Re: REF: program suggestions

Afternoon, Laurie.
I planted my first spurias last summer and they made it through the winter just fine. I added two more this summer, just NOIDs from other people's gardens but I am hopeful. In my presentation I refer to spurias now as survivors that have yet to bloom. I drove people crazy obsessing about the lack of new growth on Moon Silk after planting it. With good snow cover they came through wonderfully. I had a Japanese iris, too, for many years and it survived for 5 years but never bloomed. I finally got tired of it not blooming and gave it away. A few years ago I tried some species crosses (before I knew much about them) and managed to kill them all. Same with Louisianas. No matter what people tell you, Louisianas are not hardy with protection in Zone 3ish!
And, I do tend to agree with your statement about modern tall bearded iris in cold climates. The majority of those I have tried either don't make it at all or survive long enough to bloom and then die. Some people can grow them wonderfully here but not me. The historics, however, are another story. You can't kill them with a stick although my SO made a mighty attempt with a bobcat and lots of ice, frozen dirt and snow. The last of the ice didn't disappear in that area of the garden until the third week in June and the historics in that area did not bloom this year but they are all still alive! If he had to do it, I'm glad he did it in the historics area. He has already been told this year that the bobcat is not allowed anywhere near any of the gardens. 

BJ in SW MB, Canadian Prairies, Zone 3ish

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