Cold snap moves North

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The hills, just up the road towards the west photo taken 20 minutes ago
Really unusual to have snow so low and so early and ridiculously cold, and whilst it snowed at home it melted when it hit the ground
Today never got past 2°C, and the wind chill would freeze the nuts off a F1-11
The MetService said snowfall was down to near sea level from Southland to Kaikoura Coast and at unusually low levels in the North Island.

Photo Credit and Copyright Iris Hunter
Click on any photo to view a larger image

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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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Tall Bearded Iris "SLOVAK PRINCE "

WHEN EASTERN EUROPE MEETS EAST TARATAHI
From Eastern Europe to East Taratahi, it's an absolute pleasure to have 'SLOVAK PRINCE', growing in my garden at home.
Most pleasing to see a Slovakian bred Iris rank number 46 in the 2009 AIS Symposium results, a great position among America's Tall Bearded heavyweights. This iris has a distinctive gold embossed edge on the standards a trait that has breed through to newer seedlings in Tony's breeding program. Prince George' a very fine introduction from the superb plant breeder, the late George Shoop also shows this Gold embossed edge. This appears to be an inheritable trait in both cultivars.

In an recent email to Anton I informed him of my intention to feature a post on Slovak Prince, and would he like to comment on his breeding program and this is his reply
"I am very glad to hear that SLOVAK PRINCE got as far as to New Zealand. I grow and/or cross breed irises for more than 20 years now. The cross-breeding of SLOVAK PRINCE (Edith Wolford X Queen in Calico) dates back to 1993. That was in my early times when I had no breeding plan yet. Those were times of "wild cross breeding", when I used to cross-breed everything with anything. In those times (of socialism and totality) I had no access to new irises. Nowadays, everything is so different. I have a system which I follow. I have several 'PARENTAGES' that I use for cross-breeding. The cross-breeding system can be seen on new seedlings, too."

Sold in New Zealand by Amazing Iris Gardens , in Canada it is available from Chuck Chapman Iris, and in the US of A listed by Schreiners and sorry but its already sold out at Blue J Iris.






AIS Checklist 2003
SLOVAK PRINCE (Anton Mego 2003) 33" M; S. white shaded orchid lavender, slight blue veining, 1/8" gold rim; F. dark velvety blue purple, slightly lighter rim, white area around gold beard with purple veining; ruffled; slight sweet fragrance.(Edith Wolford X Queen in Calico) HONORABLE MENTION (HM) AIS 2005 AWARD OF MERIT(AM) AIS 2007, THE JOHN C. WISTER MEDAL 2009.

As my recent posts indicate I am working in Wellington at the moment which has allowed more time to visit the National Library for research but also visit MAF (Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry) for some face to face meetings concerning Import/Export of Irises to and from New Zealand and it was at one of these meetings that I took the opportunity to suggest that our country seems to have swapped our previous import policy with Slovakia's previous import policy(of socialism and totality), and and vice-versa.

Clicking the above image will take you to the larger, higher resolution version.
 Photo Credit and Copyright Iris Hunter

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CaféNET

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I am about to leave for Wellington this morning and as this afternoon I will be at the National Alexander Turnbull Library researching I decided to take a laptop from home. Last time I was in Wellington using a laptop outside of working for a client I used CaféNET as my wireless internet provider. This was some 2 years ago so this morning I decided to buy some MBytes data quota for my account. To my surprise the data quota that I purchased more than two years ago is still credited to my account and can still be used.
For the life of me I cannot seem to imagine that had I prepaid for data with Vodafone or Telecom the balance after two years or even after a couple of months would have been gobbled up by some dubious fees or whatever
Bloody well done CaféNET 12 out of 10

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Tall Bearded Iris "ALFRED EDWIN"

