What have you ordered for 2009 - Part 9

Oh, no, Thom! Now you did it! You enabled me to go to Zebra Gardens and place an order. I couldn't resist at those prices, and many of the ones that were not on sale were $4, $5, and $6. I struggle with my TB irises, but I still love them. I'm going to be incorporating a lot more sand in my iris beds this year. I got borers in many of mine this year. I still want to try and do well with them.

Here's what I ordered:

Gnu
Giraffe Kneehiz
Serengeti Spaghetti
Jackal Cackle
Gazellegant
Argentea
Alpha Gnu
Elainealope
Nigerian Raspberry
Spiced Tiger
Peekaboo Zebu
Gnu Rayz
Blueberry Filly

Karen

Karen,
You should be getting an email from the Kasperek's soon stating something along the lines that you get a percentage of free/bonus Iris. Send them a list of "wish Iris" and wait until the package arrives. I can't believe how carefully then send everything!

Robin,
DL's this year I slowed down on, A LOT. For me it's just a matter of space. I've been making crosses like a madman. My backyard looks like a DL yard sale. I use those little tags with the strings, and mark my crosses that way. I think, to date, I've made probably 400-500 crosses...maybe more. It's funny to hear the little tags blowing in the breeze smacking against one another...lol. As to hosta, I've tried to limit myself (space issues again). I've also started planted some of the smaller hosta in pots/bowl planters. I'm still working on the 'Striptease' sports, and the 'Blue Mouse Ears' sports. I believe I'm up to about 9 'Striptease' sports and about 5 'Blue Mouse Ears' sports.

I bought 'Batik' about 2-3 years ago, and it's the most stunning Iris I've seen. So when someone told me about the BCP, and Zebra Iris Gardens, I knew I was going to make a purchase, I just didn't know when...lol. When I saw their sale, I was like BOOYAH. So now my Iris collection has grown from 3 to 17...lol. I am going to plant the Iris where I have my Dahlias growing. I'll be uploading pics of those monsters in the next coming days.

Oh, goody, Thom, I can't wait! So nice to get bonuses.

Karen

Would love to see them, Thom. I've made 3 crosses this week, all with DL 'Mary's Baby', which I really love----those are the first crosses I've done, so we'll see---can't believe you made so many---good luck with them!

I started out, in regard to my DL crosses, my thinking, "I like this edge, and that eye, so I'll cross this with that." Then, after writing out about 30 or so individual tags, I was like, "Bugger that." So I started to do what I believe some people call "long" crosses. Where if I like the eye of one of my DL's, I'll cross it to everything, same goes with eyezones or edges. I've crossed, HEAVILY, Dark Music to just about everything out there a few times over. I've used 'Gary Colby,' on just about everything also. The other surprise for me this year was 'Autumn Jewels,' it's got anywhere from 3-5 way branching, and average bud count, per scape, is about 20-25. I like the eye on this DL, and the ruffling...and it's a nice sized flower at about 6" or so. I've dabbed the pollen from this guy onto everything a few times over also. That way, when I'm writing my tags out, I can just write out one name, a few dozen times, instead of a few dozen individual names...lol.

Below is a pic of Dark Music, the eye on this DL is stunning, and the contrast with the petals is superb, IMO.

This is 'Autumn Jewels'

This is not the best pic of 'Gary Colby,' and it's also the FFO for me on this DL, but...the flower is about 7-8", the edge alone is a good 1/2" of pure good ole "chicken fat." So I'm hoping to get edge and size with this monster!

crossed a DL with a chicken... now that's impressive!!

Thom, im thinking 'Stack the Deck' would be a good parent if it's fertile. I haven't really looked into it yet. It has big flowers, 3-4 way branching(maybe more), blooms in multiples of 3's blooms and up most days , is fairly tall, hardy, and blooms for a long period. It just started last week so i'll have to watch to see how long exactly.

Those are really great looking DLs! Hope the babies have many of the parents' traits---Andy said it takes about 5 years before you know what you've gotten---I'm hoping for a bloom in 2-3 years---is that far-fetched?

Not at all Robin, some of the Southern growers see a bloom in 9-18 months!

The seedlings that I planted last year are now nice fans. I wouldn't be surprised if 1 or 2 of them sent up a scape...which if they did, I'd lop it off...lol. Next year I should definitely see first blooms on a majority of them. I started all of my seed in the fall, kept them under lights during the winter, repotted them a few times, and in April put them outside. I'll be doing the same thing this year.

I'll have to check into 'Stack the Deck.'

lol...a chicken with a DL...lol. That would be something, I don't think I'd ever get any crosses done.

The only time I "suffer" from zone envy is when I see peeps on the DL forum who do crosses in Spring/early Summer, plant them up, and see blooms the same year! That to me is craziness...lol. Sometimes the southern growers get some insane branching and bud counts too. I can only imagine what 'Autumn Jewels' does down south.

Thom, remember 'Westbourne Storm Cellar' that i gave you a piece of last year? It didn't faze it a bit! Multiple blooms again this year.

The southern growers are having trouble with rust--our zone is fine, enjoy it.

Put in a modest fall lily order to make up for my not-so-modest other fall bulbous orders:
3 Debra Jeanne
1cernuum
3 Kentucky (TM)
3 AB Bi-color EXCLUSIVE
3 Honeywind

and then I snuck back in when I wasn't looking and quadrupled the numbers of each tee hee