Pacific Coast Iris

Fashions in Iris breeding and the end result, the blossom's are constantly changing. Pacific Coast Irises are little known Irises,outside Iris circles. Flowering well ahead of the Tall Bearded Irises,the evergreen, tough plants, and could become a landscape designers dream plant should they ever become available commercially.Paid a visit to a good friend and Iris colleague Gareth Winters and his fantastic collection of Pacific Coast Iris seedling, mostly all his own crosses. Totally amazing how these Irises have advanced in...

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Freesia alba Burtonii

Freesia alba Burtonii Iridaceae This plant is a New Zealand classic garden icon, blooms with an amazing perfume that for me heralds the start of spring. It is a sport of Freesia refracta alba, is much improved and is a very fragrant white flower of outstanding quality and size. A bulb flower that is almost a pure creamy-white with yellow lower lip which is quite free from outer purple markings, and is twice the size of Freesia refracta alba. It appeared by chance in the private Nelson gardens of Mrs Burton in the 1930's and the...

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New Zealand Native "Clematis paniculata"

New Zealand Native Clematis paniculata (syn. C. indivisa) Our beautiful native Clematis which the Maoris call 'puawhananga' apparently meaning the 'The Sacred Flower' is a stand out spring feature dotted on the Hills of Bush I drive over each day on my journey to work. The starry white, lightly scented blossoms that herald the Spring, are up to four inches across, and on mass in the native bush look like small patches of snow on the tops of trees. All of the nine species of Clematis native to New Zealand are evergreen, and of these...

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Tall Bearded Iris 'PROUD TRADITION'

'Proud Tradition' is in my opinion the best 'Neglecta' when it comes to the "classic modern form". It has wide and lightly ruffled deep Hyacinth blue falls with light blue standards which are displayed on fine stems that yield eight to ten buds. Matching blue beards that are lightly tipped yellow, which contribute to the overall good effect. Better than great health, with average vigour and increase. A respected variety that has a prominent place growing in our garden at home. CONTEMPORARY VIEWS Perry Dyer —1994/1995The SUN BELT...

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Heirloom Tall Bearded Iris "CATERINA"

Perhaps one of my great finds in New Zealand this year is an Heirloom Iris of significant historical importance growing in an Auckland garden. Sir Michael Foster is justly looked up to as the pioneer and founder of the modern cult and cultivation of the Iris, and in 1888 he crossed I. pallida with I. cypriana, both of these irises at the time being considered collected wild species. The result, a selected seedling 'Caterina' (named after the Queen of Cyprus) was introduced. It was one of the first tetraploid hybrids, and proved to...

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Tall Bearded Iris 'TOUCH OF MAHOGANY'

Barry Blyth's, 'Touch of Mahogany' is a totally different look with its varying tones of russets, browns, and ruby red burgundy. Ruffling in the falls inherited no doubt from its very famous brown pollen parent 'Copatonic'. Certainly a surprise I like!!! Tempo Two Catalogue 2005-2006 Touch of Mahogany Blyth 99 ML 36" Standards are coffee-brown with slight gold infusion. Falls coffee-brown overlaid soft lavender with striking burgundy hafts rouged down each side of the old gold beards setting the whole flower alive. Good branching,...

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Tall Bearded Iris 'BREAKERS'

A delightful self of medium-blue colour 'Breakers' flowers on well-branched stems. Blooms late spring and sometimes early autumn. For me the rebloom is a intermittent bonus, but should not be relied on, but that aside its still one of our favorite blue irises. Generally speaking 'Breakers' was readily available a few years ago from a lot of commercial growers but for the life of me I cannot find a listing with a grower in New Zealand that I can recommend. Not sure why this is as it is a very good grower.  Schreiner's, Salem,Oregon,...

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Tall Bearded Iris "ORANGE EMPIRE"

'Orange Empire' is one of the great orange Irises from the 70's which was widely used as a parent in the 80's. Thirty seven years have past since its registration date and its still an amazing looker.This variety is fertile both ways. The Maerz and Paul, Dictionary of Color, 1st edition colour determination of Saturn Red is a bang on description for this iris beard colour. Was not what I had imagined the colour to be, but thanks to colour charts and hybridisers references to colour names in the checklist all helps a lot.'Cross...

