Re: HIST: looking for Morris and Bliss varieties

Graham Spencer wrote:

<< I wrote the other day that I'm looking for plants of varieties raised by
Cedric Morris and by Arthur Bliss. I have not had any replies (I know Mike
 Lowe is off-list at the moment). ... Can anyone help? >>
 
Graham, I am working from some research material that is a bit stale, and the
situation may well have changed, although I personally would not expect it to
have changed radically in regard to these two hybridizers.This, then, for
what it is worth.

First, I glanced at a copy of the HIPS databank listing from a few years ago,
and, although about sixteen Bliss irises are listed as being grown by members
who responded to the survey, several of them are listed as "rare", that is,
only one person reported growing it. The only two which have appeared in
recent HIPS rhizome sales would seem to be SUSAN BLISS and TOM TIT.  

Sir Cedric's irises are also scarce, with eight being reported as grown and
only two which are not "rare." In this instance I would suspect one collector
holds most of them. Part of the problem here, other than that the traffic in
irises has tended to run the other way across the Herring Pond, is that, and
I quote Suz Winspear of Great Britain in the Fall '93 issue of ROOTS, the
journal of the Historic Iris Preservation Society, "Cedric Morris had a habit
of introducing irises without registering them." You may wish to take another
look at the article "Put Out More Flags" in the July, 1994 issue of Gardens
Illustrated magazine. It concerns woman who obtained a lot of Sir Cedric's
stuff directly from him. If you contact her, for pity's sake tell her that
WABASH-y looking thing on page 88 isn't STEPPING OUT.

If you manage to obtain rhizomes of introductions by these two British
hybridizers over here, I doubt it will be in quantities appropriate for
short-term commercial purposes. I have checked my catalogs and it appears
that most are not available for sale at the moment. One swaps or begs. If you
would like to follow up on this further in additon to speaking to Mike or
Clarence you may wish to contact the International Director of HIPS, Dr.
Arthur Tucker, whose e-mail address is [aotucker@desu.edu].

Anner Whitehead, Richmond, VA
Henry Hall  henryanner@aol.com
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