Tall Bearded Historic Iris "CASCADE PASS "

Returning home from Wellington and to my delight a solitary stem of the ridiculously early blooming 'Cascade Pass'. Not another bloom stalk in this garden to be seen but I did note that the are a couple in other gardens at home where the irises are starting to set bloom stalks, amazing really, we are still 9-10 weeks away from Masterton's Iris Show. Note the frost damage at the tips of the standards in the Photo.A large white iris with slight ruffling and olive veins which start on the hafts,and cascade down the falls. White tipped...

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Art and Rust

..Architecturally, Wellington, is a really interesting city. Yesterday on my way to meetings I passed the City Gallery Wellington which is currently closed due to construction of additional two new galleries and the interior upgrade of the existing structure. The new addition exterior rainscreen is a cladding of open metal webgrate . The material used is manufactured steel which has no protective coating, exposed to the elements it will of course rust, changing the initial colour from orange-brown to eventually a dark brown in colour....

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Narcissus 'Emperor's Waltz'

Narcissus 'Emperor's Waltz' A cyclamineus hybrid, 'Emperor's Waltz,' a charmer in yellow and orange, blooming just inside the gates at the Wellington Botanic Gardens. This cultivar backswept appearance of the petals are a feature. It is shorter growing and flowers before the larger cupped Daffodils. Photo Credit and Copyright Iris Hunter Click on any photo to view a larger image...

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Corylopsis spicata 'Spike Witch-Hazel'

Today at The Wellington Botanic Gardens, just one of many amazing plants in the fragrant garden, masses of hanging tassels of sweet-smelling yellow green flowers on bare branches. The Spike Witch-Hazel new leaves will be a rich purple colour, turning bluish green with maturity. The plant also puts on a Knock-out display of Red to Orange leaves come the Autumn.Truly a plant that has learnt to Multi-task. A Certainty for the"Must get list" Photo Credit & Copyright Irishunter Click on any photo to view a larger i...

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Wellington Botanic Gardens

..Sunday before lunch at the very fine 'Scopa Caffe Cucina,' we visited the very wet Wellington Botanic Garden, which had suffered from very heavy overnight rains and wind, but all the same, its a great shot of spring anticipation with the tulip beds heaving the soil in the race for Tulip Sunday (This year its 27th September).The early Magnolias took a some real punishment and lost about 40% of their bloom.An amazing display with scent included. Daphne odoraPhoto Credit & Copyright IrishunterClick on any photo to view a larger i...

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Tall Bearded Iris "HARMONICS "

Harmonics is a mid to late season flowering plicata and presents the ultimate contrast, not just the blue and white distinctive plicata pattern, but as an excellent example of the advances made in modern plicata breeding. Really good bud count on strong well branched stems, with a slight sweet scent. Pollen parent to Barry Blyth's 2000 introduction 'Painted from Memory'. The Blyth family has a long history of hybridising good quality plicata's in the blue and white colour range that quickly become classics's. 'Sapharine' another Blyth...

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New Zealand Tall Bearded Iris "ARGOSY "

Another delightful Iris from the Late Jean Stevens. This photo was taken at the garden's of, Mary Greaves the Treasurer of the Masterton Horticultural Society, who has a very fine collection of Historic Irises. Argosy, is the pod parent of the very early 'Phantom Gold', and it's later flowering sib 'Random Harvest'.Stevens Bros. Irises Catalogue 1944-45 An exceptional brilliance of colouring entitles this novelty to rank amongst the brightest Iris we grow The Standards are a pure glistening rich gold. In the falls the same gold is...

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IRIS Reticulata X IRIS Histrioides

A nice blue with just a splash of yellow Iris 'Harmony' is a very popular hybrid of Iris histrioides and Iris reticulata  It took until this afternoon to get the shot in the sun. This tiny Iris tolerates either sun or shade. Blooms late winter early spring.Only 12 cm in height with a great primrose scent. The narrow almost square spear like foliage is very unique in the iris world.Bulbs are readily available late summer from regular plant stores and Big Box hardware Chains. Planted in the Autumn, 10cm deep in...

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Tall Bearded Iris "LADY FRIEND"

A Colour sometimes described as Toasted Watermelon, Lady Friend is an Early flowering Iris carrying an abundance of bloom is a robust grower and increase is outstanding.Lady Friend is the result of Joe Ghio's long-standing and continued pursuit of the elusive Red Iris.  The evolution of the RED iris is far from complete. Becomes another reluctant iris labelled as Historic in 2010. Keith Keppel 1982 Catalog, Irises. LADY FRIEND (Ghio 1981) Indian Territory X Countryman Vigorous garnet rose self with tangerine red beards...$16.00 ...

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American Iris Society Bulletin

Last time I posted on my Blog it was July and now its August, how about that. Just where does this year think its going.The American Iris Society July bulletin arrived in the post a day or so ago, its another 130 pages of Interesting Iris information. So far this year that's 390 pages published and there is still another Bulletin to come in October. Stand out Articles within the latest BulletinPart Two of the Iris critique 'Contemporary Views by Perry Dyer 2007-2008' which is always a excellent readPat Toolan writes an interesting...

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