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 in 2007, identification was complicated as  'The Historic Iris Society' had a completely different variety of an iris displayed on their web site as 'Gypsy Queen', the 1929 AIS Checklist listed Gypsy Queen as a Tall Bearded, then the 1939 AIS Checklist changed its classification to a Intermediate Bearded Iris. Now for an Iris that flower height is 76-91 cm (30"-36") and its bloom period is toward the end of the Tall Bearded Iris season and these two facts took 'Gypsy Queen' well outside the Intermediate Iris classification. Today it would most likely be classified as a Miniature Tall Bearded Iris or 'Table Iris' as I still like to call them. Then to really throw a spanner in the works a New Zealander in 2005 recklessly renamed 'Gypsy Queen' (At the time a iris with lost label) and registered it as 'Braemar Station'. One of the great evils of antique irising is the application of entirely new names to existing cultivars.
 All of the above led to confusion with many people, making 'Gypsy Queen' one of the most complicated conformation of an Iris ID I have ever been involved in. 

Gypsy Queen standards are open and coloured old gold that has been airbrushed with a smoky rose tone, inside the bottom of the standards colours are lemon lime with purple maroon veining. Style arms yellow with greyed centres.  Falls are white tinged yellow at haft and edges, heavily veined deep red-purple confluent to solid black; beards white deepening to old gold, mild citrus fragrance. Nice clean foliage with a nice level of Purple bottom foliage. This iris was one of the parents Fryer used in his hybridising, and its imprint is seen in W. J. Fryer and Kathryn Fryer.

 H. C. Gibbons & Co.,Hutt Valley Nurseries,Upper Hutt, Wellington, New Zealand. Bulb Catalogue 1904.
GERMAN FLAG IRIS
Hamlet Standards and Falls straw and peuce, dark veins.

Biltmore Nursery, Biltmore, Asheville, North Carolina, The Iris Catalog, 1911
Gypsy Queen. Still another unusual and welcome blending of rich colors is found in this meritorious variety. Standards are of golden hue shaded with smoked pearl, and the falls are dark maroon with delicate tracings of pale yellow. It blooms late.

The Dean lris Gardens, Moneta, California.The Iris 1916.
SQUALENS GROUP The standards are clouded shades of copper,bronze and fawn.
Gypsy Queen (syn. La Prestigieuse). S. old gold, shaded smoked pearl; F. black-maroon, reticulated light yellow. Each, 25c.

Farr's Hardy Plant Specialities, Wyomissing, Pennsylvania.Seventh Edition 1922.
SQUALENS GROUP The standards are clouded shades of copper,bronze and fawn.
GYPSY QUEEN (syn. La Prestigieuse). S. old gold, shaded smoked-pearl; F. black-maroon, reticulated light yellow; late bloomer. 2 ft.

A.B. Katkamier, Macedon, New York. Hints to Pleasure and to Profit in Growing the Iris, 1931.
Gypsie Queen; Honey yellow : Black maroon. Tall. Strong.

Cornell Extension Bulletin 112, Austin W. Sand, 1925.
Gypsy Queen (Salter before 1859) 
Color effect an old gold, velvety maroon veined bicolor.Standards honey yellow to old gold much undulated. Falls velvety maroon-brown to blackish brown , distinctly  veined to a point one-half inch from the end of the blade. The edge blends yellow to old gold on the haft. Occasional lavender or cream white flecks occur on the blade. This plant is a vigorous grower, and has stiff, slender, deep green  foliage, tinged purple at the base. The flower spikes are tall and well and widely branched.It is very late bloom, its dull color combinations like those found in the Cypripedium orchid and its early history,being a parent of the variegata groups, make it still worthy of selection.

