to make room for all the new ones I want. And like Paul said, I haven't even seen most of them yet.

I found a great garden helper last summer, a young teen in my neighborhood. He is willing and follows instructions. He should be a great help next season......

I looked on the Monterey Bay Iris Society site and it said that Joe Ghio would have 7 Tb intros this year and to expect to see them after Christmas.......anticipation!

Keith said that he is taking orders now. I sent mine in yesterday, so hard to choose the ones I wanted without getting them all!

After asking Keith a few questions on some, I'm still working on narrowing down somewhat. Luckily he doesn't take plastic or I'd be in major trouble.

I fell in love with the Keppel, Smoky Dusk - but it's a late, and I'm trying not to buy more of those -
in case the drought returns next summer.

He has some new beauties.

Anything we should know from your discussion with him Gabe?

I must have Cosmic Voyage, Imperial Guard, Mood Ring and Smoky Dusk. They would look good planted together too.

In theory I want Cosmic Voyage, but the orange part on the falls varies a lot so I'm on the fence. If it always looked like the one shown on the intros page I would snatch it up in a heartbeat. I put it down on my subs list, which Keith pulled from for my bonuses last year so I may end up with it afterall

I love 'Bond Girl' because I can't seem to get enough pink. I like 'Cosmic Voyage' too, but I new introductions are to expensive for me so I will wait.

Lestv said:Anything we should know from your discussion with him Gabe?

Yeah, he has time to respond promptly because he's basically stuck inside today from the weather. I told him not to go stir crazy.

Here's edited notes of the conversation. I asked a few questions of hybridizing concerns. Fertility both ways, tougher less fertile ones, and the future direction of some plicatas, and general characteristics.

Me: Haft patterns are always a plus for me. Does 'Painted Shadows' put out anything great to you, in your opinion? Obviously depending what it's crossed with..

KK: you asked about patterning and Painted Shadows. Painted Shadows has variable expression of patterning. (You can also see it in its grandparent Decadence.) The lack of uniformity I find interesting. As a breeder, Painted Shadows has done very little for me. It is not an easy parent, and the seed is slow to germinate. If you make crosses with it (or its sibs Espionage, Foreign Agent...both of which I would recommend as parents over Painted Shadows), plan on holding onto the seed pod for a second year as you may get more germination in the second year than in the first.

I'll share a little more later tonight. I know this branches off a little into a hybridizer's thread, but bare with me.

More edited convo and keypoints about some newer intros.

Me: Of the 2017's, what are very happy pod or pollen parents? What's a more difficult?

KK: Desert Trails: am getting the better stems into this general line
Barbados: its sib, for the lateness of bloom for a plicata...but stem not as good as DT
Cosmic Voyage: to try and increase the orange color in the ground
Vista Point: for the yellow blot pattern in the ground. From related lines I have bloomed one VERY puny one with pink blot....really fun...so that could be a project for you. Watch substance in this line.
Margin Call: for more of the bicolor type.

Of the five, I'd be most tempted to use Desert Trails, Cosmic Voyage, and Vista Point..for potential. I've got many seedlings with better colors, but lacking in garden qualities, and will probably be working with them along with the above.

***Good note of advice***
KK:A hybridizer does not always use ALL his introductions in crosses, and very few of them for large quantity of crosses. There are too many possibilities and only so much time and energy (at least when you're pushing eighty!).*****end****

He shared a little more and gave some me inspiration and great encouragement. I encourage anyone who wants any really technical answers to speak or email him or talk to him concerning his creations or any hybridizer. Who would know best than the direct source?!

Thank you so much for sharing that Gabe. I do appreciate how hybridizes are willing to share their expertise and Keith's methods are highly respected. I do find it interesting how he commented on not always using all your intros for further hybridization. I'm curious how Vista Point will express the yellow blot differently depending on where it grows, if any difference at all.

We'll find out one day in the near future

Interesting, it's so nice that he shares his expertise.

for sharing Gabe. Really insightful stuff.