(updated 09/2007)
Display Gardens
One of the best ways to learn more about Japanese irises is to visit gardens which have a good assortment of cultivars. The Society of Japanese Irises has a network of display gardens whose owners are willing to have them open to the public during the bloom season. Most owners are also willing to explain how to grow them well and a few may even show you some of their hybrids which are being evaluated for introduction. When visiting a display garden it is important to remember that you are a guest and that you should be considerate and follow the guidelines below.
(1) Always make advance arrangements for your visit via letter, phone or e-mail.
(2) Keep to your arrangement or, if not possible, let the owner of your change in plans.
(3) Use public facilities before you arrive at the garden. It is the garden which is on display, not the owner's private home.
(4) Small children and pets are not encouraged; if it is necessary to bring them along, be sure to keep them under control at all times.
(5) Do not pick flowers, even those which have gone by (they might represent a desired cross); also, resist the temptation to pull "weeds".
(6) Most hosts will welcome your questions but remember that their time may be limited so don't prolong conversation if they start to fidget.
To join the growing list of Display Gardens, Click Here
California
Vicki Dudley
17285 Tamara Lane
Watsonville, CA 95076
831-663-2036
early May (50+); all types of irises, roses, orchids
Edwin and Elyse Hill
4613 Maddocks Rd
Sebastopol, CA 95472-9786
707-823-1502
May (50); daylilies, fruit trees
Delaware
Theresa Jewell
310 Lloyd Guessford Rd
Townsend, DE 19734
302-378-3523
June (90); tall bearded and most other types of irises, a variety of other perennials and flowering shrubs
Georgia
Joe and Janet Watson
116 Watson Reynolds Rd NE
Milledgeville, GA 31061
478-452-8916
azaleas, camellias, daylilies, crepe myrtle, tall bearded and other irises
Maine
Eartheart Gardens (Sharon Whitney)
1709 Harpswell Neck Road
Harpswell, ME 04079-3303
207-833-6905
early-mid July (200); hyb, sales; Siberian irises, all types of plants PHOTOGRAPH
John White
193 Jackson Hill Rd
Minot, ME 04258-4413
207-345-9532
late June-July (1000); hyb, sales; Siberian irises, versatas, pacific coast irises.
Maryland
Sans Souci Nursery (Bruce Hornstein)
3819 Beatty Road
Monkton, MD 21111
410-557-0250
mid-late June; sales; all types of irises.
Draycott Gardens (Carol Warner)
16815 Falls Road
Upperco, MD 21155
410-374-4788
mid June-early July (300); hyb, sales; Siberian irises, peonies, rhododendrons, daffodils, rock garden plants, general perennials
R. Dennis Hager
373 Cypress St, PO Box 390
Millington, MD 21651
410-928-3147
mid June (100+); hyb; Siberian, species and bearded irises, daylilies, hostas, bamboos, hellebores, magnolias, azaleas PHOTOGRAPH
Massachusetts
Dick Jarzobski
17 Chestnut St
West Newbury, MA 01985
978-363-2282
late June-early July (185); sales; Japanese peonies, daylilies, woody ornamentals.
Hermit Medlars Walk (Bill and Ada Godfrey)
3 Pierce Street (Rte 140)
Foxborough, MA 02035
508-543-2711
mid-late June (50); hyb, sales; all irises, esp. MDB's and SDB's.
Michigan
Ensata Gardens (John Coble and Bob Bauer)
9823 E. Michigan Ave.
Galesburg, MI 49053
269-665-7500
late June (450); hyb, sales; Siberian Irises, Hosta collection, daylilies.
Jim and Jill Copeland
78118 M-40
Lawton, MI 49065
269-624-1968
late June-July (200); hyb; heaths, heathers, trees
Missouri
Don and Sue Delmez
3240 Connecticut Ave.
St. Charles, MO 63301
636-685-5860
early-mid June (250)
hyb, sales; general perennials
New Jersey
Presby Memorial Iris Garden
474 Upper Mountain Ave
Montclair, NJ 07043; 973-783-5974
late June-mid July (40); tall bearded, median, Siberian and Louisiana irises
New York
Alice D. Belling
7414 Raiber Road
Holland, NY 14080
716-537-2798
July (75); sales; Siberians, MDB's and SDB's, daylilies, Phlox, Hibiscus
South Carolina
Shirley Paquet
857 Circle H Woods Rd
Prosperity, SC 29127-8998
803-364-2724
early June (100); sales; species and Louisiana irises
Paul Smith
711 Santa Fe Trail
Sumter, SC 29154
803-494-8442 wpsmith711@earthlink.net 25 named cultivars, sells.
Mary 21 to June 5
Tennessee
Iris City Gardens (Greg and Macey McCullough)
7675 Younger Creek Rd
Primm Springs, TN 38476; 615-799-2179
early June (160); sales; all irises, especially beardless
Vermont
Poker Hill Gardens (Phil Cook)
49 Bill Cook Rd
Underhill, VT 05489
802-899-9928
late June-mid July (300); hyb, sales; Siberian and other beardless irises, MDBs, woodland perennials, rock garden
Virginia
Nicholls Gardens (Michael and Diana Nicholls)
4724 Angus Drive
Gainesville, VA 22065
703-754-9623
mid June (75); hyb, sales; all types of irises, daylilies, woody ornamentals
Bill and Ja Niece Mull
7112 Fox's Lair Ct
Norfolk, VA 23518-4435
757-858-8085
late May-early June (200); hyb, sales; bearded irises (1700!), daylilies (900!)
Washington
Mt. Pleasant Iris Farm (Chad Harris)
PO Box 346
Washougal, WA 98671-0346
360-835-1016
mid-late June (100); hyb, sales; Iris species, water gardening.
Aitken's Salmon Creek Garden (Terry and Barbara Aitken)
608 NW 119th St
Vancouver, WA, 98685-3802
360-573-4472
mid-late June (200); hyb, sales; all types of irises, orchids
Belgium
Willie and Jeannine Hublau
Steenweg Op Borgloon 37A
3830 Wellen
BELGIUM; 012-74-55-21
mid June-mid July (350); hyb; daffodils, Hosta, daylilies, peonies, poppies, rock garden plants.