World of Irises

By Andi Rivarola

"Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom." Marcel Proust

I just read the above quote and had to share it with all of you, not just because it made me smile when I read it, but also because it expresses such joyous feeling. Thank you gardeners, flower lovers, iris lovers who follow the news we report from The American Iris Society and for all your contributions in the many ways that you express yourselves.

I was just given the message, IRISES is available online. In fact, why I don't share the entire message:

The Spring 2014 issue of the AIS Bulletin is now available for online viewing within the Emembers section of the AIS website.

Note: to access this area you must have a current AIS Emembership. AIS Emembership is separate from the normal AIS membership. Please see the Electronic Membership Information area of the AIS website for more details.

This leaves no doubt as how to access this and other issues online. For those receiving the printed version, it's on its way to you, and you should receive it soon.

Kathleen Sonntag, our new AIS IRISES Editor clarifies something new right off the bat: issues are now named after each season. This issue is called Spring 2014, instead of being named after a month. I know, we have changed this many times before, but in fact to name each issue after a season sounds very interesting and appealing, doesn't it?

So, welcome to the Spring 2014 edition of IRISES, the Bulletin of The American Iris Society. Hope you will enjoy several of the articles on this extensive issue:

Photographing Iris in Complete Focus, a great guide loaded with tips by Ken Walker.
The 2014 AIS Photo Contest in formally announced, by Janet Smith.
Don't miss the fantastic picture of iris Winogradowii, by Dr. Radionenko, on page 9.
The current Youth Views article presents a very enthusiastic youth group from the Santa Rosa Iris Society; and read about two Regions which groups account for more than 100 children involved. Wow.
Section Happenings keep us appraised of the activities at The Dwarf Iris Society, the Historic Iris Preservation Society (HIPS), The Median Iris Society, and the Spuria Iris Society.
The Novelty Iris Society, oh wait, you don't know about this. You need to read the news on page 17.
Preserving Small, Historic Irises, by Charlie Carver.
Rebloom Looks For New Avenues, by Mike Lockatell.

And, there's so much for to this issue, and I am happy to let you discover the rest of the articles. I know you will find them interesting. Remember that if you are an emember you can access this issue online NOW.

For those new to The American Iris Society, as a member you receive the printed quarterly edition of IRISES via mail, or if you are an e-member, then you will be able to read the entire publication online. The latter is a very convenient option for overseas iris enthusiasts. For more information, please go to our website's membership information section.

Kathleen Sayce

A few years ago my Pacifica irises started to flower well. More new plants lived than died each year, and flowers opened by the dozens on some plants. It was time to take the next step and start hybridizing. I tried crosses by hand, but after three years with no success, I went back to relying on bee-pollinated flowers for seed set. That worked well, though I wasn't always around when pods opened (more on seed pods in a later post).

Then for the next few years, including this spring, the weather was wet, wet, wet. Too wet for bees, way too wet for hand pollination. None of the early to mid season flowering (March-April-early May) Pacifica Iris set seed. Only the late season (late May to late June) plants set seed, and these tend to be the late species and species crosses, not the highly desirable early flowering hybrids.

A familiar situation: soggy yellow Pacifica Iris seedling, unnamed, after two days of wind and rain. Flowers are in full bloom, and the weather is dreadful for pollination.

This year I decided to do something about the rain. Using scrounged materials, including scraps of twin wall polycarbonate greenhouse glazing and wire sign mounts [the kind used for small event and political signs], I fashioned rain screens. The mounts can be painted some innocuous color and placed in the garden to provide shade on seedlings or transplants, by the way.

Recycling old wire frames for temporary signs into supports for rain screens. The larger ones on the right are used for the higher ends, and the small ones in the middle for the lower ends. (I do not yet have a use for the H-shaped wires on the left.)

A scrap piece of twin wall polycarbonate, ready to cut down to a useful size. These panels come with protective films on both the inside and outside, which are peeled off when ready to use.

I picked out a likely scrap of twin wall polycarbonate and two wire mounts, one large, one small, and bent the top wires over at angles of 135 and 45 degrees. The large one, for the upper end, I bent past 90 degrees to about 135 degrees, and the small one, for the lower end, I bent about 45 degrees. The parallel bent wires were slipped into the ends of the twin wall channels, and then the bottom straight wires were pressed into the ground. I thought about adding a wire or twine over the top to hold the wires to the twin wall, but decided to wait and see. Also thought about some bricks on the lower cross bars, now at ground level, but again, decided to wait and see how this test unit survived.

Rain screen deployed in my garden, with taller wire frame on left and shorter frame on right, the twin wall is inches above the plant, so that no leaves or buds touch or are near the panel.