1939 AIS Checklist
GYPSY QUEEN IB-MLa-S6M John Salter before 1859 Floricultural Cabinet and Florist Magazine 29 172 June 1859: L'Illustration Horticole 40: tab 182 1893%%. The Garden Chronicle 14th July 1899; Farr, 1912; Francis 1920; Bonnnewitz, 1920; A.B. Katkamier 1939; Journal Royal Horticultural Society January 1928 page 146 Trials; germanica gypsea; Hamlet; La Prestigieuse; Queen of Gipsies; Reine des Fees; Reine des Pays; Virgil (Lovett); Gypsie Queen; 
Note: The above checklist notation L'Illustration Horticole 40: tab 182 1893 %% is another of the early checklist anomalies as the L'Illustration Horticole published full page colour plate image of Iris Germanica var. Gypsea which shows a white coloured Iris that has all the appearances of a Florentina hybrid of sorts. The percent sign (%) is the symbol used in the 1929 and 1939 Checklist to indicate % -Illustrated and %%- Colour Plate.

Perhaps the very, very small group of people within 'The Historic Iris Preservation Society' who are currently embarking on a campaign to 'call out' iris growers who are growing and displaying images of what is now known as 'The fake Gypsy Queen' should be mindful of the fact that HIPS photos at a time 'not so long ago' were also stating the so called 'The fake Gypsy Queen' was the real deal and at that time these gardeners could have used HIPS as an authoritative means to identify their Iris!!! 'Pot calling kettle black'??

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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Iris biliottii, Collected 1887, Sir Michael Foster

THE GARDENERS CHRONICLE .
SOME NEW IRISES, June 4th 1887.
I.BILIOTTI sp. n.
Rhizome like that of I.germanica. Leaves of a darker green, and more distinctly striated and more rigid than those of I.germanica. but like them largely persistent through the winter, narrowed somewhat suddenly to a point at the apex, about 21 inches long and 1¾ inch broad at the upper part, and ⅞ inch below, the broader part suddenly narrowing at the level, where in an iris leaf, the part answering to the lamina joins the part representing the petiole.
Inflorescence that of I.germanica. Scape (Stem) about 2½-3 feet, overtopping the leaves. Spathe-valves 3 inches by ⅝ Inch, narrow, acuminate, not keeled, persistent, scarious, when the flower is expanded at the very apex only, and sometimes hardly that, widely divergent, so as to expose the whole of the tube and much of the ovary.
Fall 3½ inches by 1½ inch at broadest, spathulate-cuneate ; upper surface, claw white ground, with thick, bold, very dark purple brown veins ; lamina fine reddish-purple, with numerous dark, almost black veins, so thin as to be hardly visible at a distance ; beard white, tipped with yellow, hairs not numerous, but stout and clavate ; under surface of the claw a bright green, in the median green, marked with brown dots, becoming a dull greenish, opaque-white on the lamina, the ground colour of which shines through.
Standard. 3½ x 2 inches, erect, connivent, the short (1½ inch) caniculate claw expanding into the large oval lamina; claw greenish on the outer surface, on the inner surface creamy white, marked on both sides with brown dots and broken veins ; lamina fine blue purple marked with very fine delicate blue veins. The attachments of both the falls and standards to the tube bear conspicuous lateral buttress like expansions.
Style obovate, 1½ inch by ⅝ inch, exclusive of crests, nearly white, except for a purplish flush on under surface beneath stigma, and on upper surface at the base of the crests; crests triangular ⅝ by ⅜ inch, pointed, reflexed, divergent, reddish- purple, with the blue veins ; stigma semi-lunar. The style is raised high above the beard of the fall.
Anthers rather longer then filaments; pollen white, large grained, abundant
Tube ⅞ inch long, bright green, with purple stripes descending from bases of standards, hollow for more than half its links
Ovary 1 inch by ⅜ inch, supported by a short (⅓ inch) pedicel, bright green, rounded, triangular in section, but bearing six grooves, the three lateral being deepest.
Right Capsule (2½ inches by 1¼ inch) ellipsoidal, was six deep grooves dehiscing at summit; seed an elongated oval, having a light brown skin, smooth when first shed.
I owe this new handsome and delightfully fragrant Iris to the great kindness of Alfred Biliotti Esq. formerly counsel at Trebizond, now at Crete, and I venture to give myself the pleasure of naming it after him. The roots were collected South of Trebizond, near Kalahissar, in the province of Siwas.
By its inflorescence it is obviously closely allied to I. germanica, and dried specimens may, perhaps have passed as examples of that species. But they are large conspicuous, persistent, green, widely divergent spathe valves (which in I. germanica are largely scarious at flowering time, often deeply flushed with purple, and tightly clasping the tube), and the deeply grooved ellipsoidal ovary (which in I. germanica is more or less distinctly trigonal, and never deeply grooved), to say nothing of the form in texture of the leaf and the colour of the flower (I do not lay stress on the exact shape of the segments, since these vary much within the true limits of the species I. germanica), seem to me fully to justify my giving it specific rank. It flowers later than I. germanica and is perfectly hardy, requiring the same treatment as I. germanica.

