Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 2016, 100 years of British Iris Breeding,

British lovers of heritage irises will be excited to learn that Anne Milner and Sarah Cook will be at RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show celebrating 100 years of British Irises. As for Hampton Court, they are doing a joint stand, highlighting, and selling irises from both of their collections.   Anne has the A.J. Bliss collection while Sarah has the collection of Cedric Morris irises.

The theme of the display will be 100 years of British Iris Breeding, 1899 to 2000. It will be largely a photographic display, as there will be little flower left there by early July, but the RHS has been happy to accept that. This year, for the first time, all the National Collections will be in the main floral Marquee, alongside all the big nurseries, so it is quite a challenge to come up with an appropriately dramatic stand. Anne will also be selling copies of her informative book, "Bliss Irises- Family and Flowers; the journey to a National Collection." Their stand number is PH309.

The plants for sale will be from both collections including the following from Anne Milner's Bliss Collection : Benbow, Bruno, Clematis, Cardinal, Duke of Bedford, Evadne, Francina,  Lady Byng, Lurline, Majestic, Marsh Marigold, Morwell, Mrs Valerie West, Mystic, Pioneer,  Romola,  Senlac, Sudan, Susan Bliss, Sweet Lavender, Tenebrae and Tristram, with limited quanities of  Grace Sturtevant, and Princess Osra, and may be a few others also in very small quantities. They will, of course, all be bare rooted.

RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show is the world’s largest flower show boasting an eclectic mix of gardens, displays and shopping opportunities spanning over 34 acres either side of the dramatic long water with the stunning façade of the historical palace in the background. Every year the show has more exciting and interactive content to excite and inspire. Visitors have the chance to experience the variety of gardens by walking through them and getting up close with the incredible designs. There is also a great range of garden tools, sculptures, furniture and more on offer from the array of trade stands, as well as the best, newest, finest and most unusual and colourful blooms imaginable in the floral marquees. The RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show will run from 5 – 10 July 2016. For further information or to buy tickets, please visit the RHS website at www.rhs.org.uk/hamptoncourt

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ADVANCE NOTICE 'BLISS IRISES' THE BOOK

BLISS IRISES
FAMILY AND FLOWERS;
THE JOURNEY TO A NATIONAL COLLECTION

Anne Milner
Watercolours by Fern Harden

Anne Milner presents her family history intertwined with the history of Bliss irises, which are now part of the Plant
Heritage family of National Collections of plants worth preserving.

The collection was featured in the second series of The Great British Garden Revival
on BBC2 in January 2015.

Bliss Irises combines family history and gardening in a unique and very personal journey. Initially triggered by interest in her great, great grandfather who built the Bliss Tweed Mill in Chipping Norton, Anne Milner discovered Arthur J. Bliss, a cousin of a grandfather, and his work with early 20th century irises. Having travelled to New Zealand and South Africa, Arthur had many adventures before becoming famous in the horticultural world for breeding and introducing Dominion , an iris that took the world by storm when it was first introduced in 1917. It has since gone on  to be found in the pedigree of hundreds of modern irises.

With stunning photographs, watercolours and line drawings throughout, the second part of Bliss Irises focuses on the flowers themselves and details the range of irises registered by Anne Milner s ancestor Arthur Bliss.

Bliss Irises will appeal to readers with an interest in irises, historic plants and family history, as well as those with a more general interest in gardening and horticulture.

ANNE MILNER learned her love of plants while helping her father in his garden as a child. She started researching her family history in the early 1980s and discovered her Uncle Arthur and his irises. She has no formal gardening training but has been enjoying gardening for over 40 years. 

TO BE PUBLISHED 28th August 2016

£14.99

ISBN 9781785892981

Distributor: Troubador Publishing Ltd, 9 Priory Business Park, Wistow, Kibworth, Leics LE8 0RX

BIC subject category : WMP Gardening: plants

Paperback 234x156 mm 256pp Portrait.

ADVANCE INFORMATION
PLEASE CONTACT ALICE GRAHAM
Tel: 0116 279 2299 Email: marketing@troubador.co.uk
TROUBADOR PUBLISHING LTD. 9 PRIORY BUSSINESS PARK, KIBWORTH, LEICESTER LE8 ORX

It is hoped that the book will be ready for sale at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show in early July, where Bliss Irises will be sharing a stand (PH309) with Sarah Cook and her Sir Cedric Morris Irises. Please make sure you visit the Bliss Irises Web Site http://www.blissiris.co.uk

Update: The Book can now be pre-ordered from the Book Depository click on the link here for further details.

Book Image credit and copyright Anne Milner © .

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. Copyright Terry Johnson and Heritage Irises ©.

