If you want to try growing them indoors to get a jump on the season try following the directions from the article found at the Canadian Iris Society website. This is my first year trying it. It didnt' have all the directions as detailed as I needed, but I got my first green leaves sprouting today. Most of my seeds still have not germinated though I soaked them for 2+ weeks with daily rinsing and then put them in the fridge from mid-Sept to Jan 1. I had some germinate in late Jan and then rot after planting. I think because I had them in too warm a place after planting. The ones that finally sprouted are in a very cool room (60 deg or less). Some people find it takes >1 yr of refrigeration for some seeds to germinate. Each seed takes a different amount of time. Yes, some will germinate in the fridge. They seem to prefer around 55 deg after having been chilled for several months in the fridge. They have to be damp while in the fridge or the stratification doesn't work. That is why the damp paper. And yes, you need to watch for molds and change the soaking solution/paper as needed. I use 10% hydrogen peroxide:distilled water. Water alone can inhibit germination of other seed types plus the peroxide adds aeration for the seeds. Here is a link that might be useful: CA Iris Society article

The United States is an awfully big place with all sorts of climates and weather. I'm willing to bet all but a few odd and fussy ones could be grown someplace. The bearded iris lineages are so intertwined, outcrossed and linebred and back again unless you have something really old or a genuine species you'd never really be able to say what you have. SIGNA gallery is a good idea. Most of the pictures are contributed from folks in the US with a small smattering of people from Europe. I'll give it a shot Beardeds I'm going lump. I've got one Arilbred, several dwarfs, lots of historics and a few moderns. Most of the bloodlines are probably going to be in there someplace. I've got a species or near species ensata and a few hybrids. iris crisata iris siberica and several cultivars of it Iris versicolor and several cultivars a speicies cross of versicolor and virginica called robusta, maybe two don't remember what the species cross is on one, guess it would be another robusta, charles darby? One lonely little clump of psued that I can easily keep tabs on in the back of a veggie garden I had a couple louisianas at the other house but looks like my husbands stepdaughter's kid has mashed them into oblivion. Between the kid and the dogs looks like most of the landscaping has been mashed or chewed.

I have about 30 different ones (mostly TB, a couple IB/BB), mostly heirlooms. This wasn't a good season for my irises - very wet here all summer. I'll be interested to see how they bloom next year. My hands-down favorite is 'Striped Butterfly,' but there are many others I enjoy too. My iris interest has been competing with my daylily interest (and my dozen + peonies and many other perennials) - on a suburban 65x100 lot, I've about maxed myself out. I'm trying to talk my husband into a larger lot (not a larger HOUSE, just a bigger piece of LAND - I've got my priorities!). Laurel

After the rose fades and the petals fall off, the base will swell. These are called hips or heps. They are the seedpods that have resulted from your rose flowers. When they turn orange (or red or yellow, etc), you pull the hips from the plant, and I just use a butter knife to split them open. Inside them you will find the seeds and also some hair-like fuzz. Remove the seeds, making sure that all the hip tissue is removed (It has a hormone in it that slows germination). What you'll need to do to grow your seeds. Rose seeds: They should be as fresh as possible. Containers: jars, plastic bags, etc. I use baby food jars. Sterile soil mix. Bake soil in a pan at 250 degrees for 30 minutes, or use peat which naturally resists bacteria. I use jiffy peat pellets or good potting soil. Some people even use moistened paper towels, or sand. Whatever works for you. Hydrogen peroxide. It prevents damp-off, a condition where your seedlings rot at the soil line. Water 1-cup measuring cup and tablespoon Seed starter soil mix - In a 1-cup measuring cup, add 1 tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide. Fill cup the rest of the way with water. This will be a 1:15 ratio. - Gradually add this mixture to your soil until it has the same moisture content as fresh-turned soil. If it's too wet it will rot the seeds. If it's too dry it will inhibit germination. If you get it too wet, you can either try squeezing it out or leaving it out overnight. Add the mixture to your jar and refrigerate. - Soak seeds in water/hydrogen peroxide solution for 6-12 hours. Place them in the chilled jar and return to refrigerator. - Wait three months. -It helps to vary the temperature a little during the last month in the fridge. Do NOT freeze! At the end of the three months, remove and find a warm spot (70-75 degrees) to place them in overnight. Check for germination of seeds, and then place back in the fridge overnight. Temps of 80 degrees will stop germination. - When looking for germination, you will see a single root-tip breaking through the seed. If you see lots of fuzzy little roots, it's mold (don't worry). There's a distinct difference. - If you need to add water to your planting mix, use the water-hydrogen peroxide mix. - Plant your germinated seedling. Make sure that it's covered by soil or the root will curl around the seed like a snail. Don't plant too deep, either; try for about 1/4 inch deep. - Water the seedling with the water-hydrogen peroxide mixture; don't over/under water. - You can lightly fertilize with a weak (about 25%) water-soluble fertilizer (like Miracle Gro) when they get their second leaves. - Repeat-blooming roses bloom after about 2 months. Once-blooming roses bloom after about two to three years. - If your rose seedlings wilt or die at the top, just below the first leaves, this may be due to an injury to the plant or because of a lack of humidity. If you think it's because of a lack of humidity, try to make a green house for it by using a pop bottle with the base cut off, but the top and sides left on, (used also for rooting cuttings). Open the top of the bottle to let air circulate a couple of days before removing the bottle. Replace bottle if plant begins to wilt. Milk bottles work too, so would even an aquarium, or whatever you can think of that will do the job.