The Iris Re-Christened SUNSET, The Garden 1922.

Below is the story of the Iris Re-Christened Iris Sunset. It is as relevant today as when first published in 1922. THE GARDEN. June 17, 1922. NEW AND RARE PLANTS Iris ochracea-coerulea. A very delightful Iris. The standards are copper coloured and the falls have brown reticulations with a yellow base. The blade is bluish, shading to copper. Award of Merit. This variety was raised by Mr. Denis of Balaruc-les-Bains and shown by Mr. W. R. Dykes. ...

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Siberian Iris SNOW QUEEN

Not sure how the Siberian Iris Society came up with the 18 inches (46cm) height of Snow Queen as it grows 6-8 inches taller than their checklist height and small flowers are reported by HIP in their photo galleries, which most other catalogue listings would indicate small is not a great bloom size description. The 1939 Checklist show a listing for 'Snow Queen' as a Illustration in 'The Garden'  28th July, 1917, page 298, so I have taken this opportunity to show the image as referred, it accompanied an article written...

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Iris Evansia, Iris Japonica, Crested Iris, FAIRYLAND

Dainty white speckled florets smother this plant making a truly welcome display that starts in late winter and continues until the Tall Bearded Iris. Flowers are listed as in the checklist as B7 (Pink to Red toned self) which is just so completely wide of the mark. This plant has smaller growing sword like glossy green leaves, has no canes but sheathed stolons spread from plants traveling close to the surface quickly establish new plants that lead to form a large clump. In New Zealand  'Fairyland' grows best in semi shade...

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Bearded Historic Iris GYPSY QUEEN

I was given this iris from the owner of a large Estate which has magnificent gardens in the year 2006 as an 'Iris of Antiquity' and was first recorded as growing in these gardens in 1896. The 1904 H C Gibbons Bulb Catalogue, Hutt Valley Nurseries, Upper Hutt, is the earliest cataloguing I could find in a New Zealand plant nursery and the iris was listed as HAMLET which is a synonym for Gypsy Queen. (See 1939 Checklist description below) Adding to this the first time 'Gypsy Queen' bloomed at home...

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A NEW RACE OF HYBRID ALPINE IRISES. W. J. Caparne, Guernsey.

A NEW RACE OF HYBRID ALPINE IRISES. The Garden Chronicle November 30th. 1901 This addition to the race of early spring flowering Irises is the result of many years of experiment in hybridising Irises, undertaken, in so far as the plants of this section of Iris is concerned, with a view to the improvement of that very promising little group of dwarf bearded Iris which are the first of all the rhizomatous Irises to bloom in the spring, and are included under the names of biflorus, Chamæiris, Olbiensis, pumila, &c., which...

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Tall bearded Iris EXOTIC BLUE

  Exotic Blue is another of those astonishing irises that is stunning in its unusual simplicity. Perhaps one of the most out of the square descriptions I read was Lloyd Austin  determination that 'Exotic Blue' was a kind of green and in fact 'Exotic Blue' was listed with the other 'Fascinating approaches to Green'  classified irises in his catalogue (nearly two pages of this colour tone). This iris along with Burnt Toffee, Crimson Tiger, Infernal Fire, Millennium Falcon, Tiger Honey, and the Border Bearded...

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EDENITE and CALIENTE and that blasted wiki iris thing again.

We grow large clumps of 'Edenite' (Plough, '58) and 'Caliente' (Luihn, '69) at home so it was with some wonderment that I recently received an email from a concerned Iris grower about the identification of his Iris and could I inform him if the Iris in the photo attached to his email was Edenite or Caliente?? I replied to the gentleman politely pointing out he must be confused as the two irises are so completely different, and inquired how was it possible to confuse the two varieties?????...

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Tall Bearded Iris CALIENTE

While we are on the subject of 'Bucket List Irises' I just had to take a photo of an Iris I have always considered one of 'The Best of The Best'. 'Caliente' is a Spanish word and when translated into English, it means hot as in attractive, and the photo shows how aptly this iris has been named. In the year 1969 'Caliente' was awarded a Honorable Mention, it was also in the same year entered  in the International Iris Contest in Florence as Seedling 64-9 and was placed third overall in the Premio Firenze, but more importantly...

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Tall bearded Iris COUNTRY MANOR

A 40 year old Classic Iris that superlatives still do it little justice. Giant sized blooms with just the right amount of ruffling are carried on sturdy tall stalks with three branches and spur and nine to twelve buds.Standards are an warm white with light lemon at midribs. Nicely ruffled falls with light yellow hafts and yellow beard colours diffuses throughout the falls to give a buttery cream effect. A very good grower that shows great increase. Fertile.  Breathtaking! Another of my Bucket Irises! Mrs Richard...