The very first day that the first rain screen was up, we had rain and winds above 30 mph. That night, it rained so hard that it sounded like hail more than once. And the next day, more rain, this time in intense brief squalls, with wind gusts above 20 mph. I was out canoeing that day, and checked on the rain screen when I came home. Not only was it intact, two flowers had opened on the clumps underneath it, a patch of Iris 'Blue Plate Special'. Bumblebees were still buzzing around when I went out before dusk to take photos.

Rain on top, dry flowers beneath, Iris'Blue Plate Special' is the test plant for this rain screen.

The garden looks strange with these deployed strategically over important plants, like a greenhouse fragmented into pieces that blew out over the garden. But I look forward to a few more seedpods this coming year. I like to think the bees like it too, dry flowers in an otherwise wet day.

The goal: dry flowers during mid spring on the south coast of Washington. Iris 'Blue Plate Special' has a chance now to set seed for the first time in four years.

There's a lot going on in a flower to set seed, none of which is helped by heavy rain or wind. I have high hopes for my rain screens. Have you ever constructed something to protect your precious irises? Tell us about it in the comments section below.

Susanne Holland Spicker

As a lover of irises but not well-versed in the particulars of show bench judging, I wanted to learn more about what makes a "show stalk" iris. My quest led me to several iris connoisseurs of whom I have the utmost respect. Hearing what they had to say has led me to believe that there are several thoughts on the subject. I present some of those ideas now for your consideration.

Phil Williams, Rockytop Gardens, says his "idea of a show stalk," since he thinks "the major purpose of an iris is to bloom as long as possible in the garden, is one that is branched well to display each blossom to its maximum," and he personally prefers "one blossom at a time." He goes on to say "if a judge obeys the handbook when judging, he/she is supposed to be familiar with varieties on the show bench." Phil also says that when he goes "into a garden and sees a stalk with multiple blooms open," he knows it "will be a flash in the pan as a garden iris" and he "rarely will add it to the garden unless it has fabulous form." He says he "tires quickly of irises that remain in bloom only 5-7 days due to multiple blossoms open on a stalk." In judging, he says that the iris purists will "demand that the top/terminal flower be the one in bloom. He says 'IRENE'S SONG', Nicodemus 2011, is a perfect example of a show bench stalk. (photo unavailable)

Another expert, hybridizer Walter Moores, who has had experience in both judging and showing, says that a specimen with one bloom can win "Queen of Show, but generally the judges look for one with 2 or 3 blooms." He goes on to say that the "Queen should be perfection, or near perfection, for its class," with "a new variety given preference over an older variety," which has proven a "controversial statement in the manual." He shares some good examples of show stalks.

'NIGHT TRAIN TO MEMPHIS' Moores '08
Photo courtesy of Robert Treadway

'ABSOLUTE TREASURE'Tasco '06
Photo taken May, 2014, Walter Moores garden

Betty Wilkerson, hybridizer, judge and iris expert, tells us "the requirements for show bench irises are much different than for garden irises." She adds that with show bench irises we want 2-3 open blooms, but in the garden we want one at time so we get a long bloom season." She goes on to say "wide branching can be nice on the show bench, (with balance), but can tangle stalks in the garden."

Thomas Johnson, of Mid-America Garden says the term show stalk means that it is a great iris for showing and that a "show stalk is one with wide candelabra branching, nice bud placement and a good bud count."

'BRUSSELS' (Johnson '04) taken at Barry and Lesley Blyth's garden in Australia
Photo courtesy Thomas Johnson, Mid-American Garden

Joel Shaber, iris enthusiast, says as a gardener he is "primarily interested in branching which shows the best advantage in a clump. Wide branching, with lots of space between the flower and the stalk" is not something he "looks for, nor particularly likes." He says he "much prefers a closer-to-the-stalk presentation, where the flower's edge very nearly touches the stalk, but stops just short of doing so." He says that "this style of branching gives a proud, upright look" which he likes, as we can see in these pictures he shares of one of the clumps in his Boise, Idaho garden.

'BELGIAN PRINCESS' clump in the bud stage
Photo courtesy of Joel Shaber

Clump of 'BELGIAN PRINCESS' Johnson '05, showing a closer branching
Photo courtesy Joel Shaber

Joel shares his 'RIO ROJO' Schreiner '09 (below), with show bench wide branching, and compares it with 'BELGIAN PRINCESS' (above), with closer branching, to help us see the difference. Although there are three open, well-positioned blooms on Rio Rojo, he tells us "there is something more to consider." He tells us to "look at the foliage-to-stalk ratio and how gangly and awkward the clump presents itself." He goes on to say this is his "annoyance with the modern obsession with show branching," and when comparing Rio Rojo to Belgian Princess, it's plain to see "how stately Belgian Princess presents itself in both bud and in bloom, with straighter stalks, and many more blooms," although they are both beautiful.

