Sharon, I just ordered 'Anything Goes'. Sure is a beauty isn't she? Marg

And I like that second one. I was at the Chapman's site the other day after drooling over all your iris at your photobucket page. I told some friends to give me a good slap if I start talking about ordering more lilies (will have to duck a bit in a month or so LOL), but I never said anything about iris orders!

I have a Chapmans order ready - I wasn't going to order any more irises but (long story) someone from the States wants a historical iris from me and I have to send it via Chuck for the phytosanitary... so I decided I'd better place an order at the same time. Makes sense right?

Sharon I totally love that pink too.

This is one I really liked this year, SBD 'Scout'. It's supposed to have spoons but it just did horns for me. Still cool. Smells like marshmallows. Increasing well.

And this one is nameless but a nice TB:

Most of my TBs took this year off. Mostly still alive though, that's good.

Here are a few of my new ones.
'Lorilee'
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'Dance Ballerina Dance'

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'Acoma'
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This one I've had for a few years and she always puts on a great show, 'Distant Chimes'
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Sharon, love your irises!!

Gillian, when will Scout be large enough to split??? I love the horns on it!

Seeing the picture of the siberian iris, Dance Ballerina Dance, reminded me of the picture I took of mine when it bloomed this year at the same time as Modern Woman TB iris. They are planted in the same flowerbed, about 4 feet apart. They are very similar in colorings....

Here is another favorite of mine...Boogie Woogie, TB

I had so many new irises bloom this year I will be kept busy for a while this winter inputting them all into the photobucket album. A nice thing to do, though, in the winter months.

Brenda

Brenda I'm sure I will be able to divide Scout next summer. It's clumping up nicely. I think a trade is in order!

Love all your phots gals!

I like Scout too, I'll reserve a trade for you too next year Gillian ;)

Oh oh, Pudge, you're trapped now for going to Chuck's website! I too placed another order last week with him, can't resist ;) Hope they're all in stock. I'm also going to be a guinea pig for Chuck, planting method testing TB's.

Sharon

What beautiful Irises. I think I need to get some. I only have one type.

So, can one of you please tell me what " TB " is ???

Sharon, Jewelled Crown is incredible! I will go have a word with Scout and tell him to hurry up and make more rhisomes.

TB = Tall Bearded
SBD = Standard Dwarf Bearded
MDB = Miniature Dwarf Bearded
IB = Intermediate Bearded
MTB = Miniature Tall Bearded
BB = Border Bearded
Then there are various species and beardless such as Siberian, Pseudacorus (I think), and Spuria.

TBs are usually big and fancy, but SBDs are more likely to be reliable and quick to multiply in cold zones. I have lost TBs over the winter sometimes.

Chuck as a good diagram

Here is a link that might be useful: RELATIVE SIZES OF THE BEARDED IRIS FAMILY

After hearing the reviews of Chapmans, I have my order filled out, just have to mail it in. All that's missing is an acreage.

This forum could almost eventually lead a person into the poorhouse if you weren't careful, hee, hee !

Because of your discussions and pictures, I've bought 3 rose bushes plus various other plants to try, and now I feel incredily drawn to Chapman's iris website =:)

If I order a catalogue, will it show me hardiness zones for each individual iris, or will I have to pick what I like, and then research each on the internet? Or, should I just pick what I like from the website, order them, and see what happens?

The irises aren't really graded by hardiness zone. Chuck Chapman is the most northerly major iris grower and hybridizer and since all his plants are field grown (i.e. he doesn't just order a crate of them from Holland, they multiply in his fields), they all pass the acid test of Guelph winters or he doesn't sell them. Since Guelph is somewhat warmer than the prairies, there could be some difference in hardiness. He does note on his website some TBs that perform well in cold climates. If you're worried, order the smaller types of irises such as SDBs. They tend to be hardier.

And yeah, we are all broke from gardening but we can share recipes for dandelion stew and toaster shakings if your family is starving.

Always hard to decide when there's so much to choose from...

I took your experience as advice, Gil, and ordered mostly SDB which will work great for me, anyway, since I have room toward the front of the border moreso than at the back. Maybe next year I'll branch out to the tall ones.

Thanks very much to all the enablers. Oh, and OCD lawn boy thanks you, too.

Hey Northspruce........

When I finish perfecting a recipe for quackgrasss and chickweed salad, we can do a recipe swap ! =:)

Thanks for the info everyone.

A couple of Spuria Irises blooming for the first time...

Enjoy!
Sharon