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Historic Tall Bearded Iris CLEMATIS

Is flat form of the Bearded Iris flower the archetype of all Irises?? I think the augment has an enormous amount of validity. 'CLEMATIS' is an interesting Iris which today would be celebrated as a 'Flattie', but created some controversy in the 1920's. John Wister at the time the President of the American Iris Society had very strong views regarding 'Clematis' enough to make a note to himself to "throw it out of his own garden". The American Iris Society had real straitjacket views when it came to irises that did not follow their point of view on what constituted the form and look of a bearded Iris. The publishing of the Discard List in 1931 was a extraordinary low point in the "We Know Best Iris world". 
Arthur Bliss had 35 Irises including 'Clematis' entered on the discard list.
Its not like the form of 'CLEMATIS' flowers was anything new, Peter Barr showed an red coloured form of pallida with a clematis like appearance named 'MANDRALISCAE' (Collected Italy) which was given a certificate of Commendation by the Royal Horticultural Society at Hampton Court flower show in 1903, its plum colour was also noted for crossing.
Bertrand H. Farr in 1922 also registered an Iris of similar form which he named 'JAPANESQUE' and this was also listed on the AIS 1931 Discard List. 
The Iris 'CLEMATIS' is so interesting there is more information in the following post, I have tried to keep my research as comprehensive as possible.

The Gardeners Chronicle June 14th 1919
Nursery Notes
Irises at Colchester
  A rather unusual form was seen in the variety Clematis, for instead of having a well-defined standard the segments hang down as in the falls and moreover, the standard segments have beards so that the flower must be regarded as an abnormality. The effect was that of a more regular flower than is usual in Irises, and it is from this fact that the name Clematis was given to it.

Cayeux & Le Clerc, Quai de la Mègisserie, 8, Paris. Catalog 1923.
Clematis (Bliss 1917). Special variety. The shape of the flower is more like and exceptionnally fine I. Kaempferi or a large six petalled Clematis flower. All six segments of the flower are beardless and reflexed horizontally. Colour light violet with variable veining at the base. Strong growing. Has obtained a Certificate of Merit of S.N.H.F.when shown by us on May 1922.

Bulletin of the American Iris Society, January 1923, Number 7.
Descriptions of Varieties, Part II.
CLEMATIS 78 (9)
Self, veined. VR-V. (1). Bliss, 1917
Brief. Light lavender violet, both the falls and the horizontally held standards veined darker at the haft; stalk low and well-branched-;
growth vigorous; 30 in.
Details. Styles and F. flaring; beard white.
Remarks. Not distinctive until the standards open flat forming a clematis, or rosette shaped flower. Cert. S. N. H. F., 1922-.

Treasure Oak Nursery, Mays Landing, New Jersey, Catalog of Select Iris and Peonies, 1923.
The Best and Rarest of the Iris.
7.8 CLEMATIS. (Bliss 1917.) $2.00
Clear light violet. Segments in these blooms reflex horizontally, giving it a clematis-like flower or appearing somewhat like a Japanese Iris, an effect more novel than handsome.

The Dean lris Gardens, Moneta, California. Choice Iris, Price List 1924.
Some of the More Recent Introductions of Tall Bearded Iris
Clematis (Bliss). An open flower of pale violet, base of standards and falls veined darker. Very floriferous.
Each, $2.00.

Bulletin of the American Iris Society, January 1924, Number 10.
Practical Points, R. S. Sturtevant
ABNORMAL DEVELOPMENT
Analogous development occurs in other irises when the beard is transformed into a crest or ridge, when two flowers are closely superimposed or juxtaposed, and when the standards are held horizontally and develop the beards (very rare) and haft markings of the falls. This last occurs commonly in the varieties Clematis, Rosette, and Japanesque and Dorothea, Eldouard Michel, and others tend to this formation, often it is more, a matter of poor substance: rather than actual intention.

Rainbow Iris Gardens, Farmington, Minnesota, 1925.
CLEMATIS Unique. Shaped like an exceptionally fine Japanese iris or a large six-petaled Clematis. All six segments of the flower reflect horizontally. Color light clear violet with variable veining at the base. Strong grower, free flowering and fragrant.

Lee R. Bonnewitz Catalog,Van Wert, Ohio,1926.
CLEMATIS (Bliss)
S. deep lavender; F. deep lavender-purple with white reticulations at the base. Yellow beard. Strong growing, free flowering and fragrant. This variety has very much the form of the intermediate variety, Dorothea. Although it is an English Iris, it received an Award of Merit at the International Iris Show in Paris three years ago, but I am not altogether sure it deserved this high honor. It does, however, resemble the Clematis after which it is named.