"Iris Phanatic," Gary Slagle, who routinely enters iris shows, shares "some examples of what people should look for when looking for an iris to show with a picture of his Queen of Show, BB 'LADY OF THE NIGHT' Black '08. In the second of his photos, he shows us what he looks for in the iris in the bud stage to see if it has the branching that he desires for the show.

Gary tells us that from past experience "getting and having three opened bloom stalks for a show is tough." He has "only once won Queen while displaying three blooms at once." He goes on to say "there's more of a chance that there will be discrepancies between the blooms--one has faded more than the others, or all three are not uniform in size." He also says that trying to get them to the show is also more difficult, but is quick to add that if you have an awesome specimen with three blooms, by all means, take it to the show!

Rick Tasco, Superstition Iris Gardens, shows his seedling in the Fresno Iris Society's show. This beauty is likely to be introduced in 2015 and has the wide branching that defines a show stalk. With three blooms, I wonder how hard it was to get to the show!

Seedling 10-TB-30-01

Here are some good examples of irises with excellent branching, nice bud placement, and good bud count that were shared for this article on show stalks:

'CHEEP FRILLS'Black '09
Photo courtesy of Joel Shaber

'CHANGE OF PACE'Schreiner '91
Photo courtesy of Joel Shaber

'CLASSIC LOOK' Schreiner '92
Photo courtesy of Schreiner's Iris Gardens

Dyna Hermann, on behalf of Schreiner's Iris Gardens, said 'CLASSIC LOOK' was chosen by Schreiner's Iris Gardens for its flawless form, a stalk that is vigorous, and perfectly proportioned branching, with 8-10 buds.

'INDIAN SUNSET' Laur '05
Photo courtesy of Robert Treadway

'AUTUMN CIRCUS' Hager '90
Photo courtesy of Mariana Brumar

NOID
Photo courtesy of Wendy Feldberg

'MADY CARRIERE'Millet et Fils, 1905
Photo courtesy of Cathy Dudley

'SKATING PARTY'Gaulter '83
Photo courtesy of Cathy Dudley

'SAMBO'S TIGER BUTTER' Kanarowski 2010
Photo courtesy of Cathy Dudley

'DUSKY CHALLENGER' Schreiner '86
Photo courtesy of Christine Cosi

Christine tells us that she bought 'DUSKY CHALLENGER'20 years ago, and that "it's always a delight when it's blooming." She says "it's always present, never disappointing."

A favorite iris in my garden that fits the description of show stalks, is 'GLOBAL CROSSING,' Van Liere '12. It is prolific, with well-branched stems, and high bud count. It's hardy, with ram-rod sturdy stems, beautiful foliage, and produces show-stopping blooms--that's what I think a show stalk is.

Whether you're an iris purist or iris enthusiast, a judge or passionate iris gardener wanting show stalks for your home garden, I think all would agree that these tall beauties have a common thread that binds iris lovers from all over the world together, and although we may not all agree as to what a show stalk is, we can all revel in their timeless beauty.

What are some of your favorite show stalk irises? I'd love to hear from you.

Thanks to those who offered their expertise on what a show stalk iris is and to the many who shared their photos.

By Andi Rivarola

The 2014 Photo Contest Has Now Commenced

The AIS invites you to participate in our annual Photo Contest. Submissions for the 2014 AIS Photo Contest will be received from April 1, 2014 until midnight June 30, 2014. This contest is free and open to everyone, with the exception of contest judges and the contest chairperson who are not eligible to enter or win. The full entry information + entry form for the 2014 AIS Photo Contest is available now on the AIS website. For further information on this item please go to: Enter Photo Contest

Every year The American Iris Society sponsors a photo contest. Concentrating generally on irises, the people who grow and hybridize them, and their use in garden or natural settings, the contest is open to anyone who submits a picture. The specific categories vary from year to year, and are open to adults and youth alike with separate awards for youth submissions.

