They are actually in Oregon. In case anyone wants to look.

Here is a link that might be useful: Mid America Iris

This one is in California. Great prices and great big rhizomes sent.

Here is a link that might be useful: Napa County Iris Farm

Then of course everyone knows Schreiners. They are haveing their half off on certain iris sale again this year.

Here is a link that might be useful: Schrieners

Another great California Iris Farm. This will be my first order from them but they have been very highly recommended by friends that know were the best places are to buy.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sutton Iris

As if all this was not enough, over the weekend I amused myself picking out and putting together an order for ROCKYTOP iris in TN. Another place new to me but highly recommended. I just flipped when I saw the intros carried there by their hybridizers. And the general listings are fabulous. Already faxed off the order.

I am getting -
4 of the 2010s-
BLUEBERY FUDGE
MAGNIFICENT MASTERPIECE
BEVS BABE
BACKDRAFT

also these 2009 intros-
2009s-
LAKE TANEYCOMO
ROYAL VESTMENTS
MACHERALON
SURFERS DREAM
POLSTAR
JAMAICAN BREW

and these pre 2009 intros-
CABERET ACT
DONACHCLONEY
FABULOUS ONE
MAGICAL REALISM
PERRYMOUNT

So I am done ordering iris for the year and finially feel like I ordered enough LOL!

I actually ordered more than I have room for and need to scramble to find space for all of them.

Here is a link that might be useful: RockyTop Iris

Rita, you are going to make my Spring a happy one next year! I'm just gonna sit back and enjoy your irises- and you will post lots of clump shots for us too, won't you? I love to look at the overall shots of your garden. It's the most floraliferous garden, and next year it's really going to be a shockingly beautiful sight.

I am especially excited to see what you think of Milan and Coral Splendor, Crackling Caldera and Lovely Senorita.

I'm off to look at photos of your other purchases.
Renee

WOW you guys have a lot more places to order from than we do here in Canada.

Rita, your gardens are always so beautiful. I too can't wait to see all these blooming.

Before you know it, you will have sooooo many extras you won't know what to do with them...they do tend to multiply so fast.

Sierra

What I am really trying to create in my gardens is endless series of bloom from early spring until fall. So far that is coming along really well. Plus I do also plant lots of annuals to just keep the bloom going all the time.

I can believe that it doesn't take long to get lots of extras. Last year they multipiled like rabbitts LOL! We will see how this years do.

I do love to take pictures. Pictures of closeups of whatever is blooming. Pictures of clumps and general garden pictures. Not to worry, I will be posting lots of blooms LOL!

The funny thing is I got into TB iris because I wanted something that blooms before the daylilies. I tried very early blooming daylilies but they weren't much to look at. So I thought TB iris. Well, gezz. Soon as I saw those blooms I just went crazy, I loved them so muich. Actually started before they even bloomed as I was going nutso waiting for them to start opening. Color, vivid smashing color and blue like you just can't find in daylilies. I really have the TB iris crazies really, really bad.

I think it is easier to get the TB iris crazies than to get the other crazies because the range of color is so huge. You just don't get the blues and purples in roses or daylilies.

With that many plants, Rita, you're going to have to open your own business selling rhizomes in three or four years.

Renee

It doesn't seem like that much to me. It should be around 135 TB iris. There are lots of people with 200, 300, 400 or more. So my numbers are small in comparison. Besides I have about 600 daylilies so when I think of it that way the iris really don't seem like that many.

I love the vividness of the color in TB Iris. It's just jump at you color and I do love lots of color. That plus the blues in iris are increabable. Especially as there just are not that many true blue flowers.

Don't want to think about all those extra rhizomes. Someone will want them for sure.

Did you look up any of my choices? Or do you have any of the ones on my lists?

I really like Backdraft and Blueberry Fudge. You ordered a lot of blues from Rockytop, huh?

I don't have any of the ones you have ordered- most of mine are older varieties chosen for rebloom. My idea is to have about 20-25 huge clumps, each of a single color, all reblooming. I have six big clumps I am happy with now, six more that are growing larger and should be big by next year, and about 12 new irises I am testing for color and rebloom. I got rid of a dozen or so this year that didn't make the grade.

Renee

Yes I also looked some of them up...they are gorgeous.

I also have the bearded iris crazies...I have all sizes of bearded iris though. I have around 200. It is a little bit more difficult to grow them here in zone 2. So it is all trial and error...to see which ones will grow. There doesn't seem to be any hardiness studies on iris.

