TDF: favorite iris

Responding to Kathy's 'to die for' iris poll - had to think about it a long
time.

Like everybody else, I have to pick more than one

I. germanica - light purple over dark purple ancient iris - glowing colors in
cool wet weather.  This is the iris that was in our yard when I was a child.
 One year I dug and divided what was there and lined our sidewalk with it.
 The next year it had over a hundred bloomstalks. - start of the iris
addiction.  So I have to have it for sentimental reasons, plus it is just
really pretty and totally carefree.  BUT it usually doesn't get to bloom in
my frost pocket.  If I really could only pick one, this would be it.

I. pallida - light lavender blue, tall, totally carefree, intensely sweetly
fragrant - THE standard for fragrance to me.  Often frozen, but some bloom
most years.

DUSKY CHALLENGER - continues to make me drool - huge, rich lustrous sheen,
deep purple black, reliable, healthy.  Unmistakeable and draws me to just sit
and stare at its blooms. (as someone said, some of us are easily
entertained!)

VANITY - beautiful ruffled pink - reliable, cooperative, healthy, sweetly
fragrant.  A delight.

If I were moving and could only take a few irises with me, these are the ones
that I would really feel bad to leave behind.  DESERT REALM is another one -
can't quite figure out why it has my heart - it's big and stately and makes
nice clumps and has big pretty cream ground with red/brown plicata dotting
blooms - nearly rots out after bloom sometimes.  I dunno - I just like it.

STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN is going to be on my most favorite list - I just haven't
grown it quite long enough to be totally 'bonded' with it.  What a beauty and
what a performer - stands out everywhere I have seen it in Tennessee -
Kingston, Knoxville, Sparta, and Eagleville..

Linda Mann lmann76543@aol.com east Tennessee USA
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