To see previous photo contest winners from years past please go to:

Photo Contest Winners

Please note: "Digital photo submissions to the Photo Contest must be high resolution (300 dpi or higher) and at least 4 X 6 inches in size. (Saved as a "maximum quality" jpeg, that would be a file size of approximately 1.4 MB)

There must be irises in the photos. Entries will be selected and judged in six (6) categories:

1. Irises in a landscaped garden
2. Irises in a field or home garden
3. Events, tours, a person or people (at iris location)
4. Close up of an iris or irises
5. Iris photos- art effects, macro of bloom segments
6. Photos of pets, wildlife or garden art with the irises

Again, for all the information you need to enter this year's photo contest, please go to:

Enter Photo Contest

And, to provide you with some inspiration here are a few of the winners from last year's contest:

Runner Up, Close Up: Spuria iris 'Sparkling Cider' at Northern Ogden, UT
by Susanne Holland Spicker

Runner Up, Landscape: iris Pseudacorus at Denver Botanical Garden
by Lowell Baumunk

2013 Runner Up, Youth, Field: TB iris "Seems Like Orange Sherbet,' Milltown, WI
by Piper Nelson

We hope many of you will participate!

By Bob Hollingworth

If only irises had ears, what could we achieve? At last it’s May here in Michigan, the heavy winter snows have finally melted, the daffodils are in full array, and the Siberian irises are awake again and throwing up shoots that are now several inches tall. The long heavy snow cover this winter was a wonderful mulch and they have come through in excellent shape with no obvious losses – perhaps the only positive from this winter, which our meteorological expert at the university described as “a once in a lifetime event and you can bet on it.” He’d better be right. Even now it’s hard to believe that only two months ago the seedling rows in the photo taken last week were under 12-18 inches of snow that had been there since late November.

Siberian seedlings, late April 2014

So as the annual cycle turns, it’s time to start thinking of what we shall see in another few weeks as bloom is at its peak. And particularly, from a hybridizer’s viewpoint, how will some of the recent seedlings that seemed notable last year perform this year? Will that rather puny but lovely seedling take off and grow now? Will the one with only three buds throw a few branches as it grows up? Is that exciting photo from last year for real, or did a bit too much Photoshop give it artificial glamour? Experience indicates with certainty that not all these wishes will come true, but one success can make up for several disappointments Getting all the good qualities together in one plant just ain’t easy.

So let’s walk down the newer seedling rows, make some mental wishes, and talk to the plants about what they need to do to succeed in life. Here we have a tetraploid seedling (11R9B3) that combines the red and yellow shades nicely. The flower looks fine, and the plant is robust, but last year, like so many tetraploid seedlings, it bloomed a bit low in the foliage – will it rise up this year?

11R9B3

Growing next door is a promising yellow tet seedling (11R1B12), of which there are no large number around. This has the same problem – massive growth but needing just another two inches of stem to be perfect. Just grow up a bit will you guys? You can do it with some positive thinking.

11R1B12

Seedling 11Q3B1 was a complete and pleasant surprise among the new tets, since it bloomed a good foot higher than its siblings, ending the season with stalks 45” tall, but the flowers, although pleasing, are really not all that original. What I really wanted to see was the plicata-like pattern on a yellow ground. And here it is, on a sister seedling, 11Q3A7, but that one bloomed much lower. So will this seedling in its second year elevate its performance to match its sib? Just look over at your sister there – if she can do it, so can you. Surely you aren’t going to let her beat you. Go for it.

11Q3A7

11Q3B1

And a little further along here’s a plant (11Q7B5) that was treated with the chemical colchicine, which changes the genetics and induces tetraploid flowers. It seemed that a corner of the plant might be tetraploid and the flowers looked pleasingly different from the general run, but they gave no seeds in crosses with established tetraploids. Just a matter for patience, optimism, and effort again this year. It didn’t work out last year, but I you I know tried, and that’s what counts. This time you’ll make it for sure...

11Q7B5

Continuing with red and yellow mixtures, several diploid seedlings bloomed for the first time last year with interesting colors (12Q3B3, 12S3B2, 13P4B6). Of course, they will need to grow and flower well, but that’s another hurdle to be cleared.

12Q3B3

12S3B2

13P4B6

Ten years ago these would have been to die for, but in that time we have seen lots of such combinations introduced, primarily by Marty Schafer and Jan Sacks, so to be taken seriously, these must have something different that makes them not just “me too.” We shall see. Dare to be different, but keep in mind that three falls is quite enough; four is just a bit too different. And all of you, if you’re going to fade after the first day, try to do it slowly and gracefully.Then we get to 12S8B4. Not much to say here except that's exactly what I had hoped for, just keep it going. Great deep color contrast, nice bud count. A petite plant, but no matter, there’s room for those in the garden too. Wow, you’re looking great, but that foliage might be a tad untidy, could you straighten it up just a bit?

12S8B4

An area that continues to fascinate me for whatever reason is the multipetal Siberians. They present a special challenge in that each flower can have a different combination of flower parts and some look much tidier than others.

12S2B21

Seedling 12S2B21 was one of several in a cross I made for smaller multipetal flowers that on first bloom last year seemed to have come out very well, and, for once, most of the flowers were similar and quite tidy with just one layer of falls under a central bouquet of multiple standards and florets. Fingers crossed that it does as well again this year – and puts on a bit more growth. Perhaps you’d like a little extra fertilizer?

