Tall Bearded Iris 'Zillionaire'

Tall Bearded Iris 'Zillionaire'
Iris

Photo by Barry Blyth and used with permission.

I really appreciate your putting up all these Blyth photos. Now maybe some of the growers will take up growing more Blyth irises. I wonder if it is even possible to buy some of these in the US. Even Blyth's catalog doesn't list them all. Hopefully your posting his photos will spur more Blyth sales in the US.

Pajaritomt, thank you for your message - that was exactly my hope when I asked Barry if I could scan his old catalogs! Many Blyth iris are available over here but you sure have to scour every grower to find them. Keppel offers a lot of the newer ones but his listings change nearly every year. Sadly, there are probably too many we may never find - but it won't be for want of looking! I keep a HUGE database of who has what each year - if there are specific Blyth cultivars you're interested in, I'll be glad to watch for their listing.
Shelly aka puttytat

I have to second Pajaritomt. Thanks for posting pics of all the irises. It's nice seeing a pic with their names.

Have you heard of Henderson? He works at Powell Gardens now planting new irises there every year. He always is talking about the other hybridizers that he knows and has met. It is great hearing him talk about them. Gives me another way to look at irises. I just need to get some of his now. lol

I third that motion! Been meaning to tell you how much I enjoy it as we love Iris, but don't see enough of them around here! I sit here just waiting a lot of times when I see you posting just so I can go take a peek! ♥

Misty, next time Doc thins out his bed i will try to remember to get you some. All of the irises we have are Plants of Merits. There are some Blyth's too.

Oh that will be so cool, thanks pepper! I love Iris, but with such a limited supply, there are only so many colors to be had around here. ♥

To really see lots of irises go to the search page, the link for the more advanced search engine. Put Iris in the first blank and enter Blyth under Hybridizers. That way you can see all the Blyth iris in the database. Many pages of them will come up. Of course, you can do this with any other hybridizer as well.

Puttytat, I will definitely keep you in mind if I can't find some of the ones I am looking for. You are smart to keep that kind of data.
Betty

Thanks to Pepper and Misty for the encouragement - that makes the time involved to scan, edit & post all worthwhile! Pepper, I don't know Henderson but I can tell you some of the most delightful days I spent were on the 2005 AIS bus tour when the convention was in St. Louis. Sooo many hybridizers were here - Barry Blyth, the Suttons, the Aitkens, Rick Tasco, Keith Chadwick (now sadly deceased), and many more. Everyone was informal and friendly and willing to talk - plus we saw some gorgeous iris in bloom at the guest gardens, many of them unnamed seedlings at the time. If you ever have the opportunity to attend this annual event, GO - you won't be sorry! 2008 is in Austin, TX.
Shelly

Shelly you are quite welcome, and keep em coming! ♥

I actually will get to see the iris convention in 2009 when it comes to Powell Gardens. There are 900 irises up there just for the convention. That's alot of irises! I can't wait til the convention really starts. That will be neat seeing different hybridizers in person.

And you are welcome for the encouragement. :~)

I attended the one in Oklahoma City were I saw some incredible irises and where I needed a lot more chips and batteries for my digital camera. I plan to attend the one in Austin as well. But I have to admit being too shy to go up to any of the hybridizers and to strike up a conversation. I did end up meeting Fred Kerr, a really nice guy, at my table for an auction, and introduced myself to Perry Dyer who I didn't even know was a hybridizer. I did meet Rick Tasco kind of on the run. They were all really nice and really accessible, but I am afraid I was tongue tied when it came to talking about irises. I am going to start practicing now.