I thought I had a lot of daylilies....but no where near 600. LOL

I have a plan to redo my gardens in the next couple of years...Once that is done and I see how much empty space I have left....more iris and daylilies are in the future. :)

Sierra

I haven't even tried to add reblooming iris. I had heard that you have to water them lots if you want rebloom and I did not get into iris to have to be watering them lots in the summer. Maybe someday I will try some rebloomers. Your clumps sound great Renee and I know they are, having seen pictures of your gardens and iris blooming. They always look increadale.

I did go crazy on the blues and blue purple. Both from Rockytop and from Scheiners. I just love blue iris and those deep blues just called to me.

I just kept adding and adding and adding daylilies and before I knew it, I had about 600. I didn't set out to have that many but I am not real good at stopping myself from buying whatever plants for the garden I have the crazies on.

I like my iris to have lots of wow factor so for me that means TB. I like bigger flowers, tall scapes and lots of ruffles. The historic type iris and any of the shorter ones like BB or median or whatever are just not what I want. I hadn't realised until I got into the TB for myself just how stunning the modern TB iris really are. And I like very dramatic iris so I have a tendency to pick strong colors and ones with contrasting colors.

I just can't wait to see these new ones bloom (hopefully) next spring.

The UPS guy delivered my Schreiners order this afternoon. . Talk about fast. I remember last year that I really didn't know exactly when they would come but arrived early July. And my impression of the rhizomes was that they were quite large. This year I was wondering if my memory was true as to how big they were. That considering I only had Mid America (smaller rhizomes) and Napa (nice rhizomes) to compair them to. But once again the quality of the rhizomes just blows me away. They are big. Nice and big.

Most I would say the same size as the bigger of the Napa ones. The rest are humongous. Between that (and speedy) and the nice little picture cards on each iris plus the extra bonus plants and I know why I love to order from Schreiners.

So when you order you qualify for bonus iris. I had picked Dodger Blue and Company Red, which I received. Then two more bonus iris. JAMAICAN DREAM another of their 2010 intros. It really does not appeal to me judging from the picture, Then COME AWAY WITH ME a 2008 Schreiners intro is the other new bonus. This one looks truely aweful to me in the picture. I would never have picked either of these. But I suppose thats the way it is, no one can know your tastes. But more so I bet they have these as bonus because they have extras of them to give away.

Some of the iris I got.

I already planted 10 out of the 15. So I have five more out of the order to plant. I made my labels for these ten. First I juggled them around looking to see what oreder looked best to me to plant them in.

Then I had already measured and put in a stingline and sticks as to exactly were they were going to go.

They went in the front yard in a section not even considered at first for iris. But I had to 'find' room somewhere so decided this would look nice. I laid out what fit and it just happened to be ten. Those are Amplified, Cracklin Caldera, First Wave, Grand Amiral, June Krause, Lovely Senorita, Pledge Allegiance, Company Red, Jamaican Dream and Spirit Mountain. I will have to get the exact order they are in tomorrow as I didn't have a chance before it turned dark. But the blues are broken up with other colors between.

This is were they are planted. In the back, near the wall. Will take a picture tomorrow of them done. It was too late by the time I was finished.

Rita, Jamaican Dream is really stunning- yellow and violet, with lots of ruffles. The picture at Schreiner's does not do it justice. Come Away With Me is one of my favorite irises- again, the photo doesn't capture it. It's really pretty and bright.

I have never really cared for any of the bonus irises I got, except for No Count Blues last year. But boy, those Schreiners rhizomes can't be beat.

It looks like that part of your yard gets great sun. Those irises will show up well there.

I just caved in and ordered four more-
Kiss of Kisses re for my mom
Telepathy
New Perspective
Queen's Circle

I'm going to have to dig something else up.

Renee

I always love the bonus iris, at least the ones I get to pick out myself. Ones I just get are a toss up, sometimes I love them, sometimes not.

Ha, I get you all stirred up to order more iris, hee, hee, hee :-))

It does get nice sun there and I have iris in the little section in front of the daylilies. They do well out there.

Rita,
Thanks a lot. I really needed another place to look to buyt what I don't have room to plant now.

The only good part is I know you will have to scramble to plant them all too. Ah well, It's only money.

kay

Here are the Schreiners Iris all planted in the front yard.

wow, I love your landscaping! I'll bet that took a long time to put that wall up. good job! & I've never seen rhizomes that big before. not even the 6 year old ones I just dug up were that big. I'll have to order from them next year. thanks for the pictures.

I would LOVE to visit your gardens in the sping! You've chosen some very pretty Irises. The Schreiners rhizomes are huge!! Wow! I think next year I will place an order with them. I wanted to so badly this summer, but had already placed one with a different place. I hope we see lots of pics next spring :)

That wall is made out of those stackable landscaping blocks sold at Home Depot and places like that. I hired guys to do the actual work of making the terraces for me.I do all my own gardening but the hardscape projects here were many and not something I know how to do.