11M7B5

Another goal is either a yellow amoena or pure yellow multipetal. It seems that seedling 11M7B5 is taking us well along to this objective. Just stay tidy and grow up a bit, and one day you could be queen of the show.

So we shall find out in just a little while which, if any, of these seedlings has paid attention to my advice and encouragement (threatening plants does no good I find and makes for a bad atmosphere in the garden). Discovering which have responded iswhat make anticipation so delicious. Although I might not let on to the plants, there is a price for not paying attention: and that’s a one way trip to the compost pile where heedless irises go. Their better behaved companions move on into the next stages that can end in getting their own name, an introduction to the wider world, and a shot at fame.

by Jim Murrain

The familiar Gladiolus is a well known member of the Iris Family. Most species and hybrids are from southern Africa and not hardy in much of North America. However, there are the less well known European Glads that are remarkably cold tolerant. With the exception of G. italicus which is easily obtained at any garden center in the Fall, the other species are unfortunately somewhat rare.

Gladiolus byzantinus

The largest and showiest in my garden is Gladiolus byzantinus. It is over three feet in hight and has large colorful flowers. There is more than a bit of name confusion surrounding this species and the next one I will show. They will often be listed as Gladiolus communis ssp. byzantinus or Gladiolus byzantinus ssp. communis.

Gladiolus communis

A close second for height and show is Gladiolus communis. It is very similar to the previous Glad but flowers a week or two later in Kansas City.

Gladiolus italicus

The easiest to obtain of all hardy Glads is Gladiolus italicus, in fact it is often the species you receive when you purchase corms or seeds regardless of the name given. Seed exchanges run by SIGNA (Species Iris Group of North America) and NARGS (North American Rock Garden Society) are your best bet to get the correct named plants although not guaranteed.

Gladiolus italicus 'Texas Snowflurry'

There are few color forms available although the shade can vary between different seedlings. I obtained 'Texas Snowflurry' through Plant Delights a few years ago. I have yet to capture a good photo of it as it needs dividing badly and flowering has suffered.

Gladiolus illyricus

A shorter, front of the bed Glad, is Gladiolus illyricus. Possibly one of the hardiest members of this group it suffers from fewer flowers although it makes up for that as it is a very good grower.

These and maybe a few other species are hardy to at least USDA z5. I have tried to ID what I grow but am not 100% sure if all are correct. I have yet to grow Gladiolus palustris, the most northerly of the European Gladiolus. All flower in mid to late Spring and peak just as the Tall Bearded irises are beginning to wane.

I hope I have piqued your interest and an increased demand for the hardy Glads may spur an enterprising nursery to offer a wider variety.

One final note, these all prefer to be planted in the Fall as do most hardy bulbs.

Kathleen Sayce

Irises are at an inherent disadvantage in a spring-wet climate, because they have upturned flowers like tulips instead of down-turned flowers like many lilies. Hybridizers in dry spring areas have selected for wide, frilly flowers over the past few decades; usually these plants flower in late winter to mid spring. In spring-wet areas, these flowers are hammered by rain, damaged so badly that pollination cannot occur.

A modern wide-petaled, frilly Pacific Iris flower on a dry day. This is an unnamed seedling, flowering for the first time this year.

So what's an irisarian to do with wet weather during flowering? The answer is to evaluate flowers to see which ones do well, or at least better, in intense rain. Most of us can live with moderate damage, and are happier with a colorful spring flower display that doesn't look like soaked tissue paper was tossed around the garden.

When it rains during flowering, I take a waterproof camera into the garden and record how well each flower and its plant hold up. Flower shape is important. Stem sturdiness is important; lovely flowers that lay flat on the ground (due to weak stems) are not going to make the cut. Very important is how well the flower survives being battered by rain and wind. Enough rain, and any iris flower can be battered into oblivion, so the following is a first attempt at a weather-tolerance scale.

For this year, the following is the result of rain-on-flower observations in my garden:

Wide frilly flowers often fare badly in heavy rain; they can tolerate light rain. The petals are thin, and a few days of intense rain shreds them to fragments.

The same unnamed Pacifica Iris seedling following an intense rainstorm. Its wide petals tend to melt in heavy rain. The damage to the falls is not a deer or slug, it's rainfall that tore off portions of the petals.

Yellow flowers typically melt in heavy rain. Open one day, gone the next. It's quite shocking to see how poorly this color fails to hold up to a good storm. Do any yellows hold up well in rain? I grow four or five, and am going to research this in coming years. One of the yellows has weak stems, and these are battered to the ground in storms. It's toast.

