I have problems growing SDBs for some reason. I bought a whole lot of them one year from Mid-America and they failed to bloom or died out after a couple of years. Disappointing.

Grats on the bloom, Jan!

My problems with the SDBs are 1) fewer blooms per stalk, and 2) they get swallowed up here. I'll probably keep the ones that I have, but unless it's a special beauty and/or rebloomer, I'm not looking to acquire more of them.

I'm with you, Marilyn. I have a few tough SDBs, like Cat's Eye, that have survived for many years, but I'm not going to get any more.

I have a select few that I myself wanted. The rest were either gifted to me or...showed up...because I bought it.

The littles that have bloomed have bloomed prolifically. I love an early start to a bloom season so I like them for that. Otherwise, I am with the consensus that I prefer taller irises!

I understand wanting an earlier start to the iris season, but then you've got the IBs and early TBs for that, and those of us on the West Coast have the PCIs (which frankly, look a heck of a lot nicer during the off season than the bearded irises do, not to mention needing FAR less maintenance).

Also, if you are so inclined and in the right USDA zone, you could try the I. japonica irises, which bloom earlier than the TBs.

here's the third to bloom...with many, many ready in a day or 3!

I didn't catch the name of this one. I'll have hubs check the tab