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New Zealand Tall Bearded Iris MISSION SONG

Only one of the parents are known which is no big deal when the known pod parent is Schreiner's amazingly golden yellow 'Golden Ecstasy '89" which itself has parents of two of the best yellows Schreiner's ever produced 'Tut's Gold' and 'Yukon Fever' so with only a solo parent known 'Mission Song' was always likely to have a good start in life. The colour combination is nothing really new or innovated, yellow standards, white falls with a full yellow band, a similar colour combination can be found in...

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Tall Bearded Iris IRWELL WALTZ TIME

   This has been an outstanding Iris for me ever since it first bloomed at home. Ruffled sunshine yellow standards that are open, and a peak on the inside revels a colour change to a diffused white. Flared and nicely ruffled falls are mahogany copper red with a bright yellow starburst pattern extending down the falls,with antique gold colouring the underside of the falls and is also the edging colour top side.  Wonderful proper proportions,and beautiful healthy deep green foliage. Taller than the registered...

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Tall Bearded Iris PAUL BLACK

A intoxicating, bold, nicely ruffled violet blue self – with absolute knockout orange vermilion beards. Nice fragrance. Consistent in colour, has show branching form and great bud count. High health plants with a generous increase. From a classy cross  'Tom Johnson' (Black 1996) X 'Star Fleet' (Keppel 1993). Ticks all the boxes this one, and comes with a most impressive award list, The Franklin Cook Cup 2004, Honorable Mention 2005, Walther Cup for most Honorable Mention votes in 2005, 1st Place International Iris Trials...

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Tall Bearded Iris CIRCUS STRIPES

Some in the past have criticised 'Circus Stripes' because it lacks consistency with its plicata striations..................Now ain't that amazing huh!!!! 'Circus Stripes' is a classic campanula violet or grape juice [Ref 1] coloured plicata on a 'pure as the' white base . Domed standards have striations radiating from the bottom of the midrift towards a heavily coloured solid edge. Wide and flaring falls with vagarious striations that end in a semi solid but also feathered margin. Great branching, blooms...

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Border Bearded Iris CRYSTAL BAY

Blooming today the award winning Border Bearded Iris 'Crystal Bay'. Described as a warm white with a neat medium blue border. Not sure if it is a plicata or is it what is now known as the 'Emma Cook' pattern?? Photo taken after a night of hard rain and cold temperature and shows 'Crystal Bay' resistance to inclement weather, and its ability to maintain its composure and star qualities. Not a great increaser but plants have good health.  Parentage includes Paul Cooks 'Kiss me Kate', Whole Cloth, Progenitor, and Jean Stevens...

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Tall Bearded Iris LOYAL DEVOTION

This is a very early blooming Tall Bearded Iris which is always a worry as 'we at home' are still in the peak Nor-westerlies season. Just two days ago wind gusts of 170kph arrived then left and I spent the next days cutting up two large 8 metre olive trees that were completely levelled, so bloom stalks on tall bearded irises were completely out of their league, I am still finding horizontal bloom stalks. Can't say this is my favourite time of the year coming back home to find mother nature has been so bloody ruthless, but as...

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Historic Arilbred Iris ' WITCH DOCTOR'

It has rained a lot in the past few days with very strong winds. Checking the garden this morning the arilbred 'Witch Doctor' had unwrapped itself from its large buds to show us just how good looking Arilbred Irises really are. Most likely sterile. Beautiful and mysterious form, massive buds which are nearly as interesting as the bloom itself !!! Rainbow Hybridizing Gardens, Placerville, California. Lloyd Austins World Famous Iris Color Guide Book, 1959. WITCH DOCTOR (Plough, 1955) E-L 28"...

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Pacific Coast Iris Seedling

Scattered along the west coast of the United States are eleven species of irises, probably derived from the ancestor of the 40 chromosome Sibericans, and able to breed both with their cousins across the Bering Strait, and with each other. Wherever these Pacific Coast Natives Irises meet they form hybrid swarms, some of which have been given species names in the past.   As is the way with gardeners, growers soon saw that there was a wide genetic variety within these...

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Standard Dwarf Bearded Iris 'WILD WESTY'

'Wild Westy' another show stopper from one of New Zealand's premiere Hybridiser of Median Irises , Noel Lapham. Plant was generously included as a bonus plant in an iris order from Mossburn Iris Gardens. Interesting bloom colour combination, and flowers with substance are held on stalks well above the foliage. If you have a New Zealand Iris collection this iris is a must have. Mossburn Iris Gardens,Mossburn. New Introductions, 2006 Catalogue. WILD WESTY  N Lapham, 2004 SDB. standards pale pink purple tinge,Falls peach-violet...

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Intermediate Bearded Iris PINK REVERIE

'Pink Reverie' is an eloquent statement of strong pink with a distinct Apricot Salmon band on the edges of both the standards and the falls, all  accented with bright and daring Saturn Red beards. Classic form, silky texture, slightly ruffled, flared fall and substance supreme. Good increase and great health. 'Pink Reverie' in my opinion will go down in iris history as one of the all-time great Intermediates in the colour Pink, and as an added bonus it reblooms!!! Not bad for a 45 year old don't you think?? Thought I...

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