Another unnamed seedling, a lovely yellow, after a rainstorm. Note the damaged style crests and standards, and melted falls.

White flowers vary in durability. Some do well. Others melt. Doug' flowers (Iris douglasiana selections and crosses) are at the core of many reliably sturdy hybrids. 'Canyon Snow' is very sturdy for a white flowered Pacifica Iris, and is a Doug' selection. 'Cape Sebastian' is an unregistered Doug' selection with a white flower and purple signal, and it also does well. Both have been available for several decades, and are highly recommended.

'Canyon Snow' when dry, above, and wet, below. This Doug' selection holds up well in rain with sturdy upright stems and durable flowers.

Older hybrids have narrower petals and less frilling, and often do surprisingly well in heavy rain. Go back about 20 years, to find these sturdy forms. 'Mission Santa Cruz' and 'Cape Ferrelo', to name two, also do well in intense rain.

'Harry's Rootbeer' holds up in rain. This hybrid is a 'Mission Santa Cruz'progeny, bred for southern California, which also does well in the Pacific Northwest.

Species and species crosses often also do well. This includes Iris tenax, I. tenax x I. innominata, I. chrysophylla x I. douglasiana, and others. Flower petals are sturdy and narrow compared to modern hybrids. Flowers are held upright on strong stems, which rarely flop on the ground in heavy rain. Only I. innominata tends to melt and flop.

Iris tenax from Lewis County, Washington, does well in rain, as do many Pacifica species.

I. tenax is usually upright and sturdy, with flowers holding well in all but the most intense rains. No surprise, this species is native to the Pacific Northwest, and flowers latest in my garden.

From observations made this spring, I know that some yellow flowers melt in heavy rain. I plan to look for and breed for sturdier yellows, and use rain screens to protect plants now.

For those large frilly flowers, use rain screens. If my climate is consistently wet in mid spring when these ruffled beauties flower, then I have to be ready to lose them. They may be toast as well.

Older hybrids, in a wide range of colors, do well. Rejoice! Use rain screens over the plants I want seeds from, and enjoy the flowers, rain or shine. The ideal form has strong petals and sturdy upright flower stems.

As for species, they flower very well, so long as I keep away from yellows. Too bad for me that the yellows are my favorite color. I'm just going to have to get over it. I would like to know if readers have similar observations in wet spring areas. Are there particular colors that rain damages more in your garden? Or flower forms that do not hold up well to your weather?

By Betty Wilkerson

Most of you know that I’m not an expert on iris genes. I’m going to take you down my garden path so you can see some of my seedlings. The plicata pattern has never been my favorite. I didn’t have a lot of options in the beginning, or when the irises, and I, moved to AllenCounty during the fall of 2003.

In the spring of 2004, a couple of the brightest blooms were ‘Radiant Bliss’ and ‘Summer Radiance.’ This was not a cross I’d planned, but it did make sense. ‘Radiant Bliss’ is a tall, well branched rebloomer and tall, well branched iris make the best pod parents. It's a fall cycle rebloomer. ‘Summer Radiance’ had refused to set pods and was being used as a pollen parent. 'Summer Radiance' is without plicata in its geneology and it reblooms in July and then in the fall.

Genetically speaking, solid color selfs are dominant over plicata. What does this mean to people that have never made a cross? When using a self, in this case 'Summer Radiance,' that has no plicata in the parentage, none of the children will be plicata. The children will be a mixture of variegatas, bitones, bi-colors, and blends, with possible overlay or apron patterns. Many will have lots of haft lines & murky colors.

'Radiant Bliss'(Wilkerson 2005)
Pod Parent

'Summer Radiance' (Wilkerson 1996)
Pollen Parent

In a cross like this, many seedlings will be some version of a solid color. Some will have haft lines, like the ones in these pictures. Some colors will be clear, while others are murky.

(1814-01re)

(1814-03)

(1814-05)

More exciting, for me, would be the variegatas. I had hopes one of these would rebloom, but no such luck.

(1814-06)

There were several red seedlings. One (not this one) did try to rebloom, but really late. I saw it as winter bloom. Haft lines were bad on the red ones.

(1814-08)

'Summer Honey' (Wilkerson 2013)

In the end, 'Summer Honey' (#1814-02re) was the star of the crop. She fall bloomed for several years. During the summer of 2011, after a lineout planting the year before, 'Summer Honey' bloomed each day from spring bloom until the first fall freeze! It was a good sized planting, but still nice to have bloom all summer. Could a good sized planting be the solution to continuous bloom?

