I want to tell folks about my experience with my moving, and that there are some hardy iris out there, that really want to bloom. I just want to tell folks of some hardy iris did well in a cold place.

I sold my house in October, and I dug up one or two of every iris that I had to move here. I didn't really get to putting them into the ground until November, which is very late for this area. We had a very easy winter, dry, with the lowest temp I noticed of -5 degrees F. All of the iris that I put in a bed that is east facing and sheltered from the wind survived, and many have booms! The blooming ones are Ask Alma, an orange NOID, Princess of Paradise, Jesse's Song, Full Tide, and Sheer Bliss. Also there are two historic NOID's, one blue like an improved pallida, and one very dark late and tall one. So I am happy because I didn't expect anything to bloom. The ones that I put out in a windy spot all either perished due to frost heave, or are very small and recovering. I think the only one that really is dead is Superstition, which is surprising as it was one of my most prolific iris, and long blooming. Also surprising to me was that all of my IB iris except for Ask Alma did terrible. They are very small now, and they were in a pretty good position.

All of the plants that are blooming are very small compared to their advertised heights. The blue NOID is about half of it's original height. All of the plants are blooming later than the ones at my old house. (I still go for a long walk and see what is happening there.) Ones that are growing well, but not blooming are Oasis Cathy, and Tom Johnson. Maybe next year. Country Moon looks terrible. We'll have to see about that one.