The decision to increase the nos of potted iris placed under cover in the polytunnel/solar tunnels has turned out to be inspired given the onset of very cold days/nights and snow showers in the Kent area this winter. The snowfalls in late November and December has taken everyone by surprise. It has been very difficult to undertake any early winter work to the iris because of the weather. The stock beds have been impossible to work and the iris in pots have often been frozen despite being under cover.
Iris of Sissinghurst specialises in growing bearded and nonbearded iris in pots and this means that the nursery can supply individual plant lovers,as well as professional gardeners/designers with a wide range of varieties throughout the year and not just in autumn when iris are traditionally provided from stock beds.
Despite the adverse weather conditions hardy iris lovers have continued to use the irises on-line facility. It has been noticeable over the last few months that despite the increasing number of new varieties available a number of the "older" varieties continue to retain commercial viability.
This is the time of year when Iris of Sissinghurst receives requests to provide presentations to garden and other local societies. Sue Marshall, the owner of Iris of Sissinghurst, has decided to extend the catchment area of these talks in 2011 to include Kent, Surrey, parts of Sussex, south Essex and south east London. The first talks of 2011 start in February and will be at Iden, near Rye.