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Tall Bearded Iris 'CARNIVAL TIME'

A well named solid performer from Schreiners that is a welcome sight in the garden. Brown toned Irises otherwise known as blends can be susceptible to regional difference when it comes to colour tone and difference in colour can be due to mineral content in the soil. 'Carnival Time' is a 34 year old veteran yet its form is current. Fertile both ways. Schreiner's Iris Lovers Catalog 1982  CARNIVAL TIME (Schreiner 1976) E.36" This buoyantly rich shaded blend presents a pageant of color. It's animated rich shade of burnt sugar...

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iRis on iPad

Today there is a new species in the Iris world I.pad which iPredict will have a major effect the way we view the iRis world digitally. The Apple iPad has been launched today and you may ask what does that have to do with Heritage Irises, Well we are already on it, Blogger as a platform works particularly well on Apple Safari so we are off to a good start.Marketed as a device for watching video, listening to music, surfing the web and playing games, as well as an e-reader for books, magazines and newspapers.Some Iris Societies web...

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Tall Bearded Iris "SILVERADO"

'Silverado' winner of the Dykes Medal in 1994, grows in a clump of three in the garden is one of the best if not 'thee best' in a cool silvery blue colour tone . It has strong, clean and vigorous foliage.The stalks are thick and strong to support the weight of the large flowers and it form is faultless. Colour tone sometime described as crystalline silvery white with self beards tipped yellow in the heart. Good branching. Still widely catalogued internationally and still sold by the originator Schreiners some 24 years after its registration.Tempo...

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Irises "Live at the Forum"

..There is a new kid on the block in the Iris forum segment on the internet. Founded by Polly Kinsman of Siberian Iris Gardens and Dee Stewart of Snowpeak Iris. "It's in the beginning stages, but what we are attempting to create is a forum where iris lovers can go to chat, and learn, similar to Dave's Garden, but with no charge for membership. It is on the new website Cubits, and is simply named 'Irises', Polly says. "We currently have over 100 members and are growing every day, and it is our hopes to have not only forums to discuss...

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Tall Bearded Historic Iris "GAY LIGHTS"

Gay Lights is an Iris that is reported to be uncommon in the Country of its registration (USA) yet this outstanding reverse bi tone, which is an unusual color tone is still available from three small commercial Iris growers in New Zealand who generally seem to be the home for back catalogue Irises (Long may they exist). This iris grows well in our garden, strong growth with good increase, blooming in a bed amongst the older browns like 'Inca Chief' and 'Frontier Marshall'. Can't say I liked it at first but growing with the...

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Tall Bearded Iris "LOCAL COLOR"

Fantastic increase and always gives that little bit extra by been a consistent bloomer over a long period.' Local Color', has as its pollen parent the mysterious and aptly named 'Gallant Rogue' bred by Barry Blyth yet named by Keith Keppel. 'Witches Sabbath' Bill Maryott's heavily ruffled purple black is the pod parent. With the same parents Keith also produce another stand out later blooming iris "Night Game". Schreiners 2002 Iris Lovers Catalog LOCAL COLOR (Keppel 1996)M. 40" This extraordinary dark violet-black bi-tone displays...

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New Zealand Arilbred Median Iris 'GREEN DELIGHT'

Arilbred Median 'Green Delight', a New Zealand historic iris.The registered description of 'Green self ' is somewhat simplistic and lacking in detail. In the Maerz and Paul Dictionary of Color, Citronelle across all the range (98, 99,101,102) is a better colour match for this iris.White beard tipped Spanish yellow. An easy Iris to grow with no problems apart from slow increase. Blooms with the intermediate irises mid-season.The Aril Society International 2009 Illustrated Official ChecklistGREEN DELIGHT OGB- (Mrs. Frances Love,...

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Tall Bearded Iris "ABOUT LAST NIGHT"

A cross of two 1980 irises, Bill Maryott's 'Witches' Sabbath' and Paul Blacks 'Oklahoma Crude' both purple blacks Irises with mustard beards, gave Paul Black a Deep Black Iris with yellow beards and a glowing red heart. A very attractive fragrant iris with the ability to rebloom an unusual trait in black irises so if you only have room for one Black Iris in your garden why settle for a solo performance when 'About Last Night' could give you an encore in Autumn.I have not tried it yet but it is reported to be fertile. I grow a clump...

