Historic Iris 'TIME FOR CHANGE'

When groups of  Irises emerge with characteristics sufficiently different from those that have gone before, the subject of a classification that is determined by a time line needs to be addressed.
When I first began collecting irises it seemed to me that the plants I was collecting from around the old buildings and period houses in New Zealand were 'historic irises', they have blooms that have a certain tailored look with a vintage style that is mostly lost in irises of more recent origin. I then started collecting the irises of Jean Stevens which was a neat fit with my 'Historic Iris collection'.

But there is growing problem with the classification that 'ALL Irises introduced over 30 years ago are considered Historic Irises', as this includes Irises from the 60's, 70's and now a few from the 80's, most of these just don't have that historic 'look'. Almost all of these irises visually are 'Modern Irises' in shape, style and form and each year more irises (650+ next year alone) with that modern look are classified as 'Historic'. This will become a very big branding problem as each year passes and as there are almost 7,000 irises that were registered in the 1980's you can bet this problem is not going to go away anytime soon.

 There was a suggested determination (which I agree with) of a dividing line between historic and antique irises published by 'The Historic Iris Society' in their publication 'ROOTS', Spring 1989, when Phil Edinger in answer to a question suggested "You asked about a dividing line between historical and antique. I would say 1930 ought to be it. By that year (but just by then) all modern colors and patterns (save for Progenitor-type dominant bicolors and luminata) were present at the 4N level. From then on it was a matter of refinement."

 I have heard there has been discussions around the traps on the designation of what constitutes 'a historic iris' but no outcome, so you would have to think there must be a committee involved, but it is starting to get beyond a joke if it ever was funny. From a personal standpoint, new thirty year old irises are old enough to deserve collecting and preserving yet new enough in style of the bloom to be regarded as modern but now they have turned thirty a 'historic iris' label is attached to them which is a confusing classification. This could simply be sorted by having three age-related classifications 'Antique',  'Historical' and 'Classic Collectables', and I see the dividing line drawn where styles dramatically changed from an old-fashioned look toward modern appeal. 'Antique' as Phil Edinger suggested up until 1930 (1929 Checklist), 'Historical' 1930-1959 checklist, and finally 'Classic Collectables' 1960 checklist onwards (must be a least thirty years old).
 
LACED COTTON, GLACIER, HENRY SHAW, and CABARET ROYALE are a few of the irises that I have featured on my blog and these are good examples of highlighting the real problem when you classify a iris as 'historic' but visually these irises do not look different to  any Modern Tall Bearded Iris.
Not 100% sure what history will make of some of the latest Irises with form like ..Tom Johnson's 'Genealogy' or George Sutton's 'Doctor Who'................. you know, tall bearded irises with the standards that look like a punk rockers multicoloured Mohawk haircut slapped on top of rounded falls that look like a Southern Belle's ball gown giving a truly unbalanced look and to be honest I'm not a great fan of, but you never know perhaps in thirty years time we will eventually get a new classification of 'Historic Quirky Styled Bling'.

If we apply the old Chinese proverb 'A picture paints a thousand words' then most of the burgeoning catalogues of digital photos of so called 'Historic Irises' from the 60's, 70's and the few so far from the 80's will just continuously reinforce the growing confused message regarding 'historic's' especially with that very important group known as the gardening public.

My collection nowadays is not so narrowly focused and includes irises from all vintages.

Update 17th September, 2012.
Yes, my hunch was correct there was a committee involved it was known as 'Historic Change Designation Committee' but the committee was unable to come to a consensus on making any changes so 'the current practice of designating iris introduced 30 years or longer to be historic will stand'. Ground breaking huh??
So what to do? I think I will just ignore the Historic Classification and start one of my own, I'm just not prepared to be just a nodding nincompoop and go along with something that is causing mass confusion with the Gardening public. As recently as yesterday I was talking to a lady who just loves Irises about the variety 'Afternoon Delight' and I said to her 'you know that's going to be a Historic Iris next year' and she just would not believe me. Now just how different would that conversation have been if I had told her that her beloved 'Afternoon Delight' was a Classic Tall Bearded Iris??

