Standard Dwarf Bearded Iris BANBURY RUFFLES

Blooming today. The registered colour description of 'Banbury Ruffles' is a rich blue self but really the colour is more of a rich velvet blue violet. The falls are highlighted by a deep rich bold red purple halo that surrounds the white beards that are tipped a in soft amethyst. Superb bloom placement and display  and quickly becomes an excellent garden subject because of its outstanding strong growing habits. Super clean foliage that is proportional with the bloom, all and all a very well balanced and attractive Standard Dwarf Bearded iris.

Schreiner's, Salem,Oregon, 57th Annual, Iris Lovers Catalog, 1982.
LILLIPUTS
BANBURY RUFFLES bounteously ruffled rich blue.

IRISES A Gardener's Encyclopedia, Claire Austin.
Iris 'Banbury Ruffles' (D. Reath, 1970) The rich violet flowers have white beards tipped violet and surrounded by large maroon-purple patches. The petals are serrated around the edges and gently curl outwards. Height 38cm (15in) Bloom very early season. Parentage Seedling X Nylon Ruffles.

AIS Checklist 1979
BANBURY RUFFLES D. Reath, Reg. 1970 Sdlg. A-6-64. SDB, 15" (38 cm), VE Rich blue self with darker blue spot on F.; ruffled. A-6-60 X Nylon Ruffles. Schreiner's 1970. HC 1968, HM 1971.

There is a outside chance 'Banbury Ruffles' is still commercially grown in New Zealand somewhere, fortunately  I was able to purchase my plants on Trade Me from hctnz (Lyn Nell) a Mid-Canterbury gardener who sends generous plants that have great plant health and  I have no hesitation to recommend highly.
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Photo credit and copyright Iris Hunter.

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The Peacock Iris 'Moraea villosa'

Insanely beautiful, commonly known as 'The Peacock Iris', Moraea is a genus of plants in the family Iridaceae (Yip, that's the 'Iris Family'). This is the species 'Moraea villosa' blooms from September to October, and flowers last several days. The more white looking blooms are from bulbs that were sold labelled as 'Moraea aristata' the endangered species but I very much doubt that they are M.aristata. Still with a display like this whats to complain???
Moraea villosa is endemic to the Western Cape of Africa and was once renown for mass spring flower displays in the Cape lowlands, sadly not so common nowadays as their habitat has been replaced with wheat fields and urban sprawl. Plant is now classified as vulnerable. In New Zealand both bulbs and seed can sometimes be purchased online but only in very small quantities.

Should you desire the need for further in-depth reading on Moraeas I can highly recommend these two books ;

The Moraeas of Southern Africa. National Botanic Gardens in association with the Missouri Botanical Garden, Cape Town. Goldblatt, P. 1986.
I am very fond of Botanical paintings and I appreciate the watercolours in this book by Fay Anderson, both the plants portrayed and paintings themselves are absolutely stunning.

The Iris Family: natural history & classification. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon.  Goldblatt, P. & Manning, J.C. 2008. 

Thought I would take the photo today before the thunderstorm weather we are getting this spring lays the blooms to waste.
As always clicking on the above image will take you to the larger, higher resolution version.

Reproduction in whole or in part of this post, its opinions or its images without the expressed written permission of Terry Johnson is strictly prohibited. 
Photo credit and copyright Terry Johnson and Heritage Irises ©.

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Miniature Tall Bearded Iris PARTURIENT

An absolute classic Miniature Tall Bearded Iris in a colour tone I'm quite partial to. Small, compact, well shaped flowers are a very bright red brown blend. Standards are a blend of honey to smooth red . Falls are darker dusky red brown edged with a narrow honey gold of the standards. Bright yellow beard. It is floriferous, and makes a stunning clump.

Riverdale Iris Gardens, Minneapolis, Minnesota. 1984 Price List.
PARTURIENT (J. Boushay, 1980)
Ruffled red-brown, darker falls...............................................$4.00

Rossmore Gardens, Oaklands, Christchurch. Iris Catalogue 2001.
PARTURIENT (J. Boushay, 1980) Ruffled red-brown with yellow beards. Limited Supply.

AIS Checklist 1989
PARTURIENT (J. Boushay, R. 1980). Sdlg. 74-BB-1. MTB, 18" (46 cm), E. S. smooth red brown; F. darker red brown; yellow beard; ruffled. New Idea X  Jolly Fellow. J. & J. Iris 1980.

As always clicking on the above images will take you to the larger, higher resolution version.
Photo credit and copyright Iris Hunter.

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Helleborus x Double Hybrid

Hellebores are beautiful perennial garden plants that are in bloom in our garden from mid-winter to mid-spring. This is one beautiful double white spotted hellebore blooming in the garden today. I purchased this vigorous good health plant from the Telford family Clifton Homestead Nursery. These plants are grown from seed and as the plants are not species each plant although true to a particular colour type in this case double white spotted burgundy, but each plant is not strictly speaking identical which makes each plant a one-off delight that I cherish. Clifton Homestead Nursery have many Hellebores to choose from with single and double hybrid cultivars, also there are other species selections that are worth growing in any garden during the winter.

As always clicking on the above images will take you to the larger, higher resolution version.
Photo credit and copyright Iris Hunter.

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