Re: Flight of Butterflies
- Subject: Re: [sibrob] Flight of Butterflies
- From: Robt R Pries r*@sbcglobal.net
- Date: Sun, 25 Jun 2006 18:48:43 -0700 (PDT)
Flight of Butterflies is one of my favorite Siberians.
I purchased it from White Flower Farm the year they
introduced it because it was said to be a dwarfer
Siberian. There are many gardeners like myself who
prefer smaller plants but it seems few of us remain in
the Iris Society where bigger is always perceived as
better. As a representative of the counter-culture I
might also point out that Garden judging usually is
performed on Farm rows of Irises, and I sometimes
doubt the validity of such as recommendations to
gardeners as opposed to collectors. Many Plant
Societies over time decline because their cognoscenti
are looking for something different than the gardening
public. Flight of Butterflies is a wonderful garden
plant that fits in the smaller, modern perennial
borders. I spoke to Jean Witt the registrant of
Flight Of Butterflies as to the fact that I thought it
a charming dwarf and she was somewhat surprised. She
had registered it at up to 90cm and I am sure that’s
how it had performed for her. But the plants
distributed widely by White Flower Farms were somewhat
smaller, and that is how they advertised them. It is
possible that F of B can grow this well but wherever I
have seen it is definitely smaller that adjacent
Siberians. I suspect it is all a matter of
environmental conditions rather than errors on
anyone’s part. As to its background, just because seed
is labeled a certain way is no reason to accept that
as fact. Some of the best collectors, best botanical
gardens, and most fastidious gardeners all have
instances where something turns out different from as
labeled. That is one reason for checklists. There is
little doubt in my mind that F of B is not a pure Iris
sibirica. There is variation in every species and the
purpose of the Founders of SIGNA medal is to award
variations within species that are exceptional garden
plants.
--- Irisquilt@aol.com wrote:
> I am not a botanist or horticulturist by formal
> training but came up through
> National Garden Clubs Judges program including AIS
> Judges schools since the
> mid '60's. It sure looks like I. sibirica as does
> Shaker's Prayer. I had a
> similar iris in my garden that just appeared in the
> late '60's and Steve Vainer
> was in the garden and I asked him about it and he
> said "it was not finished" and
> I am still wondering what I was supposed to do-it
> does show in my
> parentage's. However it was tossed many years ago as
> inferior. After many years of
> hybridizing-from Mr. Cassebeer, Dr. McGarvey, Bee
> Warburton, Dr. Currier McEwen,
> Steve Varner, Robert Hollingworth, Marty Schafer/Jan
> Sachs, + numerous others
> ....... to name a few-selecting and improving the
> forms and colors of siberians
> a'la SSI. New people are coming along and newly
> discovering which in the '60's
> were considered species. At a later date I may find
> photos that had
> description and send it to the list. In fact I have
> located it.
> anna mae miller
>
>
>
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