ALFRED EDWIN a 1950 British raised variety. It has inherited the PBF (Purple Bottom Foliage) from its pollen parent the French bred 'President Pilkington'. Its form is from its pod parent the British bred 'White City'. The iris is a truly European breeding effort.
This heirloom iris shows good increase, good plant health, shows plenty of bloom in a good season and its a keeper.Recently found mis-labeled in the Official Jean Stevens Collection as 'PINNACLE' which it quite obviously is not as the above photo shows a reverse amoena, it was then sent to me by the guardian of the collection labelled as 'FLUTTER-BY'. A 'specular illusion' perhaps? Two Observations of easily accessed information that would instantly eliminate Flutter-By are this Iris shows strong purple bottom foliage(PBF) and the bloom size is to large for a Diploid.I have still yet to receive a correctly labeled iris from the 'Official Jean Stevens Collection' which make's one wonder whether the complete collection itself is correctly named??

Iris Year Book 1949 page 120
ALFRED EDWIN (WHITE CITY X PRESIDENT PILKINGTON) raised by A.T.White had conical primrose standards and neat white flaring falls with yellow at the haft. This is interesting for WHITE CITY has the the light violet HONOR STERNDALE as a sister and there is violet in its parents: Obviously been white itself it has some factor the counteracts a certain kind of violet: and it is plain from this new iris, that the violet that is in PRESIDENT PILKINGTON is of this susceptible kind, for it has been cleared out of its drab (i.e.,mixed yellow and violet) standards leaving them yellow, and it has been cleared from its violet falls leaving them white.

Iris Year Book 1949, Commentaries in Variety.
ALFRED EDWIN (A.T.White). A fresh bicolor with very white falls and rich butter-yellow standards. Not dainty like the "lemon ice" varieties, but generously petalled and with a chamois-leather-like substance A.W.D (Anthony W. Drewett)

1963 Orpington Catalogue
Alfred Edwin (White 1950). Rich primrose yellow standards and very white semi-flaring falls. Height 3ft.




AIS Checklist 1959
ALFRED EDWIN (A. White, R. 1950). TB 36" M, YL/W4. Primrose-yellow and white bicolor. White City X President Pilkington., Orpington 1953.

Only sold in the UK and the Iris is still listed with Claire Austin's Hardy Plants

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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IRIS WEEK AT 'DODDINGTON HALL' 24 – 31 May

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Doddington Hall near Lincoln is looking forward to its first Iris Week, which takes place 24 – 31 May inclusive. Every day that week the Gardens will be open so people can enjoy the irises that are so lovely they were featured by BBC Gardeners’ World. In conjunction with the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), the Hall is also offering a special Irises at Sunset Tour & Buffet on 29 May.
By late May the irises in Doddington Hall’s walled West Garden are at their peak giving a stunning display. Aside from looking exceptionally pretty, the irises are fascinating as they have been nurtured with a rather unconventional but undoubtedly successful cultivation method.
For over 25 years, the Jarvis Family’s dedicated and caring cultivation of bearded irises has provided a big attraction at the Elizabethan family home with its magical seven-acres of romantic walled and wild gardens plus two-acre walled restored Kitchen Garden.

Photo credit and copyright Val Corbett

Antony Jarvis, father of the current owner Claire Birch, has developed a unique way of cultivating the Irises and they certainly seem to like it. The irises are planted in blocks of colour in the box-edged parterres of the West Garden, which they prefer to being shaded deep in a mixed border because the rhizomes can have a delicious ‘bake’ in late summer. It was Antony Jarvis who, with his late wife Victoria, was responsible for starting the Hall’s love affair with the iris.

All dividing is done immediately after flowering, which goes against the conventional wisdom of waiting until late summer or early autumn. Antony describes his dividing technique to “chopping them up like a hot cross bun.” He divides each plant into three or four, removes three to replant and leaves just one segment in the ground undisturbed. The idea is to get the disturbance and relocation over before flower initiation, which happens in the early autumn.
Clearly the technique works, as there has been a constant display for over 25 years drawing visitors back time and time again to share this delicate but powerful sight. The effect is stunning. The box-edged parterres look like tapestries with a weave of gently coloured irises while the herbaceous borders have philadelphus for structure, Telekia Speciosa for height and plenty of peonies, alliums and phlox - the latter being a family favourite. There’s also a stunning handkerchief tree and a beautiful white wisteria sinesis.

