Tall Bearded Iris TIGER HONEY

 No two blooms colour configurations are exactly the same and blooms can change due to regional growing and seasonal changes so what the photo shows will never be exactly replicated the same again. 'Tie dyed', 'Splish Splashes', 'Batik', whatever you like to call them they are officially classed as 'broken colour'. 'Tiger Honey' as you can see is a unique jambalaya colouration of butterscotch, honey, tan and white. This strong grower is set apart not only by its colouring, but also by a great fragrance! It produces a nice number of flowers on strong 98cm or 36" stems from early to mid-season. Out of a cross of one of my favourite irises Allan Ensminger's 'Maria Tormena' with Schreiners little known yellow and rose tan plicata "Desert Realm'. It's one of Brad Kasperek's early and quality achievements. If you don't own this Iris it's high time you did and soon!

Perry Dyer's CONTEMPORARY VIEWS -- 1995/1996
TIGER HONEY (Kasperek 1994) is the first release from this enthusiastic new hybridizer, and is a major advancement in the work Allan Ensminger began with the broken color pattern types (I refer to them as “splish-splashes”). Base color is bone, but then it is irregularly, irreverently mottled, streaked, and blotched with butterscotch, honey, and golden yellow. Like it or not, the zoo has arrived, folks – DEAL WITH IT!! (Personally, I fall into the “greatest fan” category – Mr. K is fresh and innovative in his approach to breeding and marketing, but dead serious about his work – he’ll go far!).

Schreiners Collector's Edition, 2000 Iris Lovers Catalog
TIGER HONEY (Kasperek 1994)EM. 36"
This hybridizer is winning recognition for his work with wildly imaginative color patterns. See for yourself, Tiger Honey is one of his best. Its butterscotch standards are randomly streaked in golden yellow. Its lightly laced and ruffled flaring falls are fabulously striped in streaks and blotches of mustard yellow, tan and white. Not to be overlooked is its strong growth. HM 1996, AM 1998

Tempo Two Iris and Daylilies 2002-2003
TIGER HONEY (Kasperek 94 USA) EM 38" Standards are butterscotch with random golden yellow streaks. Falls are butterscotch with caramel stripes on golden yellow ground, and off white streaking. Beards are butterscotch. Lightly laced, ruffled. No two flowers are the same. Well branched. (Desert Realm X Maria Tormena)

AIS Checklist 1999
TIGER HONEY
(Brad Kasperek, R. 1993) Sdlg. 89-45D. TB, 38" (97 cm), EM
S. butterscotch (RHS 163B) with random golden yellow (15C) streaks; F. butterscotch and caramel (163A) stripes on golden yellow (15C) ground, off-white (155C) streaking; beards butterscotch; lightly laced, ruffled; slight fragrance. Desert Realm X Maria Tormena. Zebra 1994. HM 1996, AM 1998 .

Photo credit and copyright Iris Hunter

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Tall Bearded Iris BEWILDERBEAST

Amazingly 17 years (Is it really that long ?) after the wildly coloured masterpiece 'Bewilderbeast' exploded on the Iris world stage with its 'get this' attitude it is still one of Brad Kasperek's best efforts to date. Its fantastic splish splash of red-purple decorate mustard yellow edges that fade to creamy white toward the center. This attention getter also has a sweet fragrance, and good bud count. Once established it becomes a strong grower but in saying that it took me three attempts to get this iris to grow, and it can be a shy bloomer some years. All and all a fickle iris but when it blooms all the problems are quickly forgotten (until the next time).These broken coloured irises are now starting to be referred to as 'Tie Dyed Iris' probably because no two blooms are exactly the same.

IRISES, A Garden Encyclopaedia, Claire Austin. 
Iris 'Bewilderbeast', (B Kasperek 1995)
This flower is a psychedelic mixture of colours, including maroon, mauve, and cream. These colours sit in rivers across the white background. The standards are muted in tone, and the thin beards are dark yellow. Height 76 cm ( 30½ inches). Bloom ; mid-season. Parentage Tiger Honey X Rustic Dance.

Schreiners Iris Lovers Catalog 2001
BEWILDERBEAST (Kasperek 1995) M. 30"
What an outrageous combination of purple, gold and white! Our photo also illustrates as well branched stem. Bewilderbeast is a reliable grower which has not always been the case with such novelties. H.M '97, AM '99

AIS Checklist 1999
BEWILDERBEAST (Brad Kasperek, R. 1994) Sdlg. 91B-2A. TB, 30" (76 cm), M ; S. streaked light mauve (RHS 61A) and silver white (155C); F. dark mauve (61A) with silver white streaking, sunshine yellow shoulders with mauve veining; beards golden brown; laced, lightly ruffled; slight fragrance. Tiger Honey X Rustic Dance. Zebra 1995. HM 1997, AM 1999 .

If you like these irises,visiting the Zebra Gardens web site is a must do.

The bewildering photo is credited and copyrighted to Iris Hunter

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Tall Bearded Iris 'MILLENNIUM FALCON'

Catching the early morning sun, nearly said it all!!!! Visitors to the blog know I have a strong affection for Broken Colour Irises and 'MILLENNIUM FALCON' would have to take the cake, it is an extraordinary strong Iris that ticks all the boxes. Anyway I could wax lyrical regarding this Iris but, the master of reviews 'Perry Dyer' writing in his CONTEMPORARY VIEWS – 2002 already beat me to the punch and it is his compendious point of view that I have copied for you all below.

'The 9-1-1 AWARD is given to the New Iris that is, in my opinion, the most significant hybridizing achievement or color break, of the varieties I have seen. It was hard to put one above another this year, as far as impact and importance are concerned. But finally, I gave the nod to MILLENNIUM FALCON (Kasperek 2000), a choice Color Breaker of the highest quality. I would say this is the culmination of the intense dedicated work Brad has done in this style of iris, but I won’t, because I expect great, festive things from him for years to come! Even if you have snubbed Color Breakers as “freaks”, and wouldn’t dare consider “lowering your standards” to support (translation: VOTE) for one of these things, well, you’re just gonna have to get over it! Millennium Falcon has all the poise and sophistication of the best of the “non-spashers” (!), and is a complete package, with strong plant habits, consistent growth, resistance to adverse weather conditions, flowers with broad, architecturally sound form, and that all-important quality – PERSONALITY. It is basically a neglecta, with light blue standards with a touch of lavender in their makeup and elegant white streaking, and rich royal blue falls with the white streaking with a bit more intensity.'
Say's it all don't you think!!!

AIS Checklist 1999
MILLENNIUM FALCON (Brad Kasperek, registered 1998) Seedling 94B-23C. TB, height 38" (97 cm), mid season bloom. Standards light wistaria blue (RHS 92A), silver white (155D) streaks; style arms violet blue; falls rich royal blue (89B), silver white streaks; beards orange, hairs tipped blue; broken color pattern; ruffled; slight fragrance. 'Gnus Flash' X 92B-49Z: ('Batik' x 89B-42E: ('Rustic Dance' x 'Maria Tormena')). Zebra 2000. Honorable Mention 2002, Award of Merit 2004, Wister Medal 2008.

Zebra Gardens is the Hybridiser Brad Kasperek web site, and displays all his exciting new releases 

Selling this year in New Zealand at 'Amazing Iris Garden'

Photo Credit and Copyright Iris Hunter

*****

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