Tall Bearded Iris SHIPSHAPE

'Shipshape' is one of the great blue classic irises and an all time favourite of mine. Long flowering season with strong spikes carrying 6-8 buds with good branching. A very strong and masculine looking iris, with falls have that chiselled look, very triangular in their early bloom form that later becomes a very balanced look between the standards and the falls. Absolute stand-out iris this past season and my garden notes taken when visiting a large iris garden in Greytown one of the beds...

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New Zealand Tall Bearded Iris ATAVUS

When I first saw this iris bloom at home, my first thought was that I was having another enjoyable mid life crisis that involved visiting the Caterpillar from Alice in Wonderland. This Iris colouration is an acquired taste and some either love it or loath it, me? I put the colours in the loud but possibly interesting file. 'Atavus' grows well, has good plant health, but its the open and somewhat chaotic form of the cream standards and the uneven ruffling on the falls lets the bloom down. Had the form of the bloom...

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Helianthus angustifolius GOLD LACE

Just a little diversion from irises is the swamp sunflower, Helianthus angustifolius 'Gold Lace' In late summer it becomes a bold fountain of golden daisy's that brightens up the garden. Has a fine textured foliage throughout the season, it's basically a very narrow leaved sunflower and we grow it because it is attractive with lots of carrying power in the garden but also it is a big time bee and butterfly magnet, they just love it! With a long hot drought this season this plant has had a love affair with the hose. Grow Helianthus...

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IRIS SPURIA

 Some Lesser Known Irises   PART II IRIS SPURIA By Miss J. Burgess, Waikanae. THE NEW ZEALAND SMALLHOLDER, March 16th, 1935. The Spuria group of irises is for the most part tall growing, and prefers a moist, loamy soil. With but one or two exceptions they object to the presence of lime. However, in common with most other irises, they are really adaptable, and will do quite well and flower freely and good guard soil, provided they can be supplied with water during the main growing season, which is from the blooming...

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Tall bearded Iris PIETY

No mistaking the pleasant light blue cast of the buds before bud break and its Purple based foliage (PBF) two unshakeable identification traits of 'Piety'. Any garden can never have enough white Irises they give a balance that is unbeatable and after all nothing clashes with white. A Classic plus iris that earns it place in the garden. Dr. Charles E. Branch 329 East Market Street, Piper City. Illinois. Introducing For 1960 PIETY #5609 ((((Snow Goddess x ((( Winter...

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New Zealand Dykes Medal Winner NORMA OF IRWELL

I thought it appropriate to update the image of this iris with this new photo that was sent to share by Julie May the owner of the legendary 'The Iris Garden'.   Tall Bearded Iris 'Norma of Irwell' was awarded the Dykes Medal (NZ) in 2012, bred by New Zealand's wizard of Tall bearded Iris breeding, the late Mr. Ron Busch and named after Ron's lovely wife, Norma. Well substanced blooms with dark violet ruffled and slightly open standards with even darker violet slightly flared and ruffled...

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Tall Bearded Iris MULLED WINE

Way back in 1985, 'Mulled Wine' was the winner of the Chamber of Commerce prize for the best commercial variety at the International Iris Competition in Florence, an award equally relevant today. A very popular Tall Bearded Iris with the home gardening fraternity making it a perennial top selling iris that continues to be grown and stocked by many commercial Iris nurseries, worldwide. Need to order early, as the variety even though it is thirty two years old can still obtain the additional label "SOLD OUT" (Pretty much...

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Historic Tall Bearded Iris AMAS

I think it is very important to show the great historic game changers that made a real contribution in the evolution of the Tall Bearded Iris. Sir Michael Foster's chief work was to introduce to the older varieties of bearded Irises the blood of newly discovered tetraploid irises and 'Amas' became a important variety within this change process. These tetraploid's gave hybridisers better branching, larger flowers, and hybrid vigour. Biltmore Nursery, Biltmore, Asheville, North Carolina, The Iris Catalog, 1911. Amas. Deep violet...

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The Modern Bearded Irises

     THE NEW ZEALAND SMALLHOLDER,  February, 1934. The Modern Bearded Irises HARDY PLANTS FOR HOT DRY BORDERS, By R. E. Harrison. It is more pleasing to note that in more recent years this class of hardy iris is becoming increasingly popular. This is no doubt due to the wonderful improvements that have been achieved in the size of the bloom, and new shades, and also in the increased bloom season that has been secured. The marvellous new colourings that now exist, and the the richness...

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