Intermediate Bearded Iris 'RASPBERRY BLUSH'

'Raspberry Blush' is a standout Intermediate Iris. The standards are a soft raspberry pink and the falls are the same with a Raspberry flush on the falls coming ⅔ the way down. Beards a beautiful raspberry orange tone. A great early flowering iris that boldly announces in your garden that the Tall Bearded Irises are on the way.It should be noted that whilst the registered height of this iris blooms is 51cm or 20 inches but it is generally accepted that it grows a little less than this. The RHS granted 'Raspberry Blush' the Award of Garden Merit and notes its height in the RHS Plant Selector,"up to 40cm or 16 inches" .
It's a 33 year old Iris that is still been sold in the current catalogues of main stream Iris nurseries idicates just how popular it is with the Gardening Public. This is unusual to say the least especially in the US of A where catalogue variety turnover is at its highest. 'Raspberry Blush' is still catalogued today by Schreiners another great indication of the high regard this iris is still held.  Awarded the Hans and Jacob Sass Medal in 1981.

Mission Bell Gardens, Mr. and Mrs.J. R. Hamblen, Roy Utah. Iris for 1976.
1976 Introductions. Intermediate Bearded;
RASPBERRY BLUSH. ML, 20". Raspberry pink with deeper toned spot in falls and beards matching spot. Ruffled, well-formed flowers on strong stalks. Pretty Karen small sib X Dove Wings. #M70-22C. HC '75. ..................... $10.00

Bulletin of the American Iris Society, October 1980, Number 239.
Varietal comments from Tulsa
What You Should Have Seen, Ron Mullin.
The IBs were in full bloom for the convention, and I agree with the many who commented that Hamblen's RASPBERRY BLUSH stole the show.

Tempo Two, Barry and Lesley Blyth, East Road, Pearcedale, Victoria, Australia, Season 1983-84
RASPBERRY BLUSH (Hamblen '76 USA) IB ML 20". Ruffled well formed raspberry pink with deeper toned spots below pink beards. We love this one (Pretty Karen Sib x Dove Wings) HM '77, JC '77, AM '79. Sass Medal '81..................... $7.50 

The Iris Yearbook (BIS), 1990, “Shorter Bearded Irises in 1990”, page 61, C.E.C. Bartlett.
Still with the older varieties 'Raspberry Blush' (Hamblen '75) gave a good account of itself. This is a sturdy and reliable performer in pink with a raspberry fall patch. The form is good although the falls tend to be a bit square and strappy. A first rate garden iris nonetheless.

AIS Checklist 1979
RASPBERRY BLUSH (M. Hamblen, R. 1975). Sdlg. M70-22C. IB 20" (51 cm) M-L. S. raspberry-pink; F. raspberry on upper half, raspberry-pink on lower half; raspberry beard. Pretty Karen sib X Dove Wings., Mission Bell 1976. HM '77, AM '79, SM '81.


Intermediate Irises are ideal for the smaller garden with borders that are narrower and require less space than what might be required for Tall Bearded Iris. Flowering earlier than the Tall bearded Irises and later than the Dwarf Iris this class of irises add a continuance to the iris bloom season. They have similar growing conditions to Tall Bearded, full sun, good drainage, and a loose root run. If the area is windy, Intermediates because of their shorter growing height (16" to 27 ½ ") can be more appropriate for the conditions.

Available in the US of A from Schreiners Iris Gardens , in the United Kingdom visitors can order from, Aulden Farms . Sold in New Zealand by The Iris Boutique

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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New Zealand Intermediate Bearded Iris 'LUCY'S BLUE SILK '

Quite the little surprise package is this New Zealand bred Intermediate Iris which grows along side 'Moon Tike' and are two of the very late flowering Intermediate Irises in our collection.

A high health plant which grows well and always shows good increase and would adapt well to growing in most gardens. Slight but nice scent.

1989 AIS checklist
LUCY'S BLUE SILK (L. Delaney by H. Catton, R. 1985). IB 24" (60 cm) M-L. Light sky blue; white beard. Unknown parentage., Catton 1986/87.

Not sold commercially in New Zealand, but if you can find it I recommend you buy or trade it.

