What's happening

Whoopsidaisy   (Description)



Nightmare   (Description)



Butter Please  (Description)



Dat's Da One  (Description)

Dark Watch   (Description)

Dear Iris Friends,

It is always my pleasure to write this column each year to you, our customers and friends. 2009 was what we call an average year. Considering the economy, it was very good. We are changing several things this year and we hope you will bear with us, as we try to install these changes.

First, as such, we will no longer print a color catalog. We have agonized over this for 2 years. We do have a backup plan for those of you who do not have a computer, or just want a paper copy catalog. We will print you a color copy of our tall bearded part of the website and mail it to you for $5.00. All customers that are on our mailing list will receive a special card that is good for a free $5.00 iris of your choice with your 2010 iris order. This should make up for any paid catalog requests from the past 2 years.

Now for more exciting news. We will ramp up our website to as near perfection as possible. Many new irises will be listed and prices will be very competitive, with many being lowered. We may not have shopping cart immediately, but it is coming.   (Update:  Our Shopping Cart is ready.)

2009 was another banner year for Jim. Nightmare, Jim’s iris, won first place in the Loomis Test Gardens in Colorado Springs. This comes after Nightmare also won Best Early Blooming Variety in Florence, Italy in 2008. As if this wasn’t enough, Jim also won 2nd place in Loomis with Butter Please, 3rd place with Dats’ Da One, and tied for 4th place with Dark Watch. Finally, to top off a superb year, Jim won the President’s Cup at the AIS Kansas City convention with his border bearded iris, Whoopsidaisy, in May.

2010 marks a truly remarkable year in our iris lives. We are celebrating our 30th anniversary in business. I want to give special recognition to my wife, Lamoyne. 2010 will also mark our 20th year of marriage. Without Lamoyne, our business would not be possible. She is truly my business partner. One of the sayings I have often heard in hybridizing circles is that you aren’t a hybridizer until you have been breeding irises for 30 years. I made it. Now can I be classified as a true hybridizer? I also have to note, Lamoyne is introducing her 3rd iris this year.

I can’t close without mentioning our spuria efforts. We will still publish a color spuria catalog . Our spuria seedlings show superb promise and many are in the final stages of introduction. I want to mention how proud I was to learn that AIS had voted the Hybridizer’s Medal to Charlie Jenkins for his work in spurias. BRAVO!! This was truly a well deserved accolade.

I am at present, serving as vice president of both the spuria and reblooming iris societies. I  also have signed on as vice president of the Kansas City Iris Society. I hope you will take a look at these wonderful societies and consider joining any or all of these groups.

We feel so blessed to have each and everyone of you that reads this message as an iris friend or customer. God bless you and your gardens and God Bless America.

Respectfully,
Jim & Lamoyne Hedgecock