Below is a list of Iris Growers that I've done business with in the past. Please know that this is my OPINION and it may or may not represent what the community believes in as a whole. SCHREINER'S IRIS GARDENS - Great customer service. I've only received one mislabel iris, and I knew it was wrong even before putting it in the ground, because the label was of an Iris that I never purchased (Social Event). They quickly sent me the correct one (Song of Norway) and let me keep Social Event. SUPERSTITION IRIS GARDENS - The BEST in customer service, even better than Schreiner's, and for those of don't know me, I LOVE Schreiner's. Of the ones that have bloom, they were all correctly labeled. If I had to say anything remotely "negative" about them, it is the fact that their irises take a few years to get accustomed to Chicago weather before blooming and that definitely does NOT mean that they give you poor irises. They have the best that I've seen thus far. SNOWPEAK IRIS - So far, no mislabelled Iris. A couple that have never bloomed for me yet are now in bud status, so I'll find out in a couple of weeks. RIVERVIEW IRIS GARDENS - By far the most controversial of the Iris growers. They have the largest selection at some of the cheapest prices, but with the most risk involved to see if what you ordered is actually what you get. So far, I've had 3 mismarked irises (one of which I posted a few days ago in the gallery, see Unknown Bearded). I only deal with them if what I want cannot be found anywhere else. For me, that reason alone is worth the risk. BLUEBIRD HAVEN IRIS GARDEN - A nice selection of historic irises. Communication can be a little tough if you're a person who likes communication through email, rather than phone. So far I'm received 1 misnamed Iris of the 19 I bought from them over the years. BLUE CLOUD IRIS - Like Bluebird Haven Iris, they have a nice selection of historic Iris and communication is tough through email. The company has changed owners recently, so they're going through some big revisions. I received 1 mis-label iris from them so far. ARGYLE ACRES, BLUE J IRIS and WILLOW BEND IRIS - I ordered from them for the first time last year, so I'll see how they hold up. So far, the PESHAWAR I bought from Willow Bend is correct. I'm am beginning to question Blue J Iris a little, since I've noticed that a few of their own pictures that they are using to represent certain cultivars are not correct. This year I am trying, (along with Argyle Acres, Blue Cloud Iris, Blue J Iris, Riverview Iris Gardens, Schreiner's Iris Gardens, Superstition Iris Gardens and Willow Bend Iris) BROOKS GARDENS, HORNBAKER GARDENS, MID-AMERICA GARDEN, NAPA COUNTRY IRIS GARDENS, NEWPORT NATURALS AT SPRUCE CORNER, STONEY CREEK IRIS, TENNESSEE STATE IRIS GARDENS, THE IRIS FARM and WINTERBERRY GARDENS for the first time. Of these new ones that I'm trying for the first time this year, I'd say MID-AMERICA and STONEY CREEK IRIS have been the most communicative. That's not to say the others have had were bad with communicating, but those two mentioned gave responses within a fast time frame.

That's an interesting link, Galina. I've used the USDA's descriptors & SSE's guidelines to design my own descriptor form, plus a couple worksheets that I use to collect data for the year in progress. The USDA's system is very complex... and doesn't come with a "user's guide" such as the one in your link. Or at least, I haven't found it yet. I've never described this, since the 2-sided form is rather lengthy... wish I could just post it. The form often has more than one item per line, sometimes with selections which can be circled. There are also plenty of blank lines to record observations. The basic outline follows: Front page: Cultivar/Source Data - Common name & variety (I use SSE's guidelines, such as "Bean/pole/dry Calypso") - SSE number + other accession number (such as USDA or Gatersleben) - Family + species - Possible alias or similar - Source/year + year grown Culture - Date/days: Sow / Germination / Flower / Seed - Transplant? (select plastic cell, peat pot, rooted cutting, hotbed, other) - Spacing: plant / row - Culture: (select climbing, caged, trailing, row, pot, greenhouse)(could add raised bed to this) - Spacing/culture correct? (yes/no)(if "no", remarks on line below) - Blanks for mulch / irrigation / isolation method - Organic? (yes/no) + blanks for fertilizer / chemical applications - Lines for Culture remarks Plant Description + Photographs? (yes/no) - Blanks for height / spread / growth habit - Sections of lines for describing: Root: Stem: Leaf: Flower: Fruit: Seed: Reactions to environmental stress: Disease observations: Insect/animal observation: Back page: Harvest Evaluation - Date/days for vegetable maturity (green + ripe, or shell for legumes) - Total plants (or row feet) + Quantity + Weight - Vegetable yield per plant/row foot + Quantity + Weight - Seed Yield (total weight) + Weight per 100 seeds (grams) - Seeds per ounce + avg. weight per plant + avg. seeds/plant - Lines for harvest remarks Culinary Qualities (This is where I enter flavor, texture, ease of preparation, etc. Methods of preparation & specific use tested are mentioned, such as salad, boiled, grilled, sauce, chili, soup, etc.) - Sections of lines for describing: Raw: Fresh cooked: Dry (either seed, or dehydrated): Shell quality (legumes only): Frozen: Canned/pickled: General Comments: Lines for anything which was not covered, or needs further explanation. At the very least, I always include: - Any other varieties of the same species grown nearby & distances. This will help to identify the parentage any crosses which might appear in following years. - A summary of the weather for the growing season, and its effects. - Any other factors which might have influenced plant growth or seed purity, such as shade, soil variations, late planting, or damage to isolation methods. This is the main descriptor page; there are addendum pages (much simpler) that can be used to record the differences in performance in successive years. There is also a worksheet that I use to list all varieties, their planned location, whether transplants are needed, and to record all date information: plant/germ/flower (flower color is recorded also)/harvest (green)/harvest (ripe)/harvest (dry). I generally use one of these worksheets for each of the main families (Leguminosae, Solanaceae, Cucurbitaceae) plus miscellaneous. Dean, you'll be getting a package from me shortly, with the seed we discussed previously. I'll enclose a copy of the descriptor sheet that I use, plus the worksheet I use to record dates.

