Tall Bearded Space Age Iris CONJURATION

Flowers are small for the height of the stalks. It's a more subtle Space Age form and some people take a lot of convincing that it is a Space Age Iris at all. Covers itself in blooms with a great backup of buds. I've always been impressed with this Iris growing in other gardens but only just purchased this Iris last season, so for me to write that I'm looking forward to this multi-award winning iris blooming at home would have to be the understatement of 2013 .

Moonshine Gardens, Potter Valley California.
Introductions 1989
CONJURATION *TB*(Sky Hooks x Condottiere) X Alpine Castle.White with suffused violet edges, much deeper on the falls; white beard tipped tangerine and fuzzy white horns. A more modern, more ruffled Alpine Castle with horns...................................................................$35.00.

IRISES A Gardener's Encyclopedia, Claire Austin
Iris 'Conjuration' (Byers 1988) this variety produces small, scented flowers balanced on slender, well branched stems. The blooms are mainly white, but the falls are broadly edged with rose violet, while standards are tinged with a paler violet. The white beards are long, horned, and tipped with tangerine toward the back. Height 91 cm (36½"). Bloom : mid to late season. Parentage (Sky Hooks x Condottiere) X Alpine Castle. Dykes Medal Winner USA 1998.

IRIS Flowers of the Rainbow, Graeme Grosvenor. Amoena.
'Conjuration' (Byers 1988) it is not an amoena in the true sense as the white standards have a pale blue-violet edge while the falls are deep amethyst violet with a white central area surrounding white beards tipped tangerine with fuzzy white horns. This "Space-Age" Iris is ruffled, has good form and gives a blue-violet amoena effect in the garden. Spikes reach 90 cm in mid to late season, are strong, well held and support the eight or more buds. Growth, health, vigour and increase are all good, as is the general garden effect of this beauty. Breeding is (Sky Hooks x Condottiere) X Alpine Castle.

Contemporary Views, 1989, Perry Dyer– Award Winners
The 9-1-1 AWARD is given to the New Iris that is the most significant hybridizing achievement or color break. This year’s winner is the new Space Age iris, CONJURATION (Byers 1989). As viewed in Memphis at the master planting at Ketchum, it was a tall, commanding “amoena” in the tradition of its parent, ‘Alpine Castle’ (Blyth), but with drastically improved form. The stalks were somewhat thin, but tall and stately, and holding up average sized flowers with no problem in light rain and wind. Exceptionally vigorous and floriferous, it makes a smashing clump, but I feel it will also consistently produce show stalks. The color scheme is basically a white infused lilac-lavender, with the falls heavily washed on the edges in amethyst in the style of ‘Planned Treasure’ (Burger) or ‘Fuji’s Mantle’ (Schreiner). All of this is capped with consistent, bright tangerine beards and horns! A great breakthrough.

Contemporary Views, 1993, Perry Dyer- Space Age.
The presence of the late Monty Byers was felt all the way to Italy, and he took the competition by storm, placing five in the Top 20 finalists, and two in the Top 10! For the first time in the entire history of the competition, a Space Age iris won the top prize: CONJURATION (Byers 1989). The local Italian ladies would walk by the spectacular clump and proclaim, “bella, bella”!
 
Cooleys Gardens, Silverton, Oregon. Iris Catalog 2002.
Space Age Iris
CONJURATION (Byers 1989) ML. 40" Bright white standards are lightly infused pale violet blue. Smooth, wide blue-violet edging on white falls. Tangerine tipped white beards. Frilly white horns.HM '91, AM '94,  Wister Medal '98, Dykes Medal '98

Schreiner's, Salem,Oregon, 2013 Collectors Edition, Iris Lovers Catalog.
CONJURATION (Byers 1989) ML. 40"
A fantastic spellbinder! Conjuration's clean white standards are delicately tinted with pale blue-violet. Deeper 3/4 inch bands of amethyst-violet dramatically edge its snow-white falls. Look closely to see fuzzy white horns extending from the tangerine beards. Double-and triple-socketed buds yield 8-12 flowers per stalk. HM '91, AM '94,  Wister Medal '98, Dykes Medal '98

