CULT:Survey List - Favorites

HIPSource@aol.com wrote:
Now, Donald wants more data to compile, so we would like to hear from even
  more folks, if you would please be so kind.

  In lieu of groveling, I leave you with this high-toned motivational sentiment:

  "It is the duty of every man to endeavor that something maybe added by his
  industry to the hereditary aggregate of knowledge and happiness. To add much
  can indeed be the lot of few, but to add something, however little, every man
  may hope."

  Samuel Johnson, The Rambler, June 11, 1751
We have been away for a few days, but am heeding Anner's call to send in a list!

We live in southeastern Nebraska, a land of temperature extremes.  In the summer, we can have well over 50 days with temps over 90F, and in the winter, temps can drop to 20 degrees below zero with wind chill of 50 or 60 degrees below zero.  Rainfall is equally as variable.  We may have a very wet spring and early summer, to be followed by bone-dry late summer and fall.  The soil here is  heavy black clay, but very fertile also.  There is, however, a strange low area in our "back-40" that is very sandy - don't know what thats all about, maybe was an old stream bed in ancient times when Imperial Mammoths  roamed the Great Plains.  We are located on the boundary of zones 4 and 5.  We sometimes feel that the front yard (north of the house) is in zone 4 and south of the house is zone 5.  Anyway, here are 25 of my favorites.

1)  Dark Aura  -  species cross  -  Striking black stems in the spring.  Beautiful !
2)  Mysterious Monique  -  Iris versicolor cultivar  - Very dark color.
3)  Sonja's Selah  -  BB  -  Beautiful shrimp-pink flower and very floriferous here.
4)  Jesse's Song  -  TB  -  VERY dependable, so much taken for granted; but if it weren't there we would greatly miss it.
5)  Special Feature  -  TB  -  Flounces!  Tall, blue and beautiful.  Won best specimen of show for me in '98
6)  Roaring Jelly  -  SIB  -  This siberian has become my favorite.  Lovely mottled flowers and an absolutely great clump presence.  It won (and very much deserved, IMHO) the Morgan-Wood Medal this year.
7)  Cheery Lynn  -  SIB  -  A wonderful pink sib. with bluish lines.- had some repeat bloom this year.  Also very nice in a clump.
8)  Dirigo Debutante  -  JI  -  was in bloom for 6 weeks in my garden this year.  It was like the energizer bunny.
9)  Kalamazoo  -  JI  -  Tall, stately and wonderful.  It was fun watching the bloom grow to immense size after opening.
10)  Mad Magenta  -  SIB  -  The bright magenta color of this siberian, together with its early bloom, has made this a favorite.
11)  Shall We Dance  -  SIB  -  Striking blue bicolor!  It's a definite keeper.  Very good clump effect.
12)  Chanted  -  SDB  - Unusual color - very nice.
13)  Calico Kid  -  BB  -  A variegated (or broken color) Ensminger iris.  Grabs  my attention every year.
14)  Interpol   -  TB  -  An older black iris that I think is darker than many of the others.  A sentimental favorite.
15)  Red Heart  -  SDB  -  This one is a grower!  Plant, then jump back.
16)  Sand Princess   -  MTB  -  Delicate, lovely and floriferous.  Well named.
17)  Clyde Redmond  -  LI  - A very hardy, cornflower blue Louisiana iris
18)  Supreme Sultan  -  TB  -  I love bicolors and this one fills the bill magnificently.
19)  Mission Ridge  -  TB  -  Historic.  Another great bicolor.
20)  Pele  -  SDB  -  Chose this one for the color.  Reminds me of volcanic fire when I see it or hear the name.
21)  Omar's Gold  -  AB  -  Interesting small plant with beautiful gold flowers.  Floriferous.
22)  Dewful  -  SIB  - Historic siberian.  Blue with much lighter blue stylearms.  Very nice contrast.
23)  Batik  -  BB  - What more can I say about Batik?  Its a great iris.
24)  Ranman  -  SIB  -  a 6-falls siberian by Shidara  -  spectacular in a clump.  Reminiscent of a small japanese iris.
25)  Brighten The Corner  -  BB  -  This iris is BRIGHT and will indeed brighten any corner.  Yellow!!

This was a very difficult (but fun) exercise for me.  I will probably think of several more that should have made this list when I re-read it a few days from now.  Its great to see everyone's choices and I will probably look through the various lists before I buy new irises next year.

Gary White,
Lincoln, Nebraska

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