Re: Freaks & other irritations

In a message dated 96-05-30 10:45:18 EDT, Mike writes:

>You will notice that individuals who have been messing with iris for
>decades are somewhat slow to 'name names' of medians that throw extra
>parts, or that exhibit non-typical flower attributes largely in response to
>weather stress.

And I think that is probably a good approach.  Certainly in my garden, an
iris can be miserable due to weather damage one year but fine the next.  I do
not toss an iris until its had many chances to perform (unless I plain don't
like the  flower!)

So much depends on variables!   I have the iris BLUE CHIP PINK at the
downhill side of one iris bed.  There are 3 separate plants of it.  The 2
farthest down had probably an inch more soil on them than the "uphill" plant,
which lost some soil due to erosion, and had the top half of the rhizome
well-exposed.  Now all three are developing bloom stalks.  The 2 downhill
plants are fine, but the exposed rhizome has sent up 2 terribly twisted
stalks with partially aborted buds.  When I saw this, I stopped in my tracks;
it was such a graphic illustration of what difference a little more dirt can
make!   :-)

And a good example, to me, of the danger in making snap judgements on an
iris' performance.

But I don't think it's awful to mention the iris' name--a perfectly good iris
here in any other year (or with more dirt!) 

End of speech.

Dorothy Fingerhood
DFingerhoo@aol.com
Newfield, NY  (You guessed it; frost warnings again tonight for the '"lower
valleys.")
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index