I.GERMANICA VAR. SIWAS
Rhizome, foliage, and inflorescence as in typical I. germanica, save that the leaves are somewhat narrower and less stout, and their green has a more yellowish hue.
The spathe-valves, as in the type, are flushed with purple, and scarious in the upper half at flowering time. The falls are cuneate, spathulate, and the standards ovate, the styles short and broad, with sharply denticulate crests. Ovary bright green, trigonal, with a slight ridge on each side. Tube purple.
The lamina of the fall is a deep dark blue purple-Indigo purple, I might venture to call it. The ground work of the claw of the fall is a light blue purple, the deeper veins on which are consequently much less conspicuous then in the type where the ground work is white. Beard whiter than in type, the hairs being only slightly tipped with yellow.
Standards dark blue purple containing very little red-almost in Oxford blue.
Ripe capsule trigonal, with sharp edges, very short, being not much longer than white.

The several varieties of I.germanica (I mean of course the true I.germanica, not the ‘German Irises’ of the trade) vary a good deal in the form of both the perianth segments ; and I should not venture to give this Iris a distinct varietal name, simply because the shape of its segments (for instance, the shortness of the standards) differs from that of the type. The colouration however taken together with the very marked characters of the ripe capsule justify, in my opinion, a distinct varietal name. Dried specimens have probably been labelled simply Iris germanica.
The roots came to me mixed with the roots of I.Biliotti, just described, as kindly obtained for me by Mr Biliotti, and probably grew at or near the same place.
I have elsewhere urged the desirability of indicating varieties of a species differing slightly only from the type by making use of simple geographical names not turned into Latin. I have therefore called the variety by the name Siwas from the name of the province in which it was found. It is a handsome plant.
M.Foster.

~~~~~~~~~

Clicking on the above will take you an image of the orginal publication

I have taken the liberty to publish the writing of Sir Michael Foster to include two of the varieties described in the same article so that maybe the reader can better understand the confusion some have associated with the iris I.biliottii and the collected variety 'Siwas'.

So many thanks to Christine Skelmersdale for sharing the photos that have given life to the words of Sir Michael Foster. The I.biliottii plants featured in the photos are divisions of the plant collected by Professor T Baytop who made the identification and collection from plants growing in a graveyard in East Turkey in 1985.
Also a big hat tip to Jill and Alun Whitehead for planting a seed of an idea that became these feature posts.
Photo credit, Lady Christine Skelmersdale and be sure to visit the Broadleigh Gardens Web Site

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Iris biliottii, Collected 1887, Sir Michael Foster, Part 2

     So as not to detract from the writings of Sir Michael Foster I have kept seperate the following additional information.

A HANDBOOK OF GARDEN IRISES By W. R. DYKES, M.A., L.-ès-L.
SECRETARY OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. AUTHOR OF "THE GENUS IRIS," Chapter 16, CERTAIN TALL BEARDED IRISES.
Under this heading it seems advisable to group and to attempt to describe and distinguish a number of Irises, which may or may not have an equally good claim to specific rank as those already described. It has already been explained that they are nowhere known to be certainly wild but, as the names are in frequent use among gardeners, it seems best to give particulars which it is hoped will enable each one to be recognised.
I. Biliotti. Foster, 1887. Named after Alfred Biliotti, a British Consul at Trebizond on the Black Sea, from whom Foster received plants in 1884. This is practically a germanica with long, narrow green spathes, not scarious. The falls are red-purple with brownish veins on white on the haft and the standards are of a bluer shade. The style crests are of an opal colour. The leaves are of a peculiar shape, being narrow at the base and having their widest point above the middle.

