Spring is getting here!!!!!!

I think that here in Roanoke Virginia spring is very close.  The shrubs and
trees are trying very hard to put out there buds.  Spring bulbs are blooming
and my daylillys are sprouting back out. Cherry trees just started blooming a
couple of days ago along with the Bradford pears.  I'm anxious for my
bleeding hearts and ajuga to bloom.  Today I found some tiny blooms of some
wild ginger,  very strange flowers.  I am having a terrible time keeping the
children out of my flower beds. The beds do not have any type of boarder
 around them that could keep the kids out.  Joseph the older of my two has
gained in his short four years a great appreciation of flowers of all sorts.
 He will be happy to see the iris and daylillys bloom.  I hope to teach him a
lot in the next few years.  I in error the other day took a leaf rake across
my flower beds.  I think this was not such a good idea.  I broke off some of
the new growth of my iris.  Will this prevent those fans from blooming this
year?  I havent really noticed much loss from rot.  I think this is because
those that would rot have already passed that way.  Speaking of rot.  How
well is the early breeding of beardes iris documented.  From what I
understand our modern iris are derived from iris germanica,  a hybrid of
unknown parentage.  I. pallida,  I variegata.  etc.  Are any of these
unusually  prone to rot?  I have not seen any of the early hybrids or
species.  I was wondering if perhaps this unfortunate trait has been
propagated a million times over,  and not just environmental factors.  Most
moderns are tetraploids.  That certainly cuts down the original parents
doesnt it?  Is it possible to cross 2N with 4N?  What would you get?
 Nothing?  Triploids......Sterile???  Is there a breeding robin on the Net?
 I know the I. listserv has alot of good people "in the know"  Perhaps an
electronic robin can evolve on this topic.            Well gotta go.  Hate to
be long winded.  I am a very courious soul and I am sure the information that
I desire is out there some where.  The computer has made it possible for me
to communicate with a fine group.  I have so much in common with many of you.
 Growing up in the middle 80's  would have been so much more if I had contact
with people who understood my bad plant problem.  My problem has not gone
away.  It has followed me each day.. I have probably mapped out every
desirable iris clump from  home to work a thousand times.  Each spring I wait
to see if the ones I spotted last year are still around.  If I have my way I
will one day have some of those roots for my own.  If the owners enjoy what
they have themselves,  they will enjoy a swap or two of the roots I have.
 Enjoy your upcomming season.  I hope to add some rebloomers this year so the
Iris season will last longer.           Lonnie
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