I ordered from Schreiners both last year and this year. I just love to order from them. My favorite iris place by far.

Rita,

I love reading your posts.

I too have jumped on the Iris band wagon too (although not with as much gusto)! I was initially into daylilies too for the past 9 years or so adding a few each spring (ok, sometimes more than a few although this year I only added 5). I'm starting to cull some of them and give to my work friends.

My iris rhizomes never stay that big. the mother rhizomes I received last year from Schrieners have slimmed down and most have at least 2 baby rhizomes.

With that being said...have you looked into SDB's? They are cute little versions of their larger Tall bearded cousins.

The only bearded iris I care for are the Tall Bearded. I want tall large very ruffled flowers. Don't like the smaller or shorter versions, sorry. I really should cat back some on my daylilies but I never seem to be able to manage that!

The SDB's were just a thought to get some earlier color into the iris beds.

And I've got to say that their foliage is still looking nice and glossy and upright.

No doubt Schreiner's is a great place. Try Superstition in California, too--great places, super selection, and the prices compare favorably to others mentioned.

I have been reading great things about Superstition. I have never tried them but after all the glowing reviews I am going to buy there next spring for sure.

Oh my gosh. My order from Rockytop just arrived in my afternoon mail. First off I was surprised at the really big box as I had only ordered 15 iris and that included the 5 Special Bonus that you qualify for when buying anything else.

I bought 4 of their 2010 intros-
BLUEBERY FUDGE
MAGNIFICENT MASTERPIECE
BEVS BABE
BACKDRAFT

Six others of various year intros-
POLESTAR
CABERET ACT
DONACHCLONEY
FABULOUS ONE
MAGICAL REALISM
PERRYMONT

I got 6 extra special bonus iris even thought I only qualified for 5. He had told me they were out of the first i choose so I picked an alternate. But both my original choice and the alternate are both in here. I have-
LAKE TANEYCOMO
ROYAL VESTMENTS
MACHERALON
JAMAICAN BREW
SURFERS DREAM
BEWITCHING HOUR

Then there are 8 more bonus iris. I haven't even gotten a chance to look them up yet.

I have only afew and I mean afew single rhizomes and those are quite large. Many doubles and those are larger than other places sending singles and almost as large as the singles. Then some are triple rhizomes and some clumplets were they are all attached and some have even more babies coming out of the sides. Also large. Not like he needed to send the doubles or more bewcause they are small, they are not small at all. So now I know why he needed the really large box. I will be taking pictures of some of these and will have more to say about all the extras.

I am simply astounded at what I recieved today. Just unbelievable. You couldn't do better. I have never seen anything like it. Just past fabulous. I am really happy to say the least :-))

Good news! What are the other bonus irises?

Sounds like you got some instant clumps too.
Renee

All the 8 surprise bonus plants were all 2010 Rockytop intros-
TEMPLE OF LIGHTS
SUNSET STORM
BLOCKBUSTER
JENNIFER STOUT
OPEN YOUR HEART
SKYLINE ROAD
REGAL VIEW
FALLALERY

That means each has a retail value of $45.00. I have never seen anyone give bonuses like this. Plus I already recieved the free 6 superbonus.

I started planting my iris yesterday but I didn't get very far. But today I have laid out all the ones I want to finish my planting spots in my Tower Square Garden and put them were I want them by color. It sure is going to be heavy on the blues and purples.

rita, that's a beautiful rose you have blooming there. & good job on the landscaping too. by the way has anyone tried ebay for iris? I've been getting some incredible deals on good iris there.b including kasperek iris. just today I got a box that had 26 iris in it from one seller. including 4 bonus ones in it. check it out if you dare, but beware once you get started bidding it's really hard to stop. I've even found some sellers starting iris at .99 cents up for bids. I even bid & won "sea power" last week. I can't wait to see all the new iris blooming on my hill next year, it should be awesome! I just moved all my roses & peonies to the front yard, & now my iris will be taking over the hill where the roses were. I've got a long way to go, but I will get it all done before winter, I hope. anyway, check it out if you dare.

Rita, I'm glad I'm not the only one with the iris crazies. hee-hee! I just love Schreiner's and I have an order coming from them on the 20th. I ordered them in the spring and had to postpone shipping due to recent surgery. This is about the third time I've ordered from them. They really send nice big irises that always bloom the first year. Another good company is Cooley's in Oregon. They have a really nice catalog too. And if you want to bid for some on Ebay, good-golly-miss-mollie is a good seller on there. She has Shady Grove Iris Farm near where I live. I got my order from her today. It's just heaven to go visit her farm. She's got all these wonderful iris and daylily beds around her house, but down the road she's got 14 acres of irises!

I can hardly wait to see your pictures next spring!

Susie