THE IRIS Brian Mathew.
The Species of Iris.
I. Biliottii Foster. This grows in the Black Sea region of Turkey, especially in the valley leading from Trabzon to Gümüşhane where it is much use on graves. It has stems about 60-80cm in height with two or three branches 5-10cm long. The acute bracts are grey-green with transparent papery tips. Like I.germanica the flowers are scented and purple, the falls are rather reddish purple and the standards of a bluer-purple shade. The haft of the falls is veined brown-purple on white ground and the beard is white with yellow tips to the hairs.
I was shown this plant growing near Gümüşhane by T Baytop and can confirm that it is apparently confined to cemeteries and does not produce seeds. Rhizomes collected by us were brought back to England where they grow vigourously and flower freely a few weeks after I.germanica.

HANDBOOK OF THE lRIDEÆ.
J. G. BAKER, F. R. S., F.L. S.,
KEEPER OF THE HERBARIUM OF THE ROYAL GARDENS, KEW.
126. I. Biliotti
Foster in Gardeners Chronicle, 1887, v. 738.—
Rhizome as in I. germanica. Leaves darker green, more distinctly striated and more rigid. Stem several-headed, 2½-3 ft. long. Spathes 2-3-flowered, 3 in. long, ventricose, scariose only towards the tip at the flowering time ; pedicel very short. Perianth-tube ½ in. long ; falls obovate-cuneate, 3-3½ in. long, 1½ in. broad, reddish purple with many dark veins ; beard white, tipped with yellow ; standards as long, orbicular-unguiculate, 2 in. broad, bright blue-purple. Style-branches 1½ in. long; crests deltoid. Capsule ellipsoid, 2½ in. long, deeply 6 -grooved.
Hab. Trebizond. Received alive by Dr. Foster from Consul Biliotti. Very near I. germanica. Flowers with us in June.

So many thanks again to Christine Skelmersdale for sharing the photos that have given life to the above words . The I.biliottii plants featured in the photos are divisions of the plant collected by Professor T Baytop who made the identification and collection from plants growing in a graveyard in East Turkey in 1985.

Also a big hat tip to Jill and Alun Whitehead for planting a seed of an idea that became these feature posts.

Photo credit Lady Christine Skelmersdale and be sure to visit the Broadleigh Gardens Web Site.

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New Zealand Tall Bearded Iris "FINEST HOUR"

I first published information about the heirloom iris 'Finest Hour' on New Years day 2010.Recently I had mentioned in the 'Polar Cap' feature a reference that Carlos Ayento of Brighton Park Irises had sent me the 'Finest Hour' photo to share with you all.
To be honest the artist enhanced drawing displayed in both the 'Stevens' and 'Schreiners' catalogues and featured below is a wee bit short of the mark when it comes to an accurate portrayal of the Iris and at best could be defined as only helpful for ID purposes. It was certainly enhanced by the artist to show the iris in the best possible light.
In her book ‘Iris Culture and Hybridizing For Everyone’ Wilma Vallette on page 313 noted the following, “Red Amoena’s have already appeared as in 1958 Mrs Stevens’ FINEST HOUR was introduced, from ((Naranja x Redmayne) x (Lagos x (Gudrun x (Lady Morvyth x Rangatira))) X (Russet Mantle x Three Sisters).  It is a typical variegata, noisy haft markings and all, only on a white ground, rather than yellow, and very contrasty. In America, Chet Tompkins bloomed #55-185 in 1954, a red and white amoena in the 3rd generation from Colour Carnival and Three Cheers. His description sounds very outstanding-large, beautifully formed, with snowy standards, smooth hafted spectrum red falls, and a fiery red beard. Unfortunately when he moved to Oregon a year or so later, somebody stole the whole plant leaving him only one tiny rhizome from which to build up stock. A sister, #55-185A is similar, but with pink standards, and has already been crossed with Finest Hour, in an effort to combine the two lines, and something quite promising may be expected to appear. It has been suggested that Rumba Rose and Three Sisters, which both have reddish falls, might be of value in a program for red amoena’s, used with the yellow ones, and is the latter is a grandparent of Finest Hour”.
