Tall Bearded Iris "PRETTYFIELD "

This Tall Bearded Iris is a treasure to grow and is unusual in that at a distance it looks just like just another White Iris only to reveal its sophisticated semi-flaring subtle blue falls and clear bright white standards to the viewer once they get a little closer.A truly first class Iris from the late Paul Cook and a must have for Iris growers with good taste.Pollen Fertile.
I have an strong interest in Irises that have 'Progenitor' in their parentage, which is a cross between a yellow form of I.reichenbachii and Shinning Waters which was used a lot in Paul Cooks blue amoena introductions .I find equality fascinating, Joe Ghio's use of I.balkana which appears in the parentage of 'Prophecy' (A previous post) .W.R Dykes considered balkana to be a brown purple form of I.reichenbachii .(Handbook of Garden Irises W.R.Dykes 1924)

Schreiners Iris Lovers Catalog 1964
PRETTYFIELD (P. Cook, 1959) ML 36"
A pale amoena with absolute immaculate white standards and falls of increasing shades of blue, from the lightest tints and hues at the center of the flower to deeper blue at the edges of the petals. Enchanting HM 59.

Picture courtesy Cooleys Gardens Catalog 1965

Cooleys Gardens Catalog 1965
PRETTYFIELD (P. Cook, 1959)
Clean white standards: White falls delicately blended or flushed clear blue around the outer margins. The beard is a bright yellow. This may sound like a familiar blue plicata pattern but it is a decidedly different type. Large flower; 36' stems. HM AIS 1959

AIS Checklist 1959
PRETTYFIELD (P. Cook, R. 1958). Sdlg. 11655. TB 38" M. W4. S. white; F. pale bluish violet to light violet at margin. Cahokia X sdlg. 3550., Cook 1959. HM 1959.
Note; Seedling 3550 is (blue sdlg. x (Progenitor x Shining Waters))

As always clicking on the above image will take you to the larger, higher resolution version.
Photo credit and copyright Iris Hunter.