Perhaps, I believe that parts of England can have rainfall as low as 10 inches per year in a dry year. The rainfall in the British Isles is very unpredictable, and very varied, -as I often try to explain. Sometimes I send seed of some unguicularis to the British Iris Society seed exchange, -Walter Butt (self pollinated) has been among them a few times. As I have missed the deadline for the BIS seed exchange this year, I may send some to the PBS if I managed to save any...and can find them. Peter (UK) On Mon, Dec 3, 2012 at 11:05 PM, Jane McGary <janemcgary@earthlink.net>wrote: > Iris unguicularis is starting to flower here in Portland, Oregon as > well, though the rain is spoiling the blooms. > > Peter Taggart wrote > > >Mary Barnard is about the toughest variant I have grown, Walter Butt is > >difficult to establish. > > I don't have 'Mary Barnard' but would like to get it. I've had > 'Walter Butt' for about 15 years and find it very easy to grow here. > >