"Russell Stafford, Odyssey Bulbs" <odysseybulbs@earthlink.net> writes: >How long have you been growing I. sari >in your sand bed, Mark? Do you >protect it from moisture at any time? I think that Jim Waddick answered the question well, and I share his findings... at least in the single year that I've grown I. sari. I received a couple "starts" late last summer, and the little hard fans of foliage are evergreen throughout the winter. The plants are unprotected from the elements, other than being situated in a raised sand bed with excellent drainage. Unlike the last 8-9 mild winters (relatively speaking) this past winter was a hard and tough one, and in spring it seemed that winter refused to go away. Being warned of the need to protect the plants from excess moisture, I was worried... but they seemed to do just fine nonetheless. For those who wish to see more fantastic Oncocyclus Iris, visit John Lonsdale's EdgewoodGardens website at: <A HREF="http://www.edgewoodgardens.net/">http://www.edgewoodgardens.net/</A> John grows these Iris outdoors like weeds, along with a dazzling array of Junos. From his photo gallery, I see two color forms of I. sari, the second color form being a darker purple and yellow form. It's amazing to see a garden where spontaneous Juno Irises come up like cress. John... care to add anything on how you grow your "oncos"? Mark McDonough Pepperell, Massachusetts, United States antennaria@aol.com "New England" USDA Zone 5 ============================================== >> web site under construction - http://www.plantbuzz.com/ << alliums, bulbs, penstemons, hardy hibiscus, western american alpines, iris, plants of all types!