American Iris Society
Discard List 1931.
BEARDED IRISES
Compiled by J. E,.Hill and E. A. S. Peckham
Explanatory Note
The varieties of Bearded Irises marked with the sign, $, in the Alphabetical Iris Check List 1929 as extinct or superseded, together with numerous additions, are named in this list.
The order of presentation, i.e., varietal name, class and authority for the name, and the abbreviations, are those used in the Check List to which the reader is referred for more complete information.
The classes in the Bearded group are abbreviated thus:
DB: Dwarf bearded.
IB : Intermediate bearded.
MB : Miscellaneous bearded. Hybrids between the species of the sections Oncocyclus, Regalia, and Evansia, and the species of the group Pogoniris.
TB: Tall bearded.
Care should be used in the application of the list. Of two varieties which have the same name only one may have been discarded. It is for this reason that the authority for the name is given. For example: Princess Beatrice - TB - Barr, is retained, Princess Beatrice - TB - Sal., a white blue feathered variety, is discarded; Fairy - TB - Ken., is retained, Fairy TB - Cap., is discarded, etc. It is hoped that the reasons for the preparation of the list will be respected and that ultimately discarded irises will not be grown.
Clematis-TB-Bliss

Bulletin of the American Iris Society, April 1932, Number 43.
ARTHUR JOHN BLISS
Irises Raised or Introduced by A. J. Bliss, by E. A. S. Peckham.
CLEMATIS caused much discussion because of its peculiar flat form and Mr. Bliss had to come to its defence as he was criticised for allowing it to be introduced. The color was a very clean, clear blue, much more a real blue than was the case in iris as known then and it made a good mass in the garden and so it had its defender, but the sticklers, for a particular form in irises were irate and said it was a cripple in exactly the same manner as discussion raged over BRANDYWINE, some upholding it for its blueness, others damning it because of its bad habit of having extra parts and trying to "go double." I do not mean that CLEMATIS had a doubling habit but the standards lying flat as they do gave an appearance not unlike the kaempferi hybrids we know as. "Japanese" iris.

A H. Burgess and Son, Iris Specialists, Waikanae, Wellington. 1936 Irises.
CLEMATIS - The shape of the flower is like a six petalled Clematis. Standards and Falls reflex horizontally. Colour, light clear blue, veined at base. Strong growing and fragrant. Mid-season.. 2ft. 

AIS Checklist 1939
CLEMATIS  TB-M-B3M (Bliss, 1917) Wallace 1917, Garden Chronicle 14th June 1919; John Scheepers Inc, 1920; Lee Bonnewitz, 1920; Earl Woodward Sheets, 1928; The Garden 85: 304. 18th June 1921; Novato Nursuries, 1933; Buccleuch Nursuries,1938; AAA Journal Royal Horticultural Society  137;
(CORDELIA X PRINCESS BEATRICE) , C.M., S.N.H.F. 1922; Journal Société Nationale d'Horticulture de France. 23; 218, June 1922; $ 

As always clicking on the above image will take you to the larger, higher resolution version. Major Hat Tip to Anne Milner for her amazing photo's and catalogue listings.
For more on Arthur Bliss Irises be sure to visit Anne Milner's National Collection of Arthur Bliss Irises web site. Listed in the above 'International Iris Links tab.

Reproduction in whole or in part of these photo's without the expressed written permission of Anne Milner is strictly prohibited.
Photo credits and copyright Anne Milner and Bliss Irises © .

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. Copyright Terry Johnson and Heritage Irises ©

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BLISS IRISES A New Web Site is Born

"Mr Bliss has given us marked improvements on then existing forms over a wide range of colours. This improvement is not so often a matter of size and height as it is of branching, poise, and a freedom of flowering, factors of utmost importance in the development of varieties for the garden. We have a strong tendency to over emphasise qualities that are of importance on the exhibition table, and to forget that the Iris is fundamentally a flower for the hardy garden. In that Mr Bliss has rarely made this mistake his varieties will tend to live and to receive more, rather than less, appreciation."
AN AMERICAN VIEW OF IRISES, R. S. Sturtevant, Bulletin No. 2, The Iris Society, 1925.

About 20 years ago, Anne Milner was offered two irises bred by her great uncle 'Arthur Bliss' when researching her family history with a distant cousin.  Her cousin explained that her mother, Phyllis, used to help Uncle Arthur as a child and that Phyllis had these two irises directly from him.  These two irises were supposed to be Dominion and Cardinal. Dominion was a famous iris as it was the fore-runner of many modern irises.
From the gift of these two irises the National Collection of Arthur Bliss Irises was born.
Anne is also interested in finding other Bliss Irises, and would love to hear from anyone who has any information about where any might be growing and the web site has a list of all his irises and the dates of introduction..
Please visit the web site by clicking on the avatar below to go directly to the site.
Heritage Irises takes this opportunity to wish Anne all the very best with her new web site and a continued growth with her collection.

Clicking the above top image will take you to the larger, higher resolution version.
Photo credit and copyright Iris Hunter

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