Searching for....

We are still looking for these Miniature Tall Bearded Iris and although listed at various nurseries through the RHS plant finder they either don't list them in their catalogue or are not responding to email requests:

Kelways:
Candylane
Chickee
Evening Pond

Merriments Gardens: no mail order (!)
Carolyn Rose

Breezy Knees: no mail order(!) and their in 'the north', happily other people do both these and they're not so far away
Rosemary's Dream
Carolyn Rose

The Mead: no mail order (!)
Lucky Charm

Seagate:
Speck So
Rosemary's Dream
Reminiscence
Billie the Brownie

Being Enriched

Iris of Sissinghurst have come up with Enriched one not in our collection but recently listed, they have it for us and are asking the local Iris group if anyone has plants that we are still missing. The group includes the main breeder of MTB's Olga Wells. So fingers X'd

Registering the collection

We are oh so close, after a moment of panic when it seemed we would not be recorded as remotely interesting let alone registered as a plant collection, Plant Heritage has eased regs and allowing for over enthusiastic registration of plants by nurseries who cannot subsequently supply them, have agreed to begin the process of registration for our collection of Iris MTB's

All I need do now is write up the plant list in botanical speak.... !

Lavander and Sage

about 200 modules of a mix of Lavander (Lavandula multifidia Blue) and Clary Sage (Salvia Blue Spire) are adorning the garden table along with several seed trays of Hyssop, more lavander and some rosemary waiting for module space (small garden problem)

I'm debating whether to plant out this 'hedging' now (late autumn) or wait until spring.

Arrivals

I have been lax I'm afraid and forgot to post about our new arrivals. The first from Seagate in the form of:

Ace
Baubles & Beads
Honorabile
Oh So Cool
Welch's Reward

The rest arrived post haste from the US via Christine Lomer in Spain:

Merit
Maslon
Connect the Dots
Dancing Lilacs
Ben a Factor
Bumblebee Deelite
Poker Chips

Gulp that was some digging and preparing for them to get in the ground quickly. SO we are now sitting on 31 cultivars. They look a bit lost in their big patch of earth but the spring planted ones are romping away and showing their vigour in spades.

Next step is getting our collection registered.

They are in!

After two mornings of hard digging, leveling, raking and so on we have got them in. 2 beds about 1.5m wide and 5m long each carrying 10 cultivars.

They look a tad wind swept the following day so new plans for low hedges of lavendar (Lavandula augustifolia Rosea, Hidcote and a couple of others) rosemary (Rosmarinus officianalis) maybe winter savory (Satureja montana) and box (buxus sempervirens) are now in the planning and cutting beds.

Pic to follow soon

Planting

Finally our piece of land is ready. We plant on Saturday. Early. I will be watering all week if it carries on like this.

I have planned space for 40 MTB cultivars which we will hold eventually. About 18 will go in this week. There are some odd TB's and Sibirica also to go in. Collecting is addictive. And Expensive!

MTB Frosted Velvet

MTB Striped Pants

Buying stock

We have had mixed experiences buying from nurseries. At least two were completely delightful enthusiasts, generously sharing knowledge and helping us with finding things even offering to search US nursery catalogues and import them if we covered plant and import costs!.

Seagate and Iris of Sissinghurst

Another was about as helpful as a chocolate teapot, though quick to offer to find us plants he didn't have 'for fee', UK only. A fourth was unhelpful, sent us tiny struggling plants a month later than promised along with plants we didn't order, all this 3 months after taking the money, then took another 6 weeks to send a refund by cheque having taken payment by CC - all good for their cash flow but sadly we will never buy from them again and notably we will tell our friends how bad the service that they provide is..... not to mention the pooooor quality and high price of plants.

If we ever get to selling our MTB's I aim to have only good quality plants going out, take money only on delivery and any refunds by the same method of payment.

ho hum

Finding MTB's

Iris 'Katherine Hodkin' which is a reticulata


We plan to hold a National Collection of MTB's, the first we think, and according to records we're right. There are just over 30 in the 08/09 RHS plant finder so that means about 27 minimum in the collection and 3 of each rhizome.

I have located them in the UK by luck more than anything. And furnished with the warnings of the growers that "they don't sell" I am buying as many as I can!

Once we have them I will post pictures of each one included. but for now here's my first sprouting Iris of the season (above)