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Keith Keppel Iris 2009 Catalogue

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Two weeks ago Keith Keppel's Iris Catalogue arrived in the post. Truly amazing to see what a hybridising Giant of the Iris world has to offer. Keith is a magician with visual perception and has the foresight required when it comes to selecting which varieties to cross with. It's just to bad Importing Irises to New Zealand is a wee bit tough at the present time, but things could change!! Anyway for those visitors to the blog lucky enough to live in the USA go and buy yourselves some classy Irises and for the rest of us we will just have to enjoy the pic's, and dream of what could of been.
Catalogue also contains a very good listing of Barry Blyth's Irises

Cover Shot Rainbow High

RAINBOW HIGH ML 40" (Starship Enterprise X Rio) Lemon yellow standards pale to cream on the outer third, then darken slightly at the margin. Falls are bright yellow near golden yellow beards, warm white in the center.. Next is a wide pleroma violet zone shading to a ⅜" light cedar brown band with paler rose tan outer edge. Guady is Good. #01-60A

For a catalogue, please send $3 to: Keith Keppel P.O. Box 18154 Salem, OR 97305 or you can now visit Keith Keppel's Iris new web site, listed in the Iris Links on this page

"We are such stuff as dreams are made on." William Shakespeare .

Centre Page

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Bearded Iris Bulletin Wisley Trial

Have you seen the new brochure about the Bearded Trials published by the Royal Horticultural Society ?
This bulletin follows the completion of a trial of 151 Median Bearded Irises and 112 Tall Bearded Irises at RHS Garden Wisley. The bulletin gives details of 90 AGM award-winning bearded irises in this group. It contains pictures and descriptions of each AGM cultivar, plus advice on cultivation and Bearded Iris classification.
Great presentation, informative,and a future benchmark for Iris trial reporting. My Congratulations go to the Joint Iris Committee, and the RHS for a very professional publication
Available from the Trials Office, RHS Garden, Wisley, Woking GU23 6QB - please send a large (A4) stamped addressed envelope and a donation of £2. Further details and downloads can be found here

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Intermediate Bearded Iris 'SPRING NIGHT'

Another Black and fragrant Intermediate Iris (Starting to see a trend?)

AIS Checklist 1979
SPRING NIGHT (W. Peck, R. 1974). Sdlg. 6726. IB 23" (58 cm) M. Very dark violet self; light violet beard. Inky X Jet Black., Old Brook 1975.

Don't forget, Click on any photo to view a larger image


Photo credit and copyright Iris Hunter 

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Intermediate Arilbred Iris 'BIRD DANCER'

      

'Bird Dancer' another Stand out New Zealand Hybridised Iris by Hilmary Catton which is in full bloom today. What gives this intermediate iris its stunningly exotic look is partly due to its aril parentage.
Purchased for the princely sum of $5.00 (For that price I recommend you purchase two) from Kingswood Irises 15 Railway Road Woodlands R D 1 Invercargill. Write to Marion Rutherford for their Catalogue which is on CD with some of the best Iris photos around. As I have said before This iris nursery I highly recommend!


1989 AIS Checklist
BIRD DANCER (Mrs. Hilmary Catton, R. 1982). Sdlg. C75-5-1. AB (OGB), 25½" (65cm), E. S. lavender blue, green gold midrib; F. green gold blend, blue flash beneath beard; white beard tipped bronze. Moon Spinner X King Henry. Wyuna Iris Gardens, 1982/3.

Photo credit and copyright Iris Hunter 

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Intermediate Bearded Historic Irises 'ARCTIC MYST' and 'BLACK WATCH'

Two Recent Historic Intermediate Irises Out today Will Just give you the checklist details and fill in a bit more information later.














ARCTIC MYST (A. Brown, R. 1964). Sdlg. M-358-4. IB 20" E, B1. Wisteria blue self, tan at haft; light yellow beard. (Snow Elf x blue sib) X Flyaway., Brown's Iris Gardens 1964. HM 1966.
Quick Note Very Fragrant











BLACK WATCH (R. Rosenfels, R. 1972). Sdlg. 684-S. IB 23" (58 cm) M. Very deep, velvety purple self; matching beard. First Night X Sable Robe., Rosenfels 1972.




Photo Credit and Copyright Iris Hunter

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Historic Iris 'ZUA'

ZUA, in my opinion one of the great lookers in historic irises . Bred by Mrs William Crawford, (Anna Boyd), La Porte, Indiana. In 1890 Mrs. Crawford began cultivating peonies, eventually specializing in the growing of Peonies and Irises at Crawford Gardens, publishing her first Iris catalogue in 1920.
The iris is classified as an Intermediate. Shows good increase, great fragrance, flowers handle moderate wet weather well, and is a definite talking point in our garden. A hardy plant that can handle neglect which is perhaps one of the reasons that the Iris has survived and is still growing in discerning gardens today. The 1929 and, 1939 checklist has 'ZUA' as a sport of FLORENTINA