AIS Checklist 1989
CONJURATION (Monty Byers, registered 1988). Seedling D1-1. TB, height 36" (91 cm), mid to late bloom season. Standards white, edge lightly infused pale violet blue; falls white, suffusing to deep bright amethyst violet edge; white beard tipped tangerine; fuzzy white horns; ruffled. B-37-10: (Sky Hooks x Condottiere) X Alpine Castle. Moonshine Gardens 1989. Honorable Mention 1991; Award of Merit 1994; Wister Medal 1998; American Dykes Medal 1998.

This photo and others recently displayed on this blog and credited to Julie May were taken in 2003 on a Canon PowerShot S45 a 4.1 Megapixel compact point-and-shoot camera, now ain't that something.
As usual, clicking the above image will take you to the larger, higher resolution version.
Photo credit and copyright Julie May.

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Winter Blooming Tall Bearded Iris ETERNAL BLISS

In New Zealand it's less than four days away from the 2013 Winter Solstice when the day duration will be 09 Hours 37 Mins 53 Secs (Hardy worth turning the lights off) and in the home garden today Ben Hager's  'Total Recall' (92) has three bloom stalks that are just covered in buds and Monty Byers very fine re-blooming 'Eternal Bliss' (87) is in full bloom, now ain't that great? 'Eternal Bliss' is in it's second season re-blooming for me, which has erased the suggestion that when the Iris re-bloomed last season it was a one off. This cracker of a iris was purchased wrongly labelled as 'Fine China' from a seller on Trade Me.

AIS Checklist 1989
ETERNAL BLISS Monty Byers, Reg. 1987. Sdlg. C86-100. TB, 35" (89 cm), M & RE. Standards pale violet; Falls violet white; tangerine beard; heavily ruffled. A-3-1 RE-SA: ('Startler' x 'Sky Hooks') X 'Heaven Helped'. Moonshine Gardens 1988.

 If you get yourself a moment check out the Reblooming Iris Society web site and join! Its one of the premier Iris Societies, and if you don't own some re-blooming irises make a note to purchase some next season, you won't regret it!

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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Tall Bearded Iris THORNBIRD

Strong growth, bold colour tones, blooms make a distinctly striking statement, it's the multi-award winning 'Thornbird'. So what's not to like ??

RHS Trial of Tall Bearded Iris 1998-2000 (An RHS Long Term Trial)
There were 97 entries in this Long Term trial of Tall Bearded Iris which were assessed by the Joint Iris Committee over three years.
All Tall Bearded Iris recommended for the Award of Garden Merit need to have the following qualities: weather resistance several flowering stems a minimum of six buds per stem.
'Thornbird' Award of Garden Merit Royal Horticultural Society.
Raised by M Byers; introduced by Moonshine Gardens; sent by The Iris Garden. Votes 9 for, 2 against. [Trial No. 81]
Stands well; good garden plant; good substance Available from The Iris Garden, and Seagate Irises.

Bulletin of the American Iris Society, October 1997, Number 307. Editor's Message,Climate Tolerance. Terry Aitken
A good example of climate tolerance and vigor is the 1997 Dykes MedalWinner,THORNBIRD (Byers '89). Here is a plant that was originally selected in a Napa Valley, California garden. It has grown enthusiastically throughout North America. While some have struggled with the aesthetic merit of strange protuberances arising where the beard ought to be, and some have been less than enthusiastic about its form, on all other counts it is the kind of winner that the Dykes Medal is supposed to represent

Contemporary Views,1998/1999, Perry Dyer– Space Agers
The famous Thornbird (Byers) is and always will be controversial. One of those “love-it or hate-it” kind of irises – or one that some “love to hate”. The colors can be very coarse, but those dramatic deep violet horns popping up out of the middle are certainly unforgettable.

