Inspired by some of the oddball success stories of Dr. Thomas Tamberg made in Germany, I wanted to try crossing PCIs with some of the irises in my collection (I. prismatica, tridentata, versicolor, virginica, etc.). I was really lucky to visit San Francisco during the Mt. Diablo iris society show 5 years ago... and met some of the big names in PCI hybridizing. I even got to tour their gardens & seedling beds. Well 2 years ago begged some of those members for pollen. And they obliged! Sadly not a single cross was successful. I had some of the latest & greatest cultivar pollen too... bright oranges... yellows... turquoises... etc. I was soooo disappointed. So then I tried ordering some PCIs from the west coast. I thought maybe if I had a supply of fresh pollen, the crosses might work. But alas, all but one withered & died before spring time. And the remaining survivor didn't bloom, and died in summer. I've given up for now. But I'm keeping my eye on Tamberg's work, because each year more new & interesting things pop up. Dennis in Cincinnati