 Writing in his 1962 'Tell's Iris Garden" catalog, Tell Muhlestein stated that the bloom was smallish and noted that Frank Hutchings apparently selfed 'Finest Hour' and got a much improved form. To date I can not find any registration of any of the above mentioned crosses or seedlings.



  Jean Stevens in her catalogue description of this iris mentions that Finest Hour is a very early bloomer so I have saved the publication of the photo and additional information until close to the start of the New Zealand bloom season, and maybe New Zealanders interested in Historic Irises will be on the look out for another amazing Jean Stevens Iris. If you see this iris growing in New Zealand please do not hesitate to contact me.


Stevens Bros. Catalogue 1958-59
FINEST HOUR (Stevens)
Over the years we have raised and introduced many outstanding Irises, but our speciality has been in the breeding of different Amoenas and many of these are grown widely throughout the world. It has been our pride that we introduced the first Yellow amoena "Pinnacle" ; the first white and pastel lavender, "Polar Cap", the first white and Pastel Blue,"Alpine Meadow". We feel very happy therefore to introduce another "first",a red and white amoena, Finest Hour as a swan song to this our last year in commercial iris growing. Until Finest Hour opened its first blossom on a seedling plant an iris with clean white standards and rich plum red falls had flowered only in the imagination of breeders.The firmly closed standards of this new iris are snowy white except down towards the hafts where they are faintly flushed with lemon chartreuse. The falls are rounded and the glowing colour is rich and even. The branching is excellent, and the whole plant is a vigorous grower and an exceptionally fast increaser. Very early flowering, it is one of the first varieties to open but remains in flower over a long season. 3 ½ ft. 50/-

Schreiners Iris Lovers Catalog 1958
FINEST HOUR (Stevens 1958) E. 38"
For years, hybridizers have dreamed of producing a red and white amoena but with scant hope of success since nature produces amoena's only in the violet and white form. However, Mrs. Stevens of New Zealand, whose magic touch produced the first yellow and white amoena's, has now startled the Iris world with the first red and white amoena. FINEST HOUR possess snow white standards faintly brushed lemon-chartreuse at the base of the midribs, together with plum-red falls of sharply flaring form. A nicely branched Iris that will be very distingue in the garden clump and which will, of course, be of unique interest to hybridizers. $20.00

Waterson's Iris Gardens Wanganui 1960-1961
FINEST HOUR (Stevens)
Another "different" amoena of Mrs Stevens raising - this time a striking red and white. The firmly closed standards of this iris are snowy white execpt down towards the hafts, where they are faintly flushed with lemon chartreuse.The falls are rounded and the glowing plum-red colour is rich and even. The branching is excellent and the whole plant is a vigorous grower and an exceptionally fast increaser. Very early flowering, it is one of the first to open but remains in flower over a long season. 3½ ft.  35/-

Courtesy  Schreiners Catalogue 1958

New Zealand Iris Hybridiser's Cumulative Check List
FINEST HOUR  Mrs J. Stevens, Reg., 1955.   Sdlg. 1/C11. TB, 36″, EM, re, W4.   S. white; F. deep even red; some haft venations. (Naranja x Redmayne) x (Lagos x (Gudrun x (Lady Morvyth x Rangatira))) X (Russet Mantle x Three Sisters). Schreiners 1958, 'Novelties' Stevens Bros 1958-59  H.M. 1961 A.I.S.

Once again I would like to give a large hat tip to Carlos Ayento, the Web-master of the brilliant Web Site “Brighton Park Iris”, and is also the Historical Iris Preservation Society, Databank Chair.

Photo credit and copyright Brighton Park Iris.

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Tall Bearded Historic Iris "GRACCHUS "