Rainbow Ridge Nursery, Dural, New South Wales, Iris and Daylily Catalogue 1998
THORNBIRD (Byers '89 M 92cm) Pale ecru-tan standards, green tan falls with darker hafts and mustard tipped purple horned beards. Unique. You either love it or hate it. Most popular.

Cooleys Gardens, Silverton, Oregon, 2000 Iris Fanciers Standard Reference Book.
THORNBIRD (M. Byers '89) M 35" F
This 1997 Dykes Medal winner exhibits such striking unusual colour. The falls are greenish tan, deeper at the hafts.deep violet lines radiate from the beard and suffuse into the centre. The standards are pale ecru. The beards are violet tipped mustard.Bold violet horns grow from the beard. Mild ruffling. HM '91, AM '93, Dykes 97.

 Schreiner's, Salem,Oregon, 2000 Iris Lovers Catalog.
THORNBIRD (Byers 1989) ML 37"
This is a most distinct Iris, the dark violet horns extending and inch or more from the beards. Like talons, they create an appealing contrast to the flowers delicate shadings. These ecru and greenish tan shades are lighter in the standards and darker in the falls. A prolific bloomer. Thornbird often yields more than one stem per rhizome.HM '91, AM '93, Wister '96, Dykes 97.

AIS checklist 1989
THORNBIRD Monty Byers, Reg. 1988 Sdlg. D156-1-B. TB, 35" (89 cm), M ; S. pale ecru; F. greenish tan, deeper at hafts which are overlaid with deep violet lines radiating out from around beard and suffusing into center; violet beard tipped mustard, violet horns or spoons; lightly ruffled; slight sweet fragrance. Art of Raphael X B-8-2: (Cease-Fire x Sky Hooks). Moonshine Gardens 1989. HM 1991, AM 1993, Wister 1996, Dykes 1997.

There are many Commercial gardens still selling this iris both in New Zealand and Internationally.

For some amazing photos of 'Thornbird' taken in Europe just yesterday visit the Extraordinary Barashka Blog really good photography!!

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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Space Age Iris 'DANCE FOR JOY'

'Dance For Joy' a Space Age Iris which we do enjoy at home, has slightly smaller but intriguing bloom's in a display that comes early in the season and then re-blooms later. It has that X factor in the form of the spoon shaped petaloids.

Monty Byers was truly one of the most original and ardent breeders of irises in the iris world. In that world his niche was expanding both with accomplishment and promise--until death cut short all inspiration and activity. But his iris creations still remain to pleasure our gardens and to remind us of his gifts to us. Monty's iris catalog business, Moonshine Gardens, in association with his business partner, Bill Gibbs, was an almost immediate success, sparked by Monty's ebullient enthusiasm and drive. His breeding interest centered around two classes of irises not altogether at the top of general popularity: the horned, spooned and flounced (Space Age-and designated SA in the catalog) and the section of irises that is steadily growing in popularity, the reblooming irises (identified in the catalog as RE). His development and insistent promotion of these two sections through his catalog and voluminous correspondence was a decisive factor in raising them to the rank of popularity and wide acceptance that they now hold.
Edited extracts from Monty Byers obituary by Ben Hager

Available in New Zealand from the Amazing Iris Gardens, In the US of A you could try Autumn's Folly Farm who have a great catalogue of Space Age Irises or, Williamson Farm Flowers, they also have a great selection of NOID's which are well worth a look

AIS Checklist
DANCE FOR JOY (Monty Byers, R. 1991). Sdlg. E66-1. TB, 30" (76 cm), VE-EM & RE. S-salmon & orchid pink,yellow edge F-salmon pink overlaid reddish orchid,B-orange red,salmon-orchid spoons-flounces;C37-2: (Sky Hooks x Condottiere X C6-3 (Spirit of Memphis x (Moon Mistress x D. Meek horned sdlg.))

Photo Credit and Copyright Iris Hunter

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