Schreiner's Order: Beautiful Rhizomes Not Available Elsewhere

My Schreiner's order was very targeted to irises that were not available elsewhere. I wanted to add to my collection of AIS award winners, get more yellow iris and add to the bestiary. Ordering from Schreiner's (and kudos for using the apostrophe) I know I will get top quality rhizomes.

Kathy Chilton is a 2012 Wister Medal winner. 'Kathy Chilton' (Frederick Kerr, R. 2005). TB, 35" (89 cm), ML.
Brown Lasso is one of the two Dykes Medal winners that are not tall bearded. Brown Lasso is the border bearded that snagged the award in 1981.   'Brown Lasso' (E. Buckles by David Niswonger - selector, Registered 1972). Seedling B71-15. BB, height 22" (56 cm), Early Mid bloom season.
Victoria Falls is the towering 40" Dykes winner from 1984.  Friends joke that it's height and size make it live up to it's name.  I'll sure to stake that one!    'Victoria Falls' (Schreiners, registered 1977). Seedling I 68-A. TB, height 40" (102 cm), early to late bloom season
Thornbird's unusual ecru coloring, erect falls and space age horns won it the Dykes in 1989.     'Thornbird' (Monty Byers, registered 1988). Seedling D156-1-B. TB, height 35" (89 cm), mid season bloom.
The millennium closed with 1999's Dykes Winner, Hello1Darkness.    'Hello Darkness' (Schreiner, R. 1992). Seedling Y 882-1. TB, height 37" (94 cm), Early to Mid bloom season.
Adding to my "bestiary" of broken color (zebra) iris is Elainealope, a Kasperek cultivar.    'Elainealope' (Brad Kasperek, R. 1994). Sdlg. 89B-38I. TB, 33" (84 cm). Early midseason and rebloom.
This yellow beauty has been in my garden but disappeared.  Deciding that I wanted it back I ordered a new rhizome to an area that will be as yellow as possible.    'Summer Olympics' (R. G. Smith, R. 1976). Sdlg. 7603AF. TB, 30" (76 cm), E & RE.
Another "zebra," this is Bewilderbeast, now captured at Diamond Rise.  Also Gnus Flash and Gnu Blues (one that I owned) are going into the corral.    'Bewilderbeast' (Brad Kasperek, registered 1994) Seedling 91B-2A. TB, height 30" (76 cm), mid season bloom.
'Gnus Flash' (Brad Kasperek, registered 1994) Seedling 91B-3A. TB, height 38" (97 cm), early season bloom.
'Gnu Blues' (Brad Kasperek, R. 1993). Sdlg. 89-56B. TB, 36" (91 cm), M
Dykes Medal Winner in 1991, this Niswonger intro was in the garden and got lost.  The photo is mine from years ago.  Now that I bought another, after clean up I'll probably get an old one to pop back up!    'Everything Plus' (O. David Niswonger, R. 1983).  Seedling 24-80. TB, height 34" (86 cm), Mid bloom season
Three other American Dykes Medal winners are Mystique (DM 1980), New Moon (DM 1973) and Babbling Brook (DM 'Mystique' (Joseph Ghio, R. 1972). Seedling 69-156P. TB, height 36" (91 cm), Early to late bloom season.
'New Moon' (Neva Sexton, R. 1968). Seedling 131-62. TB, height 36" Mid
'Babbling Brook' (Keith Keppel, R. 1965). Seedling 62-40A. TB, height 38" (97 cm), Mid
Queen of the Mist was a gift in my order.    'Queen of The Mist' (Schreiner, 2011)
Coal Seams was offered as a bonus.    'Coal Seams' (Schreiners 2013)
I ordered Dawn Eternal as a Bonus and because that was sold out I received Slew O'Gold.  It will be a great addition to my yellow bed!    'Slew O'Gold' (Schreiners, 2013)

Schreiner's Responds

Schreiner's has gone up a notch in my estimation by responding to my comment to their online support section, in which I included a link to my blog post about mildew.  I am always impressed when a company responds personally.  I was sent an e-mail and a comment was posted to my blog post.

Dear Mr. Houghton,

Thank you for your message. I posted a reply onto your blog regarding your
post about the mildew on the rhizomes. I hope this is acceptable. It is
helpful to see the photos, but I hope that your readers do not get the wrong
impression about our company and our product.  The unusual humidity we have
been experiencing here can play havoc on living things, plants included.

Thank you for your continued patronage and we wish you an enjoyable
remainder of the summer.

Best regards,
Dyna
Schreiner's Iris Gardens
3625 Quinaby Road NE
Salem OR  97303
503-393-3232
www.schreinersgardens.com

This is good customer service, too often absent.  I did as suggested before recieving the comment.  Applying a diluted bleach solution is the iris world's equivalent of take two aspirin and call me in the morning.

I will point out that there was no mildew on any of the rhizomes received from Mid-America.  They are in the same area of Oregon, same weather.  M-A ships via three day priority mail, Schreiner's via UPS, which took a week. The cost of shipping/handling at M-A is higher.  $13.50 Schreiner's (17 rhizomes), $18.50 for M-A (12 rhizomes).

I have another shipment coming from Schreiner's from their end of season sale.  I'll keep you posted.

Schreiner's Not-So-Good Surprise

Schreiner's is the largest iris hybridizer nd grower in the country, probably the world.  Their acres and acres of iris fields are in several locations near Salem, OR. When you order from them you pay top dollar for several reason.  First, no one has a larger selection and if you are looking for a particular award winner or older introduction (they carry few historic cultivars) the usually have it. The rhizome is among the largest and highest quality available.  Their packaging is fancy with most rhizomes a full color picture label is attached.   This is my third order and I have not been disappointed until now.

