Saturday, September 26, 2009

Barry Blyths 2009-2010 Iris Introductions





Just updated Tempo Two Web Site, with 42 Magnificent New Introductions for 2009-2010 Season portrayed as a slide show. Great eye candy!!!!
An interesting note on the Welcome page states they are in their 13th Year of Drought or Below average rainfall in Southern Victoria, Tall Bearded Irises just loving these conditions.
Barry Blyth is without doubt one of the world's great Iris hybridisers and its always good to see his Iris breeding kaleidescope and a new vision each year.

Click on the web page above to visit or go to http://www.tempotwo.com.au/Tempo_Two/Welcome.html
Big hat tip to Barry and Lesley

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Thursday, September 24, 2009

'Amazing Iris Garden' is at the 'Kumeu Just Gardening Show'

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Wendy Begbie and her team from the Amazing Iris Garden will be at the 'Just Gardening' show at Kumeu, this Saturday!!!! Lots of Quality Bearded Irises in pots for sale.
Saturday 26th September 9am – 5pm. Kumeu Show Grounds, Access Road, Kumeu. Plants delivered to your car!

This promises to be another huge success. Wendy also has a new web site which is pictured above (Click for link). A Gardening delight, not to be missed.

Click on the link below for map and directions












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Wednesday, September 23, 2009

A Short Story




In the afternoon sun today, the little Standard Dwarf Bearded Iris "Tonya" giving its all. Reports from up North (Auckalofa) are that the Iris season is early and off to a good start. Massey University in Palmerston North, today have some of their Tall Bearded Iris blooming possibly 'Magnolia'

The question to be asked is 'will this season be over before November starts ??'
No fluorescent lighting was used in the production of these photos.
Photo credit and copyright Iris Hunter


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Friday, September 18, 2009

Tall Bearded Iris Society is on Facebook

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I was wondering just how long it would take before any Iris Society would embrace Facebook for promotion of membership, well it has happened!!!!
The Tall bearded Iris Society to help with the promotion are "Giving away Plants" and get this "Giving away free membership" using a competition format of 'guess the Iris name' . They have sponsorship from some forward thinking Commercial Gardens who are supplying plants and or underwriting the membership fees. With 390 fans on the site within 8 weeks and growing that's more than some Iris Societies total membership. What will Morph on this site when the membership campaign is complete will be interesting for sure.

It would wise to bookmark the site as more membership packages will be given away soon.
One day perhaps a new media person might put up the membership of an Iris Society on E-Bay or Trade-me and sell it with a free Iris or vice versa. Cost to promote your Iris Society a few cents, the reach, depending on where you are, but could be millions of internet users, some of them potentially new members. (Not a decision that will be made by a consultative committee you can bet.)

Well done, 'Tall Bearded Iris Society' and to the supporting commercial growers for thinking outside the square
and embracing E media.
A big hat tip to you all.


Link http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tall-Bearded-Iris-Society/109139029402?ref=mf or click on web page image above

16/10/09 It has since been brought to my attention that the American Iris Society is also on Facebook but with only one message on the wall posted 29th July 2009 and 5 fans at time of writing it is somewhat insignificant and dated when compared with '
The Tall bearded Iris Society' effort.
But just in case you think I am in denial you can check out this
Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-American-Iris-Society/135392085179?v=wall




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Sunday, September 13, 2009

W R Dykes, Tulips

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Form of Orphanidea Boiss.Tulip #45 Pl. IX



William R Dykes, one of thee great giants of the Iris world also bred tulips and his book 'Notes on Tulip Species' is still widely referenced. I came across this book whilst researching Irises.
Published after his death in 1930. Illustrated and Edited by his wife E. Katherine Dykes, with the introduction by Sir A. Daniel Hall.
This rare book is held at the National Library of New Zealand and is well worth the trip to Wellington to view the incredibly brilliant Illustrations like the one displayed above.





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Wellington Botanic Gardens Tulips

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Last time we visited the Botanic Gardens in Wellington it was a grey and overcast day about 4 weeks ago. Just the same this Saturday but with rain .(It was hard to keep the rain off the camera lens ) 'Tulip Sunday' at the gardens this year is 27th September which is another two Sundays away and as you can see there will be a powerful amount of finger crossing to keep some of the display beds at peak.






