Tall Bearded Iris REAL DELIGHT

The blood lines of  both of parents of 'Real Delight' were widely used by hybridisers in the 60's and 70's,  producing Irises like Dawn Crest, Catalyst, Honey Rock, Love Letters, Pink Delight, Orange Bowl, and Marilyn C which also became a hybridisers favourite .
'Real Delight' is in the parentage of one of Schreiner's true masterpieces in the apricot orange tones the tall bearded iris 'Coral Sunset'.
There are two 'Real Delight's' in this story and I don't mean the image count. There is the above Iris which is truly a Real Delight and then there is the other special Real Delight and this is in reference to the lady who decided this iris has a special place in her garden and created a safe place for this iris to grow! Why because she knew its name? it parentage? Had an idea of its special place in Iris history? Well No!!  She grew the iris because she was captivated by it's beauty. Every year there are millions of irises grown without label by many thousands of gardeners around the world. People like these are among the real guardians of the iris gene pool, you could say super heroes of the iris world, and the Historic Iris world owes them a great deal of gratitude.

Schreiner's, Salem,Oregon, 1961, Iris Lovers Catalog.
REAL DELIGHT  (Walters 1960) M. 38"
A pleasing combination of blush-pink concentrates in the central part of the buffy cream standards while falls have a delicious apricots or peach sherbet coloring intensifying towards a haft and reflecting, as it were, the tangerine beard. In the recess of the flower there is a c00l whisper of chartreuse that no color film seems able to catch. A very subtle, iridescent Iris, full of exquisite nuances. Illustration on page 47. HM'60...................................................................$20.00

Courtesy Schreiner's 1961 Catalog

Cooleys Gardens, Silverton, Oregon. Iris Catalog 1965.
REAL DELIGHT  (Walters 1960)
A huge and gorgeous blend of blush pink and deep apricot. Petals are broad and thick in texture, the falls flaring and supporting a heavy, bright red-orange beard. There is a greenish chartreuse glow within the flowers. 3½ feet. HM AIS, 1960.

AIS Checklist 1959
REAL DELIGHT    Donald Waters, Reg. 1958. Sdlg. FW-156. TB 36" M. YO4P.    S. pink shaded deep apricot; F. deep cream, edged same as S.; red beard. Frances Kent X Top Flight., Schreiner 1960. HM 1960.

As always clicking on the above image will take you to the larger, higher resolution version.
Photo credit and copyright Iris Hunter.