"Zua and Sports" Jean Stevens
My attention has recently been drawn to a statement that the strange little crisped, ice-blue Iris 'Zua' is a sport of the collected iris known as I.florentina . This statement is based on the fact that the origin of Zua as given in the Checklist of all iris varieties, is that it was recorded in 1919 as a sport of I.florentina. Apparently there had been much discussion on and interest taken in 'Zua' at the time as a number of Horticultural publications referred to it, some of these being used as references to Zua's origin in the 1929 Checklist
A "sport" is a horticultural term denoting a change in the plant or part of a plant, a change of habit. growth, colour, form or what you will, that takes place vegetatively. This means that the change has taken place during cell division while the plant is in growth- not through the seeding process. The effect of sporting can be seen in the occasional familiar four standard- four fall freak which most of us have seen or the equally familiar phenomenon of a petal or part of a petal being a different colour. These sports, since they have occurred in the flower itself and not in the growth fan are lost when the flower fades.
Most kinds of flowers produce occasional sports, and some of these sports occur in the growth buds or shoots or in the case of irises in the side fans. When this happens the growth bud sport can be propagated and so the sport kept and perpetuated. Camellias, Chrysanthemums, Roses, Carnations, and a number of other flowers quite frequently produce these growth bud sports, all of which can be propagated and saved. The iris produces growth bud sports only rarely, and over the many years I have been growing irises I have seen only one instance of such sporting. This was when a yellow flowered seedling produced a fan which sent up a spike of all white flowers.

Image courtesy Mrs Crawford's Catalogue 1921

Mrs William Crawford,1602 Indiana Avenue La Porte, Indiana. Peonies, Irises and Perennials, 1921

ZUA-- Standards and Falls dainty lavender ; Standards and Falls of texture like heavy frosted crepe. Very Distinct. Fragrant .Early...............$2.00 

Lee R. Bonnewitz,Van Wert, Ohio, Peonies and Irises,1926.
ZUA (Crawford). A light colored Iris whose standards and falls are more like silk crepe than any other variety we know. The standards are white with a delicate lilac tint and the falls have a slightly deeper lilac tint with olive-cream markings at the base. Large size blooms for the 18 inch stalk which carries it..................$0.35.

Iris Fields, West La Fayette, Indiana. Iris of Quality. Surplus stock from Private Collection,1926. 
 75  ZUA  (Crawford, 1914). White self, slightly tinged lilac, crimped and crinkled like crepe paper. Absolutely different and in a class by itself. 
18 inches ............................. .50

Indian Springs Farms, Baldwinsville, New York. Iris Catalog 1926
ZUA (Crawford 1914) 7.5. An early-flowering, dwarf-growing variety with large blooms of clear white, slightly tinted lilac. S. and F. have a curiously crinkled texture like crepe paper. 12 to 18 inches. The flower is similar in color to Florentina alba but with more crinkled texture and dwarfer habits. 50 cts. each; $1.25 for 3; $4.00 per doz. 

F.X. Schreiner, St. Paul, Minnesota. An Iris Lover's Catalog with Iris map, 1930. 
A Group of Iris With Personality
Zua-One of the most interesting early Iris, lascinated, a pearly white with a lavender overlay. The whole has a crepe paper appearance.

Robert Wayman, Bayside, Long Island, New York, 1930 Catalog and also John Scheepers, 522 Fifth Ave, New York,"Beauty From Bulbs", Catalog 1931,
'ZUA' (Crawford 1914) 18 inches FRAGRANT. this variety is in a class by itself, both on account of its color, which is a uniform soft pearl grey and also on account of its creped and crinkled petals. It looks like an artificial flower made out of crepe paper. the flowers are fragrant and of good size.

Carl Salbach, Berkley, California, German or Bearded Iris Catalog 1939
Zua 
Most unusual, this pale porcelain blue iris, so light in color it approaches white,is most enchanting. The petals are crinkled like crepe paper. Not well known because it it blooms before the bulk of the iris flower, but delightful. Would be most fitting in a rockery. Very early. 14-inch.

R.E.Harrison & Co., Palmerston North, Harrisons Autumn Bulb Catalogue 1962
Bearded Iris, Named Varieties.
ZUA. Different in form and texture to any other bearded iris we have seen. The petals are heavily crinkled and of almost leathery texture. The colour is a light blue self frosty in appearance......2/6

AIS Checklist 1939
ZUA IB-E-W1 (Craw 1914) Sport of FLORENTINA

Julie May of 'The Iris Garden' fame has 'ZUA' growing in her well manicured Canterbury gardens. So anyone who drops in for a cup of tea at her very famous tearooms should be able to see the iris in full bloom this coming season, so stop by early spring and check them out. 'ZUA' is available from the nursery only in bags, not listed in this years catalogue.

Also available in New Zealand from Kingswood Irises 15 Railway Road, Woodlands RD1, Invercargill. Write to Marion Rutherford for their Catalogue which is on CD with some of the best Iris photos around. This iris nursery I also highly recommended!

In America 'ZUA' is available from the following, Bluebird Haven Iris Garden, Chuck Chapman Iris, Irises of Shadowood, and Wanda Rezac Iris.

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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