Champange Elegance Reblooming in the Autumn Mist

..This season Champagne Elegance has rebloomed again for us and this year and has up to 8 bloom stalks at any one time. Bloom started from 3rd week in January till now and it still does not look like giving up.I took these photos in this morning's mist which shows the trees changing to Autumn colouring's and its a good feeling to still see a Tall Bearded Iris blooming at this late stage of our Iris season. Our regular bloom season in New Zealand for Tall bearded Iris is Mid October through to the end of NovemberThis iris is available...

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Blotanical Garden blog Directory

..Blotanical is without a doubt a fantastic large directory of Garden Blogs all in one place. If you haven't already, give it a visit, but only if you have plenty of time to spare. Just click on the Blotanical Side Bar Button featured on this page.Enjoy!!!***...

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New Zealand Tall Bearded Iris 'MAGNOLIA'

We have 16 clumps of the heirloom iris 'Magnolia' in one garden bed at home, which indicates the high regard I have for this iris and it's magnificent display. A high health, and vigorous grower and I always have requests for plants from people who visit the garden. Magnolia as most will know is the pod parent of Jean's most famous introduction "Pinnacle". In the year 1950, D'Arcy Blackburn, a Gisborne commercial grower of Irises, and a founding member of the NZIS, had this to say about Magnolia. "In the creams, although there are...

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Tall Bearded Iris 'BAYBERRY CANDLE'

Above Photo of 'Bayberry Candle' was taken in the gardens at “Beccles,” Bulls, New Zealand, which is one of New Zealand’s early historic Iris Gardens. We do grow this iris in our collection and I consider it to be one of the great classics in Iris breeding and has to date no counterpart in colouration, it's a reasonably recent newcomer to the historic Iris catalogue. The iris is grown commercially in New Zealand and can be purchased by discerning gardeners from Amazing Iris Garden, Katikati.(see New Zealand Iris Growers Link above) ...

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Tall Bearded Iris 'MAPLE TREAT'

Photographed growing at home and it sure is a beautiful Iris when it blooms. Not well known as it is a slow increase for me,and most New Zealand commercial grower's did not sell it, the grower I purchased it from has closed his business,but if you can find someone who is selling it I recommend that you buy it, in my opinion it is justly named "Maple Treat". Waimate Iris Garden, Waimate, South Canterbury. Final Catalogue 2007. MAPLE TREAT Opal Brown,1995. Rich medium brown. Short supply again. Cayeux, La  Carcaudière,...

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Tomorrows Post

..Make sure you get yourself back here tomorrow for pictures of MAPLE TREAT a modern tall bearded Iris ***** ...

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Tall Bearded Iris 'WINSTON CHURCHILL'

Another Jean Stevens iris growing at home.This is a strong and vigorous plant which shows strong Purple bottom foliage. As the rules of the AIS checklist requires that should a Iris be named after a living person written permission from the person concerned is required. Jean duly wrote to Winston Churchill seeking his permission to name this iris after him, and received a letter back from the Prime Ministers Private secretary on behalf of Winston Churchill giving permission to do so. The reader...

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Tall Bearded Iris 'TRIBAL TORCH '

TRIBAL TORCH flowered for me last season and intrigues me no end. First, the very involved Parentage and it's genetic code is made up from some very good irises. Frank Hutchings used a lot of Jean Stevens varieties in his breeding program, so as you can see below 'Pinnacle' is in the parentage of 'Tribal Torch' 5 times and then there is also an appearance of 'Finest Hour'. Undoubtedly ahead of its time with its variegata colouration and it's now referred to broken colour splashes on the standards. Secondly, concerning...

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Tall Bearded Iris 'EDENITE'

This great flowering Red Black iris grows in a large clump at home and puts on an amazing early display. Vigorous growth with clean light green foliage. Blooms are a super smooth deep red-maroon black, velvety, a true self and are the epitome of elegance. Large and rounded full form. Not commonly sold commercially in New Zealand. It was originally sold to me labeled as "Black Swan", but that label was put to rest the day it first flowered. Eden Road Iris Garden, Wenatchee, Washington. 1959 introductions. EDENITE--- EM. 30 in.(...

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Historic Tall Bearded Iris 'DUKE OF BEDFORD'

..The DUKE OF BEDFORD raised by Arthur Bliss 1922 is an amazing Iris to view.Good increase, handles the weather well, and has many hues of purple depending on the time of day and the position of the sun.The Picture is taken at a vineyard just down the road from home and is growing in a position where it gets the full force of the southerly winds,its roots are in poor soil with not much moisture just a little shade from the shelter belt that it is growing under yet every year puts on an amazing display of bloom.DOB is seen blooming a...

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Hi, Hello, and How are You Today

..First blog postI have set up this blog to help promote Historic Irises in New Zealand without the baggage of belonging to a New Zealand Iris Society.I will be closing my Yahoo NZHISTORICIRIS Site as I consider this to be a better formatI will try and post weekly with interesting stories of Irises growing in great Gardens in New Zealand.I collect the irises of Jean Stevens of which I grow about 35 different varieties of her introductions plus about 25 Irises that have yet to have their ID confirmed but I consider to be from the JS breeding lines.For more information on Jean go to Dictionary of New ZealandI Consider Jean...

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