Re: HYB:top contenders

You want me to work on the rebloom checklist or my garden database? <g>

Tie for #1 continue to be SULTRY MOOD and LIGHTNING RIDGE.  Off the top
of my head, some others are VIOLET MIRACLE, DUSKY C, HARVEST OF
MEMORIES, IMMORTALITY (fickle & unpredictable, but always blooms at
least twice a year), CELEBRATION SONG (it has very disease prone
foliage, and I know it rots for other people, but it thrives in my rich
gravel), BEHOLD  A LADY, JESSE'S SONG (damaged by really bad late
freezes, but usually manages a few nice blooms), TEA LEAVES, HOLD THAT
TIGER, TITAN'S GLORY (if it doesn't get frozen), VICTORIA FALLS (which
usually doesn't fall here).  FEED BACK is a nice foliage plant here <g>,
but rarely blooms well, NIGHT GAME, ENGLISH COTTAGE (if it doesn't get
frozen), GRAND BAROQUE, VANITY (foliage isn't very healthy, and she is
occasionally frozen, but pretty reliable)

Not sure how long I've had DOCTOR ALAN, GILDED CREAM, STUNNING SERENADE,
AVALON SUNSET, MARY LUSTRE.

Plus some historics I haven't identified yet.  Foliage on these isn't
the healthiest, but they've been reliable and thrive - very late bronze,
near black red, variegata.

A few that were happier for <many> years back when we had worse winters
that are no longer very happy here - MULBERRY ROSE,  WABASH, SHAH JEHAN,
DESERT REALM.

Maybe that's not the top 20, but it's the entire list of what I grow
that qualifies that I can think of during a mental walk thru the rows.
I'm sure I've forgotten some....

Plus a few of my seedlings.

Some don't look very healthy (spotted, ratty foliage), but are very
reliable bloomers, some slow but steady.  I guess I'd give DOCTOR ALAN
the top 'weed' award - very healthy foliage, rapid increaser, reliable
bloom.

The bad news - more than a few of these are <very> stubborn about
setting pods and/or making fertile pollen.

<Linda, can you pick a top 20 irises that meet your health
requirements??
                   Irises that have grown and survived despite your
conditions.  Guess  they would
                   have to be around for 3+ years to make that list.  Or
have  survived a really
                   rough season that you know to be typical.  Betty>

--
Linda Mann east Tennessee USA zone 7/8
East Tennessee Iris Society <http://www.korrnet.org/etis>
American Iris Society web site <http://www.irises.org>
talk archives: <http://www.hort.net/lists/iris-talk/>
photos archives: <http://www.hort.net/lists/iris-photos/>
online R&I <http://www.irisregister.com>

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