Organizations:

The Sydney B. Mitchell Iris Society is affiliated with the American Iris Society and located in AIS Region 14. All meetings and events are open and free to the public. Membership: $10 per year per household.

SBMIS Newsletter Archive: January 2012, October 2011, September 2011, August 2011, July 2011, June 2011, May 2011, April 2011, March 2011, February 2011, January 2011, October 2010, September 2010, August 2010, July 2010, June 2010, May 2010, April 2010, March 2010, February 2010, January 2010, May 2009, April 2009, March 2009, February 2009, January 2009, October 2008, September 2008, August 2008, July 2008, June 2008, May 2008, April 2008, March 2008, February 2008, January 2008, October 2007, September 2007, August 2007, July 2007

American Iris Society: this national website includes information on growing, awards, photos and many, many links to other societies and growers
http://irises.org

AIS Region 14-Northern California, Nevada and Hawaii: this website includes photo contest rules and winning photos, as well as more complete contact and event info for other societies in the region:
http://www.aisregion14.org/

Other Bay Area Iris Societies:

Clara B. Rees Iris Society
meets in Los Gatos
(408) 830-9861

Mt. Diablo Iris Society
meets in Walnut Creek
contact: jrciris[at]aol[dot]com

Westbay Iris Society
meets in Los Altos
http://www.irisinapril.com
(408) 241-9249



Obtaining Iris:

Local Iris Societies usually hold sales of rhizomes and potted plants. It's a good way to get an inexpensive start. Watch for sales of potted bearded iris at shows in spring; bare rhizome sales start in late July; beardless sales in early fall. Watch your paper or the Region 14 website for details.

Region 14 Commercial Growers: You can order bearded iris from commercial growers spring through summer, for rhizome delivery in summer or early fall. These growers (and hybridizers) have photos and lists on the web, and many welcome garden visits in the spring. (For street addresses and growers without websites go to the region 14 site.)

BlueBird Haven Iris Garden (Somerset)
http://www.bluebirdhavenirisgarden.com
(mostly historic; descriptions and many pictures)

Cadd's Beehive Iris Garden (Healdsburg)
caddsiris@comcast.net

My Wild Iris Rows (Santa Rosa)
http://www.mywildirisrows.com/

Napa Country Iris Gardens (near Lake Berryessa)
http://www.napairis.com/

Nola's Iris Garden (San Jose)
http://www.walking-p-bar.com/shopsite/

Pleasants Valley Iris Farm (Vacaville)
http://www.irisfarmer.com/

Superstition Iris Gardens (on the way to Yosemite)
http://community.webshots.com/user/rickt103
(pictures only; you will need to write for a catalog)

Sutton's Iris Gardens (Porterville)
http://www.suttoniris.com/

 

Other interesting links to get you started:

 

The Iris Forum: an online gardener's discussion board:
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/iris/

Historic Iris Preservation Society: explore and conserve historic cultivars; nice photos
http://www.hips-roots.com/

Some very interesting information on iris history and genetics:
http://aleph0.clarku.edu/~djoyce/iris/

 

 

 

 

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