I have bought irises from Vesey's for a couple of years now. No problems with the blooming unless they send them LATE. I always blamed the mislabeling on my puppies for pulling out the tags! When I called to check the status of my fall order (which I got in by the end of June to avoid the late shipping) I was told that even if they did get the irises out to me in Sept., they wouldn't replace them as they are catalogued as zone 4. I lost the late ones last year but I think more due to the shriveled, delapitated condition they were in when they arrived. This year I ordered from the breeders, Chapman, Trail's End, Ferncliff and Walnut Gardens. A question for you guys(or gals as the case may be). I have only planted irises on the south side of the house all snuggled in cozy like and am running out of room! Does anyone know if I would still be safe to plant them in the garden between peonies and roses? With some leaf protection of course.???? Virginia

I am lucky to have Iris (Versicolor) growing rampantly and wild all over near our cabin. Unfortunately, in one small grove of them (about 4 plants), some ground hornets decided to make themselves at home, so I have to enjoy them from a distance. Also, they tend to bloom at varying times with some blooming in early June, and some not blooming until early July. They are truly one of my favorite flowers, and provide a nice green background for other flowers once they're done.

Sharon, What exactly is your trial for Chuck? Like Gil, War Chief and Garden Bride didn't survive for me. I had Garden bride fail twice. I am trying both these iris one more time as they were in my order this year again. The both have a very prime location. I have tried the recommended planting an inch deeper, that Chuch suggests on his site for some of the ones I planted the last 3-5 years. I also tried 1/2 inch deep. I used sand on some in case my soil was to heavy and held moisture to long in spring and rotted the rhizomes. Figured sand would be more free draining. I should note here that my soil is heavy clay, but very well ammended with compost and peat and manure...over the last 13 years. So it is not as heavy as straight heavy clay soil. I did this with TB rebloomers, TB, BB, SDB's and MDB's. My findings are that most survive but just don't bloom. I did lose a couple rebloomers...I am assuming from planting a bit deeper. I had one rebloomer out of 7 bloom last year. It was Crimson Snow. This year I raised the ones I had planted a little deeper to soil level in early spring...and most bloomed for me. I planted MTB 'BumbleBee Delight' 1 inch deeper with sand and it bloomed the year after planting...with several stems.(last summer) This summer however it only had one flowering stem, but had lots of new fans. Devenshire Cream and Sweet Musette seem to be my most reliable TB's. They have been blooming consistantly in my garden for the last 5 years. Immortality is doing its best to keep up as well...but it hasn't been in the garden as long...only 3 years. I was a bit surprised to lose several over last winter, as I have not had that many iris loses before. They were new ones that had been planted last summer. I believe weather has a big role on if they will survive the first year. One more side note. The TB rebloomers do NOT rebloom for me. However they do extend my iris season, as they bloom at the end of the TB season. About the time that the siberians start blooming. Sierra

irisval you are going to have to make an adjustment to your thinking. Four words are allowed now. From the rules: REGISTRATION INSTRUCTIONS/REGULATIONS: 1. For all classes of irises EXCEPT bulbous irises, request registration application from Registrar-Recorder. (or download the Registration Form from the above link) 2. Remit registration fee  payable to the American Iris Society  $10.00 for each iris. The cost to register and transfer a name from a previous registration is $10.00. 3. Select a name which has not previously been used and submit it for approval when requesting application. Refer to ten year Check Lists (1939, 1949, etc.) and annual registration supplements issued after the latest Check List. (Please also submit alternate names.) A name is not registered until the registration application has been filed and a certificate of registration returned to you. 4. Names should follow the rules established by the International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants. The following names will not be permitted: a) Names of living persons without their written consent, or names of recently deceased (within past ten years) persons without permission of next of kin or other authority. b) A personÂs name including the following forms of address or equivalent in another language: Mr., Mrs., Miss, Ms. c) Names including symbols, numerals, non-essential punctuation, or abbreviations. d) Names beginning with the articles "a" or "the" or their equivalent in other languages unless required by linguistic custom. e) Names in Latin or in latinized form. f) Slight variation of a previously registered name. g) Names in excess of four words, or thirty letters. h) Names containing the word "iris" or "flag" or the species name of any recognized species of Iris, or formed wholly by recombining parts of the parental species names. i) Names containing the hybridizerÂs name in possessive form. (Green Pastures acceptable; GreenÂs Pastures not.) j) Names which exaggerate or may become inaccurate (e.g. Heaviest Lace, Tallest Black), or which are composed solely of adjectives which could be construed as a simple description of a non-registered iris (e.g. Late Pink, Pale Blue, Ruffled). k) Names translated from the original language. (They should be transliterated as necessary instead.) Mike G