Buds galore give such an amazing display of form







Photo credit and copyright Iris Hunter



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Friday, September 11, 2009

New Zealand Tall Bearded Iris "RADIANT DAY"




Another photo taken in the interesting historic Iris collection of Mrs Mary Greaves in Masterton. It is the Jean Stevens Iris that I am looking forward to seeing flowering again this season. I have always considered this to be one of the Neon Sign's for Jeans breeding and the reference in her hand written notes of 'Very Brilliant' could also apply to the hybridiser herself. Its from a 1936 Carl Salbach Iris 'Radiant' with its standards of golden bronze and falls of velvety brick red, and was crossed with the 1939 copper apricot self of 'May Day' by David Hall hence the name 'Radiant Day'. Growing this iris in front the dark green leaves of camellias would make for an amazing colour contrast.

Stevens Bros Wanganui, Irises Catalogue 1946-47
RADIANT DAY (reg. 46) 1 /S41. Radiant X May Day  Each year sees the Bearded Iris gain an added brilliance as the brighter notes of nature's colour box yields to the breeder's assault. Here we have an iris that is almost gaudy - standards of bright apricot gold, and falls of orangey-copper-red, brilliant as some tropic bird. Fair substance and very free flowering. 3’6”

D'Arcy Blackburn's Catalogue 1953-54
Radiant Day (Stevens) A brilliant colouring with standards of apricot gold and falls of orangey copper red this iris has fair substance and is wonderfully free flowering

2011 New Zealand Hybridisers Cumulative Checklist
RADIANT DAY Mrs J. Stevens, Reg., 1946. Sdlg. 1/S41. TB, 42″, L, Y9M.S. Apricot gold. F. Red, copper, orange, with orange beard. Very brilliant. 3½ft.; Description J Stevens Studbook notes,‘1944 blooming’; Each year see's the Bearded Iris gain an added brilliance as the brighter notes of nature's colour box yields to the breeder's assault. Here we have an iris that is almost gaudy - standards of bright apricot gold, and falls of orangey-copper-red, brilliant as some tropic bird. Fair substance and very free flowering. 3½ft.; Description Stevens Bros 1957-58.Radiant X May Day. 'Novelties' Stevens Bros 1946-47

Photo credit and copyright Iris Hunter

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Sunday, September 6, 2009

Tall Bearded Iris "DARKSIDE"




The great thing about Bearded Irises is that just about anyone can grow them, so for the new and even the more accomplished Iris Growers, 'Darkside' is a 'must have' and is generally sold for very reasonable prices. My recommendation is at the very least, to put this Reblooming Iris on your wish list.
The large silky rich and ruffled dark purple black blooms with purple ebony beard, has a distinct purple base to the leaves.(PBF). A vigorous and utterly reliable garden iris which excels in full sun. Whilst the photo below is not great,In fact its a bloody shocker, and will post a better shot this bloom season (see above)  it does show why this iris has a prominent planting in our gardens, and for at least three weeks it is one of the best knockout clumps. Yes that Progenitor of the great Schreiner Blacks, 'Black Forest' is in the back ground pedigree on the Pod side and amazingly Jean Stevens' introduction 'Black Belle' is in the pollen side a few generations back.




CONTEMPORARY VIEWS, Perry Dyer– 1988
The SUN BELT AWARD, given to the Best Proven Variety (i.e., one that has been on the market at least 4 years; this year’s winner had to have been released prior to 1986): DARKSIDE (Schreiner 1985). A great, quality complement to the Contemporary Award winner, ‘Silverado’, this is the ultimate in a very advanced line of Schreiner irises that consistently have choice progeny. Even in the Blanchard garden, where Miss Kitty had salvaged what was left of the June flood last year and replanted as late as November, ‘Darkside’ produced tall, well branched stalks this spring. Broad, blocky flowers are purest deep violet (approaching black) with light to moderate ruffling and a silk sheen. The overall form is even better than the very fine ‘Titan’s Glory’ (Schreiner) or ‘Dusky Challenger’ (Schreiner). Exceptionally vigorous, a consistent bloomer (obviously, if it bloomed in Blanchard this year!), and strong, telephone pole stalks that will not fall over in Okie winds, even with 3 or 4 of its large blossoms open. It makes for a good garden iris in the clump, too, as the 3 to 4 branches are modified candelabra. What is most impressive is that, even though the flowers are huge, it has backup buds that open in a proportionate size and with good bloom sequence.

AIS 1989 Checklist
DARKSIDE (Schreiner’s, R. 1985). Sdlg. R 114-A. TB 34" (86 cm) ML. Ruffled rich dark purple black; purple ebony beard. J 969-A: ((Night Song x A 588-A) x (Y 1608 x Matinata)) X Titan’s Glory., Schreiner’s 1985.) Honourable Mention 1987 Award of Merit 1991

Available in New Zealand from Julie May at The Iris Gardens Christchurch, and from Wendy Begbie at the Amazing Iris Garden

Photo credit and copyright Iris Hunter

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