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My order was placed the last week of Sept this year which I knew was very late. Lorraine was helpful answering questions on cultivation of iris. I asked her was there nice root systems? She told me that the rhizomes make all new roots anyway and theirs were very short if any. I checked this with another large grower and was told about the same but they preferred to have nice root systems when they shipped. It helps to anchor the rhizome i think while the iris get established especially with large rhizomes.
My order was filled promptly. But when I opened the well packed box I was very disappointed with the small rhizomes, a couple with no fan and one with one little shoot and that was almost dead. Fans are what feed the rhizome My disappointment was also because I ordered last year and received very nice plants and had good results as to bloom etc. I want to be fair, there were 2 extras but again they also were small.
I would suggest when you order call Lorraine and discuss exactly what you need and want as to size, quality, root structure etc. At that point you can decide better to order or not.
I would say order early for sure to maybe get a better quality product then what may be left overs late in the season.
I only wish I had been told what the quality of the rhizomes were at the time of my order as to size etc. I would have not ordered. Then again if that is the quality of the rhizomes being sold now again be sure to understand what you want and what is being sold.
Prices are low and might again explain the size etc.
I don't like to write this review and again Lorraine was very kind and helpful but my disappointment is the product which I received. When you plant an iris it blooms once a year. Big size rhizomes, strong roots, solid fans make for good results. I planted the iris and will hope for the best, but not expecting much.
E. Merritt
Blowing Rock, NC
On May 4, 2006, NeilTR Nashville, TN (Zone 7a) wrote:
I’m still finding misnamed iris from this company, so I’ll have to give it a negative rating
In 2002, I ordered 89 and 9 were misnamed
In 2003, I ordered 49 and 11 were misnamed
In 2004, I ordered 23 and 1 was misnamed and 1 was shorted from my order.
They sent the same misnamed (and completely different color) replacement two years in a row, which tells me they didn’t bother checking what they had growing with that label. While I was ordering, they would try to id the ones they had sent. But in 2005 I didn’t order. I mailed them nine photos to try to id. No response. I then emailed pictures of four of them that I really would like to id. No response.
So with the almost 14% misfill rate and lack of response to the customer, I’d recommend ordering elsewhere.
On August 26th, 2006, NeilTR changed the rating from negative to neutral and added the following:
I'm changing my rating from negative to neutral. They recently (August 2006) found the misfill pictures I sent them in May 2005. They've returned them and tried to id the iris. Knowing what I'm actually growing is all I really cared about.
I placed a small order with this company for the first time this year and was overall very pleased with the plants. The prices are cheap and the plants I received all are decent sized and look healthy. They did also include a couple bonuses which was nice considering my order was only for 13 iris.
On April 15th, 2007, cls009 changed the rating from positive to neutral and added the following:
My second order (2006) was far less satisfactory. The plants were extremely tiny and unhealthy. I went ahead and planted them, a couple died right away, a few struggled on for awhile. This spring only a couple remain that have made it through the winter. I guess I'll see if those few that did live are true to name, but I do not plan on ordering from this company again.
On Aug 27, 2004, SpringOaks St Peters Village, PA (Zone 6a) wrote:
This is my first experience mail ordering iris. I ordered from 2 companies in the same state, both came today. Woodland's were extremely small and beginning to brown. I expected single fans but the rhizomes were tiny.
The other company's prices were comparable, single fans, but the rhizomes were huge, clean and all green.
