A Newbie's Perspective

I am a proud member of the America Iris Society (AIS) and its local affiliate the Greater Rochester Iris Society (GRIS).  It's a great place to meet folks who have been gardening, and especially growing iris, for a much time than I have.  Since I am a gardening newbie that's not a long time, but many of these folks have been at for years and years.  Many for a lifetime.

When I come to meetings I love to share my enthusiasm, the way I use technology to advance my skills and share the new things I have discovered.  More often than not they already knew what I just discovered for many years, but members graciously share in my enthusiam and celebrate with me even if in their heart of hearts they are saying, in good Southern style, "Well bless his heart." I'm OK with that!  I get to be excited and they share their vast knowledge with me.

In case anyone thinks I don't know I'm an upstart, I hope this will dispel that!

But it's all about sharing: Talking AND listening.

At our most recent meeting I shared some of my blogging experience and a blog that I set up for GRIS (rochesteriris.blogspot.com).

In return I got gifts and answers.  Wendy, one of the real experts and an AIS judge, shared a potted MDB, "Navy Flirt" with everyone there.  I also won a door prize, the Siberian iris, "King of Kings."

'King of Kings' Varner, 1982 (SIB 32" Mid-Late Bloom Season)

I'd share a picture of 'Navy Flirt' but despite search several sources with the group we could find none.  Click HERE to see what the AIS Wiki has to say about Navy Flirt the iris.  This is another type of Navy flirt that we did find:

Wendy also answered a question to which I have never gotten a definitive answer before!  "Is the MDB a median iris."  As one might logically conclude, the answer is "no."  To be in the middle something has to be between something.  In the iris world that means between SDB and TB.

Come join us at our next meeting on October 13th at the Cornell Cooperative Extension across from the Highland Park lilac display area to learn with me!