Purchased from Otepopo Garden Nursery (see later in the article), the photo above is of the Iris 'Gracchus' reblooming over by the Woolshed last month.One of the earliest known cultivars that rebloom in mild climates and bred well before the use of middle eastern tetraploids were introduced to Iris breeding.
W.R. Dykes in 'The Gardener's Chronicle' November 5th, 1910, observed " Last year I remember that the variegata GRACCHUS flowered most freely in October"

The Iris is listed in the 1929 AIS checklist GRACCHUS TB-Y9L (Ware 1884) F.C.C 1885.
At the time the editors of the checklist used garden catalogues for information regarding early originator's, or who listed the cultivars in commerce.(This applies for entries prior to dates when registration forms were used by hybridisers to establish breeding facts).

So with this in mind there can be no surprise that Amos Perry writes in the BIS yearbook 1946, 'Past Present, and Future' page 110, "My father had always been very keen on Irises. He raised GRACCHUS which received a First Class Certificate R.H.S.on 9th June, 1885. (It was also Highly Commended R.H.S 2nd June 1916)
Amos Perry joined his father working at Thomas S. Ware and was apprenticed to the firm at Tottenham in 1885. Also of interest from the same article, "In those days the germanica Irises were grown largely for the Covent Garden Market, and about twenty acres of them were grown each year. I can well remember the tedium of cutting, piling the spikes at the end of the beds, bunching them in dozens, and packing them for transit."
"The market favourites were Florentina, Pallida dalmatica, GRACCHUS and VICTORINE."

Nairn and Sons Lincoln Road Christchurch has one of the earliest New Zealand listings for GRACCHUS in their 1892-93 Plant Catalogue, and is also listed in the above 1901-02 edition

Nicholas Moore in his 1956 book, "Tall Bearded Iris"
 In the late Nineteenth Century, Robert Parker, Thomas Ware and others were making deliberate crosses in an effort to raise improved varieties of iris, and some irises of this time such as Ware's 'GRACCHUS' and Lemon's 'CHEREAU' still survive, though they scarcely seem now the wonders that they were in their own day.

Historic Iris Preservation Society 'Roots', Fall 2000 page 19.
"An interesting breeding project initiated by Bob Schreiner and now being carried on by Ray.This project is an attempt to reintroduce hardiness disease resistance and vigour to modern bearded iris using Gracchus as the foundation stock"

Gracchus (Ware) The sensation of a past generation F.C.C. 1885

Photo courtesy 'IRISES Their culture and selection' Gwendolyn Anley 1946

Kelway's Hardy Perennials and Colour Borders 1929/30 page 37
Gracchus standards primrose yellow, falls primrose veined and reticulated crimson 9d each

Schreiners Catalogue 2008
You will sense Gracchus' irrepressible spirit. Its arched standards are cleanly finished in medium yellow. The flared white falls are heavily overlaid with deep violet veinations. These pert and charming flowers are produced in abundance, as it often yields multiple stems per root.

'The Iris', John C. Wister, 1930 Page 114. 

'Gracchus' had been entered on his version of the Black List. There were several of these 'Black Lists', even an official list published by The American Iris Society in 1928, which was headed " the following varieties of Tall Bearded Irises are considered as unworthy of further propagation. All members should refrain from assisting in their dissemination whether by purchase, by sale, by exchange, or by gift".
Thank God a few took no notice otherwise this stand out Iris would not be around today.

Listed In The Otepopo Garden Nursery Catalogue Spring 2001
GRACCHUS (Ware 1884)
There is some confusion about this iris as discussed in NZIS bullietins 145, 146. But whether it is a TB or a MTB, whether it is correctly named or not, it is a great garden iris flowering for a long time during the season and always fresh and attractive. Standards bright yellow. Falls strongly veined reddish. Height 75cm.

Bloom pictured above was from the plant purchased from this supplier, and a modicum of quality research would have immediately discounted the confusion as to whether this iris is in fact 'Gracchus' or that it could be as it some times labeled in New Zealand 'Gajus'.