The cut area, where the rhizome is separated from the parent is usually clean and sealed.  As you can see below, mildew formed on this area in many of the rhizomes in this shipment.  I met the UPS driver at the street, so if these were sitting around in some damp place it was not on my porch.  They will probably be fine, but I will let Schreiner's know.

Potted, Planted, Moved and Shipped.

Sunday was an AIS Region 2 Meeting planning committee meeting for GRIS. Cara, Judy, Wendy, Betty, Jim and I met at 6:30 PM for some final arrangement review.  On Saturday, October 19th, the Region 2 officers will meet in Rochester.  Part of that day and the evening before will include presentations by Stephanie Markham, iris hybridizer and owner of Toadland Gardens.  More information will be available soon in the Region  2 newsletter.

Before the meeting Jim brought material to pot many of the irises that remained after our sale.  He showed me how to do this and I finished them up today.  Hopefully some will grow enough for the Region 2 gathering silent auction.  Others will be wintered over for sale next year.

 

Yesterday I received my Schreiner's shipment.  17 new rhizomes to plant which got me in gear to start cleaning out and moving what's in my garden.  A strip by the sidewalk in front of the house now has a row of alternating Stella D'Oro daylilies and unnamed siderians.  The various "black" and white varieties of bearded iris are being migrated to a single bed.  My "tuxedo" bed.  Nearby the bestiary is growing.  Broken pattern iris from Kasperek are being herded together.  Elainealope, Gnus Flash, and  Bewilderbeast have joined Toucan Tango, Gnu Blues Kinkajou Shrew and Tiger Honey.

Some rhizomes were harvested to share with my friend David.  They are cleaned, trimmed, treated, packed and ready to ship to Lexington! 

AIS Awards Leaking Out

I haven't seen an official release, but grower sites and Facebook pages.

Dykes Medal 2013 (Top AIS Award)

That's All Folks - Maryott/Joseph Ghio

Wister Medal for Tall Bearded (3 awarded)

Absolute Treasure - Rick Tasco

Ink Patterns - Thomas Johnson

Elizabethan Age by Lowell Baumunk

Knowlton Medal for Border Bearded

Bundle of Love - Paul Black

 

Cook Douglas Medal for Standard Dwarf Bearded:

Wish Upon A Star - Paul Black

 

The Turkeys of Brookfield

Here they are.  Sharon's backyard family.

Nobody Does It Better Than Mid-America

Today I unpacked my Mid-America Iris Shipment.  Sorry fans, but the wild turkey video will have to wait until tomorrow.  My shipment included 12 rhizomes, one was a bonus and 2 were gifts. I have ordered from many sources, but no other source can hold a candle to the quality of rhizome that Mid-America provides, not even the big company near-by.  Schreiner's supplies a fancy label and a huge selection, but at a higher price and without the personal and responsive service.  Thomas Johnson is always responsive and his introductions and Paul Black's are superb.

Check out these rhizomes!  Every one in the orders was as large, with a beautiful root system and already showing increase.

Here are the cultivars:

Last year's Dyke's Medal Winner, 'Florentine Silk' is one their neighbor, Keith Keppel's introductions that they carry.

'Florentine Silk' (Keith Keppel, R. 2004)
Seedling 99-116A. TB, height 40" (102 cm), Mid-Late bloom season

 A bonus 2013 intro this will be a standout from Thomas Johnson.

'Beacon of Light' (T.Johnson ‘13) TB Early 34” (86cm)

 'Edge of Heaven' is a 2013 intro included as a gift.  A great compliment to 'Beacon!'

'Edge of Heaven' (T.Johnson, 2013) TB Midseason 36” (92cm)

 'Heat is On'

'After The Rain'

'Bluebeard's Ghost' is Paul Black's intro that won the Cook-Douglas Medal as the to Standard Dwarf Bearded Iris of 2012

'Bluebeard's Ghost' (Paul Black, Registered 2006)
Seedling L340A. SDB, height 14.5” (37 cm), Mid Late bloom season

 The Knowlton Medal for best IB Iris of 2012 went to Black's 'Crow's Feet.'

'Crow's Feet' (Paul Black, registered 2006). Sdlg. K187A. BB, 27" (69 cm), EM

A Wister Medal winner for 2012 is 'Gypsy Lord' from Keith Keppel.

'Gypsy Lord' (Keith Keppel, registered 2005)
Seedling 99-43T. TB, height 40" (102 cm), mid to late season bloom

 And more...

'Nickel' (Black '06) IB

'Stilettos' (T. Johnson, '09) TB
Midseason-Late 39” (99cm) Sdlg. TW3B: Ballet Royale X Corps de Ballet

Star in The Night (Black '09) IB
Midseason-Late 25” (63cm) Sdlg. O247C: Ocean Depths X Wish Upon a Star

Mid-America and David

Lots of new iris for my garden when I returned home today!  Some from my pal David 'Ping,' 'Evening Drama.' 'Peace Prayer,' and 'Ping.'  More from Mid-America tomorrow.  And a turkey movie.

'Evening Drama' (Paul Black, registered 2003). Seedling J106B. TB, height 36" (91 cm), mid bloom season

'Peace Prayer' (Thomas Johnson, R. 2005). Sdlg. T230A. TB, 36" (91 cm), M.

'Ping' (Thomas Johnson, 2013) SDB Midseason. 12” (30cm)

Leaving Pompanuck for Connecticut

More flora and fauna from Pompanuck and CT!  The water lilies were in bloom at Pompanuck,

So were the bee balm and phlox near the round house.

After a last shot of the wonderful sauna...

We drove to Connecticut to stay at Sharon's beautifully landscape hideaway in Connecticut.

After Kyle left for NYC, the turkey family showed up!