Iris Week at Doddington Hall 24 – 31 May 2009 inclusive. Gardens open daily 11am to 5pm. House also open Sunday, Bank Holiday Monday and Wednesday 1pm to 5pm. Admission applies. Farm Shop & Café open for morning coffee, lunch and afternoon tea. For more information please call 01522 694 308 (Hall & Gardens) or 01522 688 581 (Farm Shop & Café) or see www.doddingtonhall.com

RHS event Irises at Sunset with Tour & Buffet 29 May. To book, please call the RHS direct on 08456 121 253.










Doddington Hall is a much loved family home and has never been sold since it was designed in 1595 by Robert Smythson, one of England’s foremost Elizabethan architects. The mellow brick exterior with its walled courtyards has barely changed while the interior was redecorated in Georgian times in a light and elegant style. The original walled courtyards now enclose fabulous formal gardens whilst beyond the walls you will discover romantic wild gardens and nature walks. Over 400 years of unbroken family occupation has resulted in fascinating collections of furniture, paintings, ceramics, textiles, porcelain, household objects along with a wealth of amusing stories. A visit to Doddington offers a unique insight into family life through the ages and the challenges of looking after such a house in the 21st Century.
In 2005, Antony & Victoria Jarvis passed Doddington Hall to their eldest daughter Claire, and her husband James Birch. Claire & James are the fifth family to enjoy the role of ‘guardian’ to Doddington Hall.


Photo Credits and copyright unless otherwise stated Doddington Hall

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Of Concern

On the subject of Growing Irises in New Zealand, it has transpired that 0.006962970458901531% of the total New Zealand population* are claiming to represent us all.

The New Zealand Iris Society organisation has embarked on a spectacularly unsuccessful campaign from day one to shut this blog down and many web masters who have Links with this blog have been pestered with correspondence from some members of the NZIS executive to have Links with this blog withdrawn and have used a contentious opinion 'that a Link with my blog is a validation of my personal viewpoints', to justify the request.

This behaviour is not what could be reasonably expected from a Iris society or any other society that makes the claim to represent New Zealand a democratic country that believes in the strong defence of a broad right to freedom of speech.

My critical but justifiable points of views that challenge so called published wisdom and the highlighting of factual errors of Iris Nomenclature within the NZIS, that have been featured, and will continue to be posted by this blog could offend individuals or a group of individuals but this should never be the basis on which something is judged, and certainly not the basis on which facts or the free exchange of ideas are censured.
That would make the rest of us – the majority – beholden to the sensitivities of a small group of over-sensitive souls.
All of which it seems to me suggests the desirability of a legislative restraint on people purporting to act officially on behalf of New Zealand in any capacity.
No individual or group should be denied the right to pursue private interests but to assert that they represent us all is a privilege that properly ought to be sanctioned on our behalf by the government and not be an automatic right that anyone can assume.

The peculiar evil of silencing the expression of an opinion is, that it is robbing the human race; posterity as well as the existing generation; those who dissent from the opinion, still more than those who hold it. If the opinion is right, they are deprived of the opportunity of exchanging error for truth: if wrong, they lose, what is almost as great a benefit, the clearer perception and livelier impression of truth, produced by its collision with error. John Stuart Mill, On Liberty, 1859

*The generous figure of 300 members of the NZIS is calculated as 0.006962970458901531% of the total New Zealand population of 4,308,506.

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Tall Bearded Iris "AFTERNOON DELIGHT"

Every time I see this Iris or hear its name it brings back memories of the 70's and the Starland Vocal Band who had a #1 hit song by the same name.It's prolific blooming reminds me of the line "Sky rockets in flight. Afternoon delight." though I am sure the song writer had something else in mind when writing the lyrics. All and All its a mighty fine Iris and a garden favorite.

Sold by almost all comercial Iris growers in New Zealand.  In the US of A it is still been sold by Cooley's Iris Garden who sell it for the amazing price of $6.00. That's only $18.00 for three rhizomes that will make a better than fantastic display in 12 months time and just keep getting better.In France it is available from Cayeux Iris for the princely sum of 4.50€, also available in Holland from Kwekerij Joosten. Who said you have to pay big money for a classy 5 Star Iris.

Bulletin of the American Iris Society, July 1990, Number 278.Looking Back, Rick Ernst, Oregon.
Hybridizing;
Larry's son Rick picked up the hybridizing program with the Gaulter lines and now Cooley's blooms some 20,000 seedlings per year. The payoff from this program is just beginning, with AFTERNOON DELIGHT winning Rick's first Honorable Mention last year.

Tempo Two, Pearcedale, Victoria, Australia. Iris, Daylilies, Hosta Catalogue  1994-1995 
AFTERNOON DELIGHT (R Ernst 85'USA) ML 32"
Standards are golden honey closed and ruffled; Falls are light rosy lavender edged with a ¼" rim of the standard clour. Gold shoulders and light lace add a finishing touch. It has show branching.(Countryman x Outreach) X (Mary Frances x Lombardy) HM 89

Schreiner's, Salem, Oregon, 74th Collectors Edition, 1999 Iris Lovers Catalog.
AFTERNOON DELIGHT ( R. Ernst 1985) M. 36"
This ruffled honey-tan and lavender blend shimmers with an intriguing interplay of pastel tones. The delightful rosy lavender falls are nicely edged with a 1/2 inch border of warm buff-tan. The same honey coloring also blends from the petal's underside and the flower's interior. 7 to 9 buds per stem.HM '89, AM '93.

Cooleys Gardens, Silverton, Oregon. Iris Catalog 2009
AFTERNOON DELIGHT (R Ernst 85') ML 32" F
Inside of standards is a warm honey-tan which melts through the lavender on the outside. Falls are bright lavender sporting a honey-tan border. Beards are near-white to yellow in throat. Six buds to each stalk HM '89, AM '93. Fragrant.

IRISES A Garden Encyclopedia, Claire Austin.
Iris 'Afternoon Delight' (R Ernest 1983)
This large and frilly variety has lace petals that pale with age. The standards are caramel and sit above the pink lilac falls with their matching caramel edging. The white beards are tipped yellow towards the back. Height 91cm (36½ in.)

AIS Checklist 1989

AFTERNOON DELIGHT (R. Ernst, R. 1983). Sdlg. T607-1. TB 36" (91 cm) M. S. lightly laced light golden tan with lavender infusion; F. lavender with 1/8" golden tan border, gold shoulders, white infusion near yellow beard. R79-120: (Countryman x Outreach) X G77-42: (Mary Frances x Lombardy)., Cooley's Gardens 1985. H.M. 1989, A.M. 1993.

Thirty years from the date of registration which will be in 2013, 'Afternoon Delight' will attain the status of Historic Iris, and as I have stated in a previous post this is a visual puzzle, for if it were to be introduced today it would still make the cut as a stand out Modern Tall Bearded Iris. Maybe the label or the determination of what constitutes a 'Historic Iris' needs to be redressed, as 'Afternoon Delight' along with 'Villain' which featured in a previous post and many other Irises of this era and the many more to come that do not 'fit' with the Gardening public's perception of what is an 'Historic Iris' or what an 'Historic Iris' should look like.

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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The Famous Cooley's Iris Calendar 2009-2010

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The Famous Cooley's Iris Calendar is for sale now, measures 8 1/2 inches by 11 inches and pictures all their new introductions for the 2009 season plus some of their favorites. The calendar runs from May 2009 through May 2010. Plenty of room on each day for appointments or scheduling your watering and fertilizing. Individual photos are bigger than life-size. Click on the above photo To order your calendar on-line

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