I think it's the difference in doctors. I have no problem with electronic records. What I do have a problem with is the doctor spending 90% of his time looking at the computer and not at me. No wonder he didn't remember me a few weeks later. Cold. And his computer was large too, and on a stand. I feel he was snooping through 33 years of medical records from my deceased doctor. What I had was a common illness that needed antibiotics. Period. And what he should have done was go through my records, especially medicines I take which I hand delivered a list of them, *before* he saw me. There was absolutely no need to look at the computer while I was there. None. He has no people skills and the computer makes it easy for him. He hardly spoke to me, but when he left the room he immediately started laughing and joking around with his staff. A friend went to him also, same thing. Unfortunately, there aren't that many doctors in my area unless I want to drive 30 minutes to one, and if I'm pretty sick, that's not happening. lol

Those are all good ideas. I already have some experience with keeping track of various papers and with filing systems--I have "my own" filing areas for the kids, for family health records, for my hobbies, and when each of my parents (who were divorced) developed health problems and dementia, I kept all their accounts, papers, mail, sales of homes, etc in "my" study. And I have some idea of how I would set up a filing system for all of this other stuff if I were doing it all for me. What is a bit more difficult is first, getting to the point where I can help and second, trying to see whether "we" are setting up a filing system that works for him, or me, or both. Meaning, what's a bit new in my thinking is whether ultimately he might never be able to keep up any system and so I take over more of the system and the filing and then tell HIM where stuff is, or whether he would collaborate and let me be "the consultant" so if h e wants labelled shoeboxes instead of files, that's fine, etc.--what I am trying to go to a new level on is, how to "feel out" the situation as to whether he is overwhelmed and will never ask for help but really wants it, or whether it is some line I can't cross. So I'm moving into being more pro-active but trying (very hard for me, sometimes!) to keep saying to myself, remember the big picture, the long haul, and not instant gratification, and also, bite my tongue when I'm tired and cranky and feel like saying something that is accusatory. Since he almost never asks for help, with anything, we all in our family probably think of him as invincible, and I'm kinda hopeful that he might actually want help if it's done right. harrietthehomeowner, I don't think outside help is right for him. But again, what will help me most in trying to do something now is to focus on family needs--that clearly I would never be able to take over, or even help out, with our papers and stuff if anything happened to him(illness or other) and I'm hoping even he can see that that would be a bad situation for our family. Whereas, if it's the guy's toolshed or hobby shop, you could just shut your eyes. cocontom, great point about the electronic conversions--he is actually the most "on line" person in the family and is probably receptive to doing more--mostly we have the busy-syndrome, where you have to make yourself carve out time to do things that will save time in the long run. One thing that is obvious is that I will have to find an extended period of time--don't have that until later in the fall--to actually start the project physically, but could be planning what types of shelving or filing equipment needed. I'm free to play around with floorplans on my own! This is one of those things where, since you can't move in the room, you need to haul everything out and say, what goes back in? It's like, you can't really sort through boxes of stuff until you have alternative destinations for each category. Here is one more interesting point that may test how committed I am. When we moved to this house, "his study" was to be this destination financial stuff, tools,etc, and "my study" was the combo guest room, photo file repository, various family-use items, and whatever I wanted, I guess. So I have guest linens, out of season decorations, hobby supplies, gift wrap, family mementos from my parents, and just "stuff" of mine, pretty well organized. And folks can get and use stuff from there, or I can get it for them. So--and wonder if folks can relate to this--I have a tendency to think I am using my space "well" for the family and he is not. You know how as the DW, you tend to think that ultimately all spaces are yours--it's hard to view any areas as sacred and off-limits to your organization and cleaning and meddling. So, if it somehow turned out that he could not "share" this filing concept, but said, well, if you're going to take over, do it somewhere else than my room, I don't know if I'm big enough to sacrifice my space to put all of it--I would have to completely re-do how my space is organized and would not have room for some of the fluff and stuff I have. I don't think that would happen, but I just wondered.