Hi Smokymist/Cheryl, Can it be? I might get to finally trade with you again after all these years? I have numerous named bearded irises and have pics of most of them, though I don't have them all in my Photobucket album yet. I don't dig them for trading until about late July, which is the 'best' time, and about when the on line sellers dig and send orders. I know I will have this one El Cerrito. How's that for splashy? Night Stalker-not so splashy, but I consider stunning! I have been lusting after some of your sedums for years with nothing available that was on your want list. I will try to get all my named irises in a P-bucket album, that you can then look 'em over. You might need others that are less 'splashy' once you see that they are just plain pretty. I imagine you might only be looking for named ones, but the link below shows some of the lovely ones I have lost the ID on. 3 of them are rebloomers for me...a real plus to see them shoot up a bloom even sometimes in Oct or early Nov here. Not all of ones listed below are available, but most are. #12 is 'not' available, and #6 might not be either. Oh...on the sedums....I'd be happy with just cuttings on the 'bigger' varieties, but would like the smaller ones rooted, if you have them. Drop me an email...I'm heading out to play now. Sue Here is a link that might be useful: NO ID album-16, 17, and 19 are rebloomers

Thanks for your replies! Signet, I too have had the worst luck with iris that I have planted in the fall (and I have clay soil). Last year I planted 4 different varieties, 3 rhizomes each. I see now that only 2 rhizomes in total survived! UGH! I thought if I found some earlier in the year, I would have better luck (that has been my only other iris planting experience and all survived!) Origami Master - That is a great tip about the brick! I am definitely going to have to try that if I try planting again in the fall. I am totally interested in your offer and hope to hear from you again. Ontnative - Thanks for your advice. I'll try that if I don't have any luck earlier.

Solstice, Coffeemom and Katkin (as usual) have some great tips. I tried the website searches after I got here and found that the variation in temperatures and soil conditions made it tough to select plants based by zone. Our home is technically Zone 9, however, has a lot of Zone 10 characteristics. Many times a plant will be listed to Zone 9, however that may be pushing it. Many plants, for example, listed as Zone 5-9 will not do well here, yet others will. Katkin can grow things over on the east coast that I cannot grow on the west coast and we are in the same zone. I live north of Sarasota, yet when the freeze came in this winter I had minimal losses due a microclimate in my immediate area that keeps temperatures a couple of degrees higher. My soil has dry spots and wet spots that took some time to find. Looking at other yards, going to the nurseries, talking to others, going to events with the Master Gardeners at the County Extension office have been my best resources. The other is the sheer joy (and pain) of trial and error. :-) I use Accent Nursery in Palmetto, Mariposa Nusery near Lakewood Ranch, Crowley's Nursery east of Sarasota, I'd love to go to Hibb's in Sarasota, and Selby Botanical gardens has very nice specimen plants. Here are some websites... Low Maintenance Landscape plants http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep107 Bulbs for Florida http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/MG/MG02900.pdf Of course, the very best website is right here! Do some searches, read some old threads, look at the pictures and you can get a feel for some of the things that work and in what areas of Florida. And a couple of books that I found helpful. Month-by-month Gardening in Florida - Tom MacCubbin Florida Gardener's Guide - MacCubbin amd Tasker

How right you are Renee! I went back to the vendor that I bought it from and looked at the iris that matched my pic. and it is CHICO MAID not Nordica. Although I have Nordica also in one of the beds, it hasn't bloomed yet. Going to replace the tag with the correct one. The vendor's beautiful pic of Chico Maid caused me to buy it. The blue beards are beautiful. And it is the palest blue you can imagine without being white. A really clear pretty color not gray in the least. Thanks Renee for pointing that out. And since you are really into foliage as well... look at this. Oh, btw I went and ordered more of Blue J's variegated iris today. A few of each... And this pic tells the whole story on why I looove variegated plants sooo much. :-) The bud is snow white. I'll post another pic. when it blooms. CANADIAN STREAKER