By Mike Unser

On a recent Sunday I headed down to our local farmer's market and was absolutely thrilled to see that the City of Olympia had incorporated irises into its landscaping design at the public plaza that was constructed in conjunction with the new home for our city's Hands On Children's Museum. This great museum started in a small storefront downtown before moving to a larger space near the Capitol campus. The visitors just kept growing and they kept expanding until finally being given the funds to build a permanent home near the Olympia waterfront, just a few blocks from its first home. It is a huge hit with kids of all ages and has won numerous awards.

Along with the museum, the city constructed a public plaza across the entire front of the property. What a work of art it is! It is filled with sculptures and nestled into the landscaping, mosaics underneath and even a flowing 'creek' that kids can play in.

The planting focus was on water-wise plants, and along with many native species they have planted large masses of a single variety of bearded iris. This really shows the power our favorite flower can have in urban design.

There are dozens of very large clumps spread across the entire area. The large masses and repetition make for a very striking show and the color carries well over a wide area.

This area has been ripe for development for decades, and I hope the city will continue to incorporate irises as more projects come into their own over the years. If you get to Olympia in the springtime be sure to stop by and see the blooms.

by Dawn Mumford

On May 31st of this year we enjoyed some visitors to our iris garden. There were about 20 members of the American and Utah Iris Societies. They took pictures, smelled the aromas, looked at the flowers and "talked iris." I invited our guests to come in the house when they were done in the garden to have some chilled bottled water. I asked one of the gentlemen if he particularly liked any of the irises and he replied that he had made a list. He was interested in those irises that were 30 years old and older. According to him, that is how old they had to be to be considered "historic." It was at that moment that I realized how many I had that fit into that category. I hadn't looked at our irises that way. We have been growing irises since the 1980's and many were several years old when we bought them. That visitor made me look at my irises in a new light. I would like to share some of my favorite "oldies but goodies." here today.

'Aztec Treasure' ( R. and L. Miller 1984)

This bitone shows nice ruffling on both the falls and the standards.

'Praise The Lord' (Boushay 1972)

This self has rich blue color and contrasting white beards.

'Gold Trimmings' (Schreiner 1975)

Despite its age this iris has graceful ruffling and good branching.

'Chartreuse Ruffles' (Rudolph 1976)

I like the subtle coloring of this lilac, white, and chartreuse (green and yellow) bloom.

I don't advocate ridding the garden of new irises to plant only older varieties. But there are lots and lots of beautiful older irises that we should protect and not get rid of just for the sake of having something newer and marginally better. I grow the newer irises too and they are wonderful, but I have the luxury of plenty of room to put in the new ones without getting rid of the old ones. If you don't have the space for both old and new then you have a hard choice to make.

'Invitation' (Schreiner 1982)

This amoena has little ruffling or lace but has an elegant color combination.

'Heather Cloud' (B. Hammer) has much the same color combination as 'Celebration Song'.

'Extravagant' (Hamblen 1983)

This is one of my last to bloom and still surprises me with its beauty.

'Chocolate Shake' (Gibson 1982)

This one doesn't increase well for me but I like how unusual the colors are.

'Lemon Mist' (Rudolph 1971)

Blooms and blooms here and increases yearly.

'Gay Parasol' (Schreiner 1974)

This one is not a big bloom but has beautiful form and color.

'Geniality'(O. Brown 1981)

There is nothing old fashioned about this bloom.

"Beyond' (Gibson 1979)

A 35 year old plicata (stitched or stippled margin color on white or dots or peppering).

'Showcase' (Schreiner 1972)
Lots of color contrast in this plicata.

' Bayberry Candle' (C. DeForest 1969)

'Desert Mist' (Williamson 1980)

'Sky Hooks' (Osborne 1980)

What are some of your favorite older irises? If you have limited space, how do you make the decision on which ones to grow? How do you choose your irises? Is it based on color, form, time of year it blooms or by the hybridizers and the year? Is it by hardiness or cost? In the past I have just chosen irises based on color and form but I am learning to pay more attention to the name of the hybridizer and the year it was introduced. It is a surprise to me that I have chosen so many historics. And remember, each year more historics are added to the list!

