introduction - Nell Lancaster

Hi iris lovers,

I'm looking forward to being part of this group and wanted to introduce myself.
I'm just getting started with bearded irises.  For a long time I was scared off
them by what the general gardening books say about rot, borers, staking, and
the amount of work they take, and by my mother's unfortunate prejudice against
them (caused by an overdose of forced viewing on a hot afternoon early in her
garden club days; on her return she banned them from our garden).

But after my parents' death I came back to live in the house where I grew up
(southwest Virginia) and took over the garden -- and quickly came to the
conclusion that there was not enough happening between late April (tulips) and
late May (peonies).  Siberian irises were my first sizable addition in an
effort to change that, and although I love them, they weren't quite early
enough to make a big difference.  Then a family friend gave me divisions of
several of her tall beardeds that I admired, and now I'm hooked.  This is
probably the way most people start: a friend who says as Anne did to me, "Oh,
you *must grow irises!"

Encountering Larry Doucette on the Compuserve garden forum drew me in even
further, as he encouraged me to join the Historical Iris Preservation Society.
As it happens, the TB cultivars I was given, and most of the Siberians I
planted, are all from the '30s, '40s and '50s. falling within the HIPS
definition of historic iris (introduced more than 30 years ago).  It seemed
like a great way to limit what could become an impossible selection process to
grow only pre-1950s cultivars, but a visit last May to Weikles' Wonderland
south of Roanoke showed me that even that 'rule' still means having to choose
from a huge array of beautiful flowers.  And although historics are still my
main focus, I'm now determined to try some modern rebloomers as well, and to
lengthen the bloom season by growing some dwarf and intermediate beardeds.

Just joined the AIS this winter, and am looking forward to visiting and several
iris gardens this spring.  Also am a member of the HIPS email round robin.
Don't think I will become an active member of my area's iris club for a while,
because I'm one of the steering committee members for a daylily club that's
just starting out. I have lots of questions for this group but will save them
for another message as I've gone on way too long already!

 Regards,
   Nell Lancaster, Lexington, Virginia
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