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Tall Bearded Historic Iris "MARY RANDALL"

Growing at home this heirloom iris is a real visual treat and is a true pioneer in the colour tone Rose Pink. Clean and strong foliage and clumps up well. Mid season bloom.Considered to be one of the aristocrats of tall bearded hybridisation. Fertile both ways.  Fays Gardens, Wilmette, Illinois. Iris and Hemerocallis 1952. MARY RANDALL No. T48-3 SOLD OUT New Horizon X F2 Pink Seedling This deep rose pink self, with a bright tangerine red beard, is a new color in Iris- "Bengal Rose" in the R. H. S. Color Charts. The flowers...

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Tall Bearded Historic Iris "GOLDEN MAJESTY"

Possibly one of the best heirloom irises in class for its deep, clean yellow colouration that came out of the late 1930's with W.R.Dykes (the Iris) included in the parentage. Grows well at home, increase plus and the bright yellow blooms resists fade, the form is classic, now growing among some historic blues and variegata classed Irises and its gleaming with a plus.Stevens Bros, Bulls New Zealand, Novelties 1943-44 CatalogueGOLDEN MAJESTYThis iris ranks as one of the finest of its kind. An iris of gleaming gold!! Striking is this...

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Tall Bearded Iris "QUEEN IN CALICO"

'QUEEN IN CALICO' in my opinion is Jim Gibson's queen of the pink and purple plicata's and for its specific colouration has never been superseded. It is very appropriate that it appears in the pedigree of Keith Keppels 1999 introduction 'Tangled Web'. Still used in breeding today and equally impressive is the list of Hybridisers that have used this Iris in their breeding programs.It's the pod parent of Anton Mego's very fine tall bearded iris 'Slovak Prince' that was recently featured on this blog. Gardeners who "Only Grow...

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Tall Bearded Historic Iris "MONTAGE"

“It is wiser to find out than to suppose” Mark Twain This iris has had nearly more names than a member of Mossad. Originally when it first bloomed at a distance it did look a lot like Jim Gibson's 1980 reblooming iris 'Spyglass Hill' but it turned out regretfully to be another of my spur of the moment purchases from a Commercial Iris Grower in Gisborne and was wrongly labelled as Keith Keppel's 'Diplomacy' which was the Iris that I ordered. Readers should understand that this purchase is not a case of a genuine mix up, it is an...

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Keith Keppel Iris 2010 Catalogue

Two weeks ago Keith Keppel's Iris Catalogue arrived in the post. Each catalogue received becomes part of the truly amazing continuum from one of the hybridising Giant's of the Iris world. It's just to bad Importing Irises to New Zealand is a wee bit tough at the present time, but things could change!! Anyway for those visitors to the blog lucky enough to live in the USA go and buy yourselves some classy Irises and for the rest of us we will just have to enjoy the pic's, and dream of what could of been.Catalogue also contains a very...

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Siberian Iris Schafer Sacks Seedling

Just turned up today in a email sent by Marty Schafer its a seedling that Marty has described as "is one of the most exciting seedlings that bloomed last year" Parentage S03-56A-10 X Miss Apple. Joe Pye Weed's Garden is Jan and Marty's mail order plant nursery specializing in Siberian Irises, Versicolors, and Species and Interspecies hybrids As always clicking on the above image will take you to the larger, higher resolution version.Of course a major hat tip to Jan and Marty for sharing the magicPhoto credit and copyright...

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Siberian Iris "CAESAR'S BROTHER"

'CAESAR'S BROTHER' One of the most popular if not thee most popular landscape Siberian Iris variety . The flowers are medium blue with erect standards, very vigorous and easy to grow. I remember a conversation with a commercial grower of Siberians in New Zealand some years ago who stated "Customers visit the gardens and get to see the latest varieties I have imported from America, yet when they return to the shop nine times out of ten its 'Caesars Brother' which wins as the variety they want to take home to grow" I grow it at...

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Siberian Japanese Iris Cross "LEXICON"

Registered as LEXICON, this nicely balanced hybrid is one of the newest additions to the Japanese-Siberian family hybridised by Christy HenslerI first came into contact with Christy some years ago and I have always admired her "thinking outside the square" when it comes to Japanese and Siberian interseries hybrid breeding, its a difficult thing to do. Here she relates her thoughts regarding this remarkable iris "LEXICON will make her début in 2012 at the Michigan Iris Convention. Her leaves don't look like any "Siberian" you have...

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