That's interesting! My order only had the big picture tags
and I agree the rhizomes were more dried out than in previous years.

I reported before that I had mainly picture tags and a few popsicle stick tags. This is the first time I've gotten picture tags. Nothing was handwritten.

Doubtful any subcontractor is working for Schreiner's!

Walter Moores

Suspect they are using up their stock of labels as the move to the picture tags. Dried roots aren't a problem. They put down new roots in any event and they become the main feeder roots for new growth. Roots are overrated but look nice.

Irisrover is right. They are using up old tag stock. All the new tags (I was told) will have pictures in the future. As long as the correct tag is attached, I'm happy.

It's not a problem, I was just curious. I'd be just as happy if they simply wrote the name on the iris. Especially if the tags fall off! I throw the tags out anyway.
My order proly had a big variety because it was 170 plants. I got more plants last year, but only had pic tags and the long white plastic with printed name. (that's what I had this year too, I put two types of popsicle sticks by mistake- heh, too pooped from planting!)

You ordered 170 plants?!?? And you got more last year?!?! You must have a huge bed. Do you have a public garden? LOL. I hope you had help planting them. You must be exhausted.

Um, yea, I do have alot of beds! Besides the old iris that are scattered thru my gardens on three acres, I have 33 raised beds that are 4'x16'. There are a couple of pics of the beds in my gardens link here (copy & paste)

http://www.savepic.com/freepicturehosting/pf.php?fid=12048

No, no help planting. :( Worst part is I had hernia surgery 4 weeks ago. I have a couple hundred more coming from Blue J iris the end of the month. I had to fill in lost ones from our weird winter and spring. I sure hope next year is more "normal". *sigh*

Sunshine Annie--

What BEAUTIFUL land and gardens you have! Holy Cow what an amazing amount of work you've put into your gardens and home. Loved the "backdrop" of corn fields against your gardens.

Surely you had SOME help on at least SOME of those gardens, surely? ????

Thanks for sharing your pictures!

Susi in NE TX.

loved your pics, you won me over with the cat and angel!

Schreiner's also has older stock of varieties that are not on the catalog or their website that they also sell if you ask directly. I was able to get VITAFIRE from them last year. I don't think they would make newer tags with these older varieties.

Carlos

Thanks SuziQ. :) You can have the cornfield. It is such a mess to clean up all the husks in the spring that have blown into the gardens.
Heh, I get help with things I can't lift. Hubby helped build the raised beds, and the gazebo etc. I planted EVERYTHING myself. Proly explains my ruptured disc, carpal tunnel and hernia!! I'm starting to get the message!

Jain, my kitties are my garden buddies. They beg every morning to go out and "inspect" everything.Right now they are into catching the huge grasshoppers and bringing them to me.
That's good to know Carlos, I may ask if they have a few of the others I want.

Enjoyed your photos. I drove through central Illinois 2 summers ago. It seemed like I was in one huge corn field. All the people in Illinois must live in the cities. Your garden is an island of color in a sea of green. Lee Mincy

I'm in SE Wisconsin and recognize your terrain quite closely. Your gardens and yard are lovely. I'm assuming you're watering this year due to the drought conditions we're under?

techsupport8 - I'm watering some, but have too much to do it all. Most of those pics are from previous years. At least iris like dry weather! Or I'd be in trouble!

WOW! I would LOVE to walk through your gardens! WHAT BEAUTY, what hard work. I ordered over 230 Iris this year to turn a field of mine into an Iris Garden. I only ordered 20 or so from Schreiner's cuz the price is so high! I ordered about 70 from Snowpeak and have received that order with the rhizomes very comparable to Schreiner's rhizomes, but not dried up. Snowpeak prices are much, much better, and freely with bonuses. Another favorite of mine to order from is Mid-America gardens. The rhizomes from Mid-America were bigger than Schreiner's and not all dried up, (like that matters) very pretty looking fans. I have not received my orders from Blue J Iris, Nola's, Winslow's or Argyle acres yet, and few from ebay. I will post about them when I receive them. To save LOTS of money since you tend to order alot like me, then check out Blue J Iris and Snowpeak Iris!

Sunshine Annie,
Your gardens are wonderful! In picture 190, what echinacea is that? Is it Doppelganger, or a new cross from others in your yard? I wonder if seeds from it would be true?
Thanks for posting the pics, I really enjoyed looking at them.
Cindi

I have an order in with Blue J also, 284 of them! They are supposed to be coming next week. Oh boy!

Yes that is Doppelganger. I just got it this year. I hope it seeds all over the place! I wanted to get the new orange one too, but the prices were just too high. I'll wait a couple years if I have to.

SunshineAnnie,

Beautiful pictures! My husband thought I had ordered a lot of irises! I just keep making my beds a little larger. That's the great thing about living in the country. It is very dry here too. I have been watering my other flowers. I am not too worried about the iris yet but am starting to worry. Thanks for sharing the pics! Jackie

Very nice gallery! I really liked those shots of your beautiful garden with the rainbows. Thank-you for sharing them.

I too received several different tag types from Schreiner's. Thankfully, though some were loose, none of mine had fallen off.

I wonder what they would do if you told them that you would have to wait at least a year if not longer to id cultivars because of shoddy tags. Maybe they would do something to make up for it. ??

Brock

Stunning pictures, SunshineAnnieDeb. I love the pergola on the back of your house. All your plants look so incredibly healthy. So does the corn!

Funny story...DH had a friend helping him build that. He was much more "experienced" at building than my husband. The friend and his son -in-law were working on it while we were at work one day. I suddenly had this ovewhelming urge to get home and see what was happening. Only two miles home, and I owned the business so I could leave. I got here to find that they were putting a post in the center of the angle right in front of the firepit, and where we would walk thru!! Ok, yea, I had a fit!! I don't know what he was thinking, but after that we decided maybe that guy didn't really know all that much about building things!

Just wondering if you happen to sell irises on ebay under the same name or close to it? sunshineannie*gardens?
Thanks! :)