'GAJUS TB Y9M' is well documented as having Purple Bottom Foliage (PBF) and Gracchus does not show this trait, also the fall colour of Gajus is classified as been confluent.
As to the discussion on whether the iris is a TB or MTB is also not a runner. MTB first became a classification in the 1959 AIS Checklist so GRACCHUS would not be eligible for this classification.
As the Iris was first listed in the AIS Alphabetical Iris Check List 1929 page 121 we should take the time and refer to the definition of the classification in the 1929 Checklist page 4: TB Tall Bearded Section. Species, forms and hybrids of Iris germanica, pallida, variegata, trojana, cypriana, and other tall species'
The only conclusion one can arrive at is that 'GRACCHUS' is correctly classified as a TB for the period it was listed.
This is probably a great example how Irises can become entrenched in the system with the wrong ID. Whist the writer of the catalogue does acknowledge that the iris label is contentious yet carries on selling the iris as a named variety, fortunately for all purchasers it turned out to be the correct name.

In America it is listed in the following catalogues, Schreiner's Iris Gardens,Newport Naturals, and listed with Seagate Irises in the United Kingdom

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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Historic Iris "BRIDE"

THE BRIDE or BRIDE is a historic dwarf Iris that grows very well here at home.It is somewhat special to have a very small part of early British iris breeding history in the collection.
Originally classified by John W.Caparne as a 'New Intermediate' in his catalogue 'The Iris Plant and Bulb Co'. St.Martin's Guernsey 1903 Catalogue.
I am not 100% certain that the 1929 checklist pedigree shown below is in fact correct as 'Candida' is listed as 1920 introduction

AIS Checklist 1929
BRIDE Caparne, 1901 DB, 7", E, W4 (Statellae X Candida), AM RHS 1927

From the Journal of the Royal Horticultural Society. Bearded Iris Tried at Wisley 1925-1927 page 120
Class 1. WHITE, or NEARLY WHITE VARIETIES
Dwarf Varieties (5 to 6 inches)
THE BRIDE AM 1927
Of moderate vigour and rapid increase. Foliage green, 5 to 6 inches 2 fld. Flowers small well proportioned, stiff. standards somewhat domed, 2 X 1⅜ inch; falls hanging straight 1⅜ X 1⅜ inch: white with faint bluish tinge. Flowering for a fortnight from May 5th 1927 Raised by Messrs.Caparne Sent by Messrs. Barr

The Iris Plant and Bulb Co. St.Martin's Guernsey Catalogue 1903
BRIDE (Caparne 1899)
Pure white Self, with a white to primrose beard.

Lee R. Bonnewitz 1928 Catalog p25; DWARF IRISES
THE BRIDE
White .......... $0.35

John William Caparne work in median Irises is still today less well-known than it deserves. Long before the British or American Irises Societies were even contemplated he was breeding and promoting Iris. A personal friend of Sir Michael Foster who commissioned illustrations by Caparne for his works and many appear in Sir Michael's 1892 book 'Bulbous Irises' where he states "Those figures which bear the name 'Caparn' were most kindly drawn for me by my friend Mr. J. W. Caparn, of Oundle."
Caparne was a talented artist whose introduction to Irises came from a desire to paint them.
W.R Dykes in 'The Handbook of Garden Irises',1924 "Within the last few years some growers have attempted to enlarge the Intermediate section by including in it such early flowering varieties as florentina, Siwas, Kochii and Karput. The term intermediate was probably first used in this connection by Caparne and he certainly understood by it dwarfer varieties than these. He defined it, in fact, as meaning an Iris of the size and growth of a large chamaeiris but with flowers the size of atropurpurea or Kharput."

"The Bride" is available in New Zealand from Kingswood Irises
Will no doubt post more on John William Caparne at a later date.
As always clicking on the above image will take you to the larger, higher resolution version.

Photo Credit and Copyright Iris Hunter

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