Bernard and I are both members of the New Zealand Iris Society and we try to attend the annual NZIS conventions every year. These are very interesting events, as they are typically held on the North Island one year and then on the South Island the next year. This is all very democratic - and means that, for example, North Island irisarians have one year with fairly easy travel costs and effort to attend the convention and the next year (when the convention is held on the other island) they have higher travel costs. Of course, there are die-hard irisarians who attend every year, irrespective of where the convention is held. As we live in Australia it costs us about the same each year to attend. We really look forward to attending these great events for several reasons. Firstly, the conventions are rarely held in major cities, but are more than usually located in a reasonable-sized provincial city or small town. Accommodation options are plentiful in New Zealand, so you can live it up in 5 star luxury or not during your stay. The experience at the conventions are still the same though - friendly and relaxed. Secondly, we get to see a different part of New Zealand every time we attend. You can enjoy an in-depth immersion into a small part of this scenically beautifully country - complete with a bus load of friends! Thirdly, many of the private gardens visited are not normally open to the general public (or even to private gardening groups). Most are completely stunning. Most gardens visited feature some type of iris. What you get to see can depend on the general geographical area (coastal, alpine, high desert etc.) and the personal iris preferences of the garden host. Fourthly, New Zealand is a country that everybody should visit at least once in their life. Similar in many ways to Australia, the New Zealanders share a strong spirit of colonial history intertwined with cultural diversity, a real 'can-do' spirit and a love of rugby, cricket and hot, sunny Christmas times. A few years ago the NZIS convention was held in the North Island in the Bay of Plenty area. The BOP Group are one of the largest groups in the Society and they put on a great convention. A highlight for us was visiting Rivendell Iris Gardens of Kati Kati in the Bay of Plenty area. Stephanie and Alistair Book specialise in Louisiana irises. The temperate winters and warm, balmy and slightly humid summers are a perfect fit for our favourite iris species! I am attaching some photos taken at Rivendell Iris Gardens to show how happy Louisiana irises are in our part of the world (south western Pacific Ocean). Many New Zealand irisarians traditionally grow various forms of bearded irises, Siberian cultivars and iris species. Louisiana irises have been actively hybridised for many decades in New Zealand, but the cultivars rarely receive much attention - which is a great pity! This blog will (hopefully) go some way to evening up the playing field, eh?

So, those irisarians who live in the northern hemisphere need to consider just how far 'south' do Louisiana irises grow? Answer: at least 40 degrees south of the equator! Heather Pryor Sydney, Australia

Griff Crump

Renee suggested that I might share some of this year's surprises.

The biggest and best surprise was recovery of an introduced variety that I thought had been lost. Two years ago, I dug and lined out La Cumparsita, introducing it in 2013. Luckily, before I sold any of it, it bloomed in two convention gardens and wasn't the right flower. I saw photos and was mystified until some of the lined-out plants bloomed in my own garden and also were the same nondescript purple seen in the photos. Clearly, the marker had been switched before the digging, probably during weeding, and an adjacent clump had been dug. I was tempted to rip out the whole planting, but, since some of the lined-out clumps hadn't bloomed, I tossed only those that had bloomed and left the rest in place. This spring, two of those which had been spared bloomed and were La Cumparsita! It will take a couple of years to build up stock again, but I said to some of my fellow irisarians that if nothing else good happened this year, it was still a good year!

La Cumparsita

Other surprises were winningBest Seedling of Showat the Fredericksburg Area Iris Society's spring show, the Chesapeake and Potomac Iris Society's spring show and the Region 4 spring show at Timonium, Maryland.

The winner at Fredericksburg was tall bearded 062D1:

062D1

and at Chesapeake and Potomac, standard dwarf seedling 092B4:

092B4

At the Regional show at Timonium, I counted on the judges adhering to the judges' handbook, which requires only one bloom to be open on a seedling. Although I must admit that I was surprised by my wins at Fredericksburg and Winchester, I felt that my entry at Timonium was a real winner, but would the judges vote for an entry which had only one last bloom and the shriveled remains of the other eight buds drooping from its branches? Yes! They went by the book and chose it.

082L13

This is a product of Coffee Whispers X Blackbeard's Daughter. It's a dramatic introduceable, and I'm looking forward to good things following from it.

Another very pleasant surprise was the appearance of a first-year seedling, 13P20, which displayed a remarkable progression of blossom form, opening to resemble an iris of many decades ago:

13P20

But, as a day passes, a later-in-time form develops:

Finally, a modern form is achieved. At the right moment, all three forms are displayed on the branches.

If this seedling prospers and blooms true to its initial performance, it will be quite interesting.

'PARISIAN DAWN'Keppel 2006

By Susanne Holland Spicker

The 2014 TALL BEARDED IRIS SEASON was the best for me in recent memory. I divided nearly all of my irises last year, and wasn't expecting a banner year, but their increase and bloom was more prolific than I have seen for several years. The weather in the top of Utah was ideal for them to establish a good root system in the fall, and the hard freezes in late winter and early spring came before there was damage to the buds, as had been the case the past few years. The new rhizomes I planted had a 95% bloom success--unheard of in my experience with new plantings. Although I was very happy with these new irises, sometimes first-year blooms aren't indicative of what kind of plant it turns out to be. I usