New Zealand Tall Bearded Iris IRWELL DESERT SANDS

It's not everyday you see a Lemon plicata so Ron Busch's 'Irwell Desert Sands' is a welcome addition to the colour-tone. With bright golden lemon standards and similarly coloured falls that are sprinkled with cinnamon plicata markings that fade half way down the falls, this gives the bloom a burst of cinnamon colour highlighting the bright orange beards. Falls are also enhanced with a lighter tone of lemon striations for their full length. Blooms are wide and flared, with just the right amount of ruffling and appear in the mid season on 95cm tall well branched show quality spikes with eight buds. This is an excellent garden iris with robust growth, health and vigour. Increase is good and performs well on the Show Bench.(Queen of the Show, Rangitikei Iris Group Flower Show 2008)

New Zealand Hybridisers Checklist 2011
IRWELL DESERT SANDS Ron Busch Reg., 2007. Sdlg. 316-9559 TB. 38″, (97 cm), M. S. and style arms lemon; F. lemon ground, light cinnamon plicata markings over all, cinnamon shoulders; beards cinnamon orange.
Involved parentage which includes Latin Lover, Lula Marguerite, Velvet Robes, Laurie, Earthling, Rococo, Taholah, June Meredith,Youthful Charm, Gaylord, Pinnacle, Commentary, Bang, Emma Cook, Melodrama X Youthful Charm, Commentary, Jungle Fire, Latin Lover, Velvet Robes, Laurie, Melodrama, Emma Cook, Pipes of Pan, Wild Apache, Gaylord, Pinnacle, Rich Melody, Tea Apron, Siva Siva. Rossmore Iris Gardens 2008

I would like to give a large hat tip to Carol Rogerson, the owner of “Kiwi Iris Delights” for growing and promoting New Zealand Bred Irises and for supplying the above fantastic photo, and also a Big Hat tip to Ron Busch,a most discriminating hybridiser.

As always clicking on any of the above image will take you to the larger, higher resolution version.

Photo copyright Carol Rogerson.