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3 years ago, after living in a woodland environment for 5 years, I moved back to the sunny, open Bluegrass region, and am so happy to be able to grow bearded Iris again! Starting again from scratch, I've been gradually adding some each year, mostly through trades and starts from other gardeners. Now I've got lots of space for plants, and enjoying being able to plant in masses that show up well from a distance in this big yard. Vigorous Historics have been a perfect, cost effective way of doing just that...and I have a sentimental love for growing nostalgic plants and enjoying blooms my grandmother may have loved.
Many old Iris have been passed along for many years, and the names long since lost. I'm interested in acquiring other colors and varieties for extended bloom time and to add variety to the garden, but not really concerned too much with names. Finding names for old stands can be challenging too. If you know the name, that's super! But I'd hate to miss out on some great old iris just because its a "Jane Doe" :-)
I have some general ideas how we could do this, but I'm most certainly open to suggestions. I'm thinking each participant send a flat rate box full of rhizomes, whether its packed with all a single variety, or a combination, along with postage $ to return the same size box to you. Sort of gearing this to folks who may have plenty of just a variety or two, and would like to start a collection (but certainly open to anyone who'd just like to get in on the fun!). I would pack a variety of those sent for each participant, each receiving back the same number of rhizomes they sent.
If you don't know the name, as much info as possible would be good, and pictures even better. Since so many are blooming now, its a good time to get good pictures. Notes on height, fragrance, vigor, bloom size, and bloom time would be helpful too.
I'm going to post this in the plant trading and group trades forums as well- I'm thinking many may have a stand or two of old iris in their gardens, but don't consider themselves "iris people", and may not frequent this forum. As far as timing, I'm flexible, but thinking have everyone's boxes to me by the end of June, and get everyone's boxes mailed back out the first couple of weeks of July.
Any thoughts?
Neal
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