Re: Fwd: Iris for Various Climates

We in the Iris Society of Dallas have found that
  the general public isn't too impressed with awards.  They want something they can grow and enjoy in their yards without too much trouble.   I
   think that is why the people around here buy so many irises from our society sales,
  because they know that they were grown by local people, so obviously they will grow here.   
  I, as an iris enthusiast, am willing to take the chance on an iris from another area,
  knowing that it may not like the Texas heat, soil, etc., but I keep on trying.   And, many times, they acclimate.
                                                        Pat in Dallas
  

irischapman@aim.com wrote:
  As a seller of iris. I find many people who order iris from me do pay attention to the award system. Many people in garden centers pro ably don't. 
They take the award to mean that it is an iris that is worthy of being placed in their garden and is a great performing iris. When time after time, Dyke medal winners die in their garden, they then stop paying attention to the awards. And as well may dismiss the AIS as not being connected to gardeners, but to a small specialized interest group, and not worth joining. This is indeed unfortunate.

Exceptional colours etc always appeal to people, and they don't need awards to get their aficionados. But at least they know that they are taking a risk. When people buy based on award they are expecting to get a plant that does well for them, and they don't have the resources to evaluate where it was hybridized and where it does well. These are the knowledgeable and qualified people, some of who are garden writers, but not dedicated iris connoisseur as the people on this list. If the best plants don't do well in their garden, then they assume iris in general don't do well for them and will move on to some plant that does well for them, and promote those plants. These people (who order from catalogues) are often the movers and shakers of hort societies etc.

Just some more food for thought. George Waters does have a point, and it does need to be addressed in some form. Iris as perennials in gardens is decreasing, other perennials are taking their place.

Chuck Chapman





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