'Credibility is only a fragile perception that takes time to build but can be lost in a moment.'

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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Tall Bearded Iris "CABARET ROYALE"

Take crisp medium blue tinted lavender standards, slightly darker violet in the midribs, some ruffled and flaring velvety falls in black violet with white veining on the hafts, add the bushy tangerine beard – and voilà !
With its excellent branching and a sound, vigorous plant which shows quick increase, this child of the seventies, 'Cabaret Royale' is a much loved neglecta and an ancestor to Barry Blyth's highly respected  'In Town'. The outpouring of white veining from the heart of the bloom would have been frowned upon by the Iris Cognoscenti in the seventies but today is now quite the trend.  
At 36 years old 'Cabaret Royale', which can re-bloom, puts on a lovely display in the garden.  Who would have thought Jean Stevens' 'Sunset Snow' would be in the ancestry?  'Sunset Snows' stars as the pollen parent to the pink amoena 'Twist and Shout'. This classic iris was sold to me in New Zealand many years ago labelled as 'Witch's Wand', surely with a smidgen of research they could of labelled it "One of Witch's Wand grandparents" which would of been a lot more appropriate.

There is a dilemma that 'Cabaret Royale' and many other irises of the seventies have in becoming 'Historic Irises'  (because of their thirty years + age). Their form and colouration is not too dissimilar from recently introduced 'Modern Irises'. Let me give you an example; Just how much difference is there between 'Cabaret Royale'  and Paul Blacks 1999 introduction ,'Habit' with its simple flower form?(and a child of 'In Town').  Begging the question that the gardening public is asking  - just how much of a difference is there between a recently classified  Historic Iris and some Modern iris these days????

The Iris Yearbook (BIS), 1981,  “Varietal comments on Australian T.B. Irises”,  page 50, J. E. Venner.
Jack Venner writes how a selection of Australian raised Tall Bearded irises performed in Essex.
Cabaret Royale (Blyth 76) This Iris created a definite impression when first seen in flower, being one of the first neglectas with bushy, tangerine beards. The standards are a light blue, ruffled with lacy edges and flaring falls are purple with a black sheen. It is a good grower and will satisfy most Irisarians who are tolerant of haft markings, but for the purists there is a new variety bred from it named 'Magic Man' (Blyth 79) that is said to be a all-round improvement and may not show so-called haft defects.

The Iris Yearbook (BIS), 1982,  “Varietal comments on Australian T.B. Irises”,  page 60, C.E.C. Bartlett.
Cy Bartlett writes about a similar range of  Australian raised Tall Bearded irises and how they performed in Somerset. The garden at Cannington presented a complete contrast with Jack Venner's garden in Essex.
Cabaret Royale (Blyth 76) At the opposite end of the scale from the quite calm of 'Asian Empress,'  'Cabaret Royale' is an Iris people love or hate. I.e. must admit that I find that it shreiks just a little too much for me. A blue and black neglecta, heavily haft marked with white and to crown it all violent, bright tangerine red beards. To add yet more colours this style arms of light blue are tipped and washed with brown. You certainly wouldn't overlook it in the garden! Not a particularly good grow for me either.

Tempo Two, Barry and Lesley Blyth, East Road, Pearcedale, Victoria, Australia, Season 1983-84
CABARET ROYALE (Blyth '76 Aust.) M-ML 36". Standards are erect, lacy edged and ruffled. They are light biue. Falls are wide, ruffled and very flaring, colour is velvety blue black. Beards are coral tangerine and bushy. Style arms are light blue with a lacy brown edge. Branching is good, as is increase (Panoramic x Twist & Shout). HC '76. $7.00

AIS 1979 Checklist
CABARET ROYALE    (B. Blyth, R. 1975). Sdlg. G104-1. TB 36" (91 cm) M-ML. S. light blue with violet infusion around midribs; light blue style arms tipped brown; F. black violet; coral tangerine beard. Panoramic X Twist and Shout., Tempo Two 1976/77.

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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