By Ginny Spoon
Many of us would love to have a fall bloom of irises like the
one in the spring; however, I find it a bit more relaxing to see them in the
autumn. In spring we seem to be always in a hurry, getting the beds weeded,
seeing visitors, going to a meeting or just having garden flower overload.
Below is photo of our garden in the spring. The beds in the foreground are the
reblooming beds and in the fall there are many of them in bloom.
Don Spoon and Perry Dyer at Winterberry Gardens in
May--photo by Ginny Spoon
In my last blog I mentioned hybridizers in the east who have
introduced varieties that rebloom well in cold climates. Sterling Innerst, a
Region 3 hybridizer who has passed away now, but left us with some beautiful
cold climate reblooming irises, is one many of us remember fondly. Some of my
favorite Innerst rebloomers include 'Again and Again', 'Lunar Whitewash', 'Twice
Delightful', 'Over and Over' and 'Colorwatch'.
'Again and
Again'--photo by Ginny Spoon
'Over and
Over'--photo by Ginny Spoon
Another eastern hybridizer from Region 3, Joan Roberts, who has
her garden in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, has also introduced some beautiful
reblooming irises. We grow many of hers, including 'Nine Eleven Remembered', 'Amazing
With Grace', and 'I Repeat'.
'Nine Eleven Remembered'--photo by Ginny Spoon
'Amazing With Grace'--photo by Ginny Spoon
One of our own Region 4 hybridizers, J. Griffin Crump, who
has his garden in Alexandria, Virginia, has introduced some reliable and lovely
cold climate reblooming irises. We grow many of his including "Stealth
Fighter', 'Haunting', and 'Autumn Nectar'.
'Stealth
Fighter'--photo by Ginny Spoon
'Autumn Nectar'--photo by Ginny Spoon
'Haunting'--photo by Ginny Spoon
Our Region 4 most remembered and beloved hybridizer and
champion for rebloom, Lloyd Zurbrigg, who is now hybridizing with the angels,
has perhaps introduced the most cold climate rebloomers. His last introduction,
'Gate of Heaven' is my favorite. 'Immortality', 'Harvest of Memories', and standard
dwarf 'Baby Blessed' are probably his most well known.
'Gate of Heaven'--photo by Ginny Spoon
'Immortality'--photo by Ginny Spoon
We are thankful to another of our Region 4 hybridizers, Mike Lockatell of Central Virginia, who saved many of Zurbrigg's seedlings. Mike has
introduced some amazing rebloomers of his own. 'Metro Blue and 'Double Dare'
are two that we grow.
'Metro Blue' (Gate of Heaven X Daughter of Stars) photo Wiki
