My guess is that they never really sell any iris at that full price. It is just a gimmick to make you order more irises: if you order $80 worth you can get them for the special "half price" deal (i.e., $40). That brings the price more in line with some of the other growers, but still a little pricey.

In my experience their rhizomes were big enough, but looked like they had been out of the ground a bit longer than the ones I've ordered from superstition or napa. But it's a big operation.

Schreienr's are a bit expensive. As Terry said, they have their red star quantity discount program. Where if you by $80.00 worth of rhizome or more, you get them at half off. They do appear a bit dried out versus other iris that I receive, but I have the best moratality rate with Schreiner's iris than with any other company. It's a good place if you're looking for irises from 1990s to early 2000s.

Carlos

Part of the reason, is simple, they have over 200 acres of iris and have over 100 employees during the summer and a few year round help. These people all need to be paid. While us smaller growers do 90% of all the work ourselves with only one outside help or none at all.

D

For what it's worth... I had a great experience ordering from Schreiner's. I was a little dubious when I received the order (as and when promised) but have had a very nice display so far this Spring on the new babies. Even the fans that shouldn't have made it (re-planted way too deep by the guy that put in my irrigation system) are coming back.

You get what you pay for. I've ordered irises from Schreiners, and I received big, fat, healthy rhizomes, the best rhizomes I've ever gotten from anywhere. They all grew, some are budding on their first year, and they all have multiple fans.

Definitely worth the cost. And, as said, generally you can get a deal. On my last order, I ordered $80 worth of rhizomes, but their deal that was current at the time halved that price down to $40-something. I've always been happy with what I received from them.

I,ve been buying for years from Schriners and have never lost one plant. They always have the buy $80 and pay $40 and half price for all others . My rhyzomes have always been healthy and i've always got the named iris i asked for.
vickie

I ordered from their sale last year, paid no more than $7 for any rhiz, have a bloom stalk on each rhiz I ordered, and have at least 4 new increases on each. AND Vanity has at least 10 increases with 6 bloom stalks. I just planted that rhiz last summer! I did order older varieties, but I'm still impressed.

I toured Schreiner's display gardens again today and I think maybe this one photo may tell you why: [quality, rarity and sheer beauty]

Sunburned and happy, marea

Here is a link that might be useful: Lights Camera Action Iris

I ordered from last September 2006 and 95% came up this spring. I also waited until they had a 50% off sell before I purchased so I still got them at the same price of some of the others vendors that I've seen. The rhizome were pretty large also.

oh, to tour Schreiner's at the height of iris season! And Cooley's! And Mid-America!111

That's on my "to do" list, visit the upper left coast during iris bloom time.

I do agree! You get what you pay for, and by far the iris rhizomes I received from Schreiners' far outshined any other rhizomes from any other iris nursery. So, if you don't want to be disappointed when your iris don't bloom, order your rhizomes from Schreiner's.!