Re: TB: extended season (was Peak bloom in MI)

Last year I did something rather similar, in a round-about way.  Our Iris
were pretty much finished in central NM by mid May.  I spent some time in
Maryland and Virgina at that time, and it extended the season for me
another couple of weeks.  Though I didn't really see many Iris there, I did
find a few interesting ones and brought a few pieces home.  Then after I
got home (late May now) I drove up to Santa Fe on Saturday (about an hour
north and considerably higher and cooler) and caught the tail end of Iris
season there, couldn't resist a couple of potted ones at a nursery, and
brought some more home.  By the last week of May, my wife was still out
east, so to make life more interesting I hopped in the Jeep and headed
north for a long weekend; this time I went up through the Rockies and came
out at Denver.  In the Mountains the I. missouriensis were anywhere from
nearly finished to still in early bud (depending upon elevation).  In
Denver and Boulder the TB amd MTB Iris were at their peak.   I visited
Llowell Baumunk on the first of June, and his place was spectacular.  Then
I went up to Long's in Boulder and endulged in their "self service" digging
beds.  Of course I was checking out other plantings I saw as I went.  I
found an old planting that was obviously an abandoned Iris nursery
(commercial or private collection??) near El Dorado Springs just out of
Boulder, but never found out who owned it.  There were hundreds (or perhaps
thousands) or Iris plants all lined up, but dying and overgrown with weeds,
shrubs and trees.  Some were in flower even so.  Funny that I didn't know
about this, as I grew up in the area, and my Grandfather collected Iris.
I'll be curious to learn more (I hope).   So, last year, I was looking at
Iris in bloom from the very first little reticulatas here in very late
January, to the TB's and first of the Spurias in the Denver area on the 1st
and 2nd of June.  Could have probably added another month by heading
further north (or up), but I do have a job I'm supposed to attend
occasionally.

It was fun.   The dog thought so too (couldn't leave her home alone).

I'm off to western Colorado again next week, but have a hunch it will be
too early up there this year for Iris.  My TB are just getting near their
peak bloom, and a number haven't opened any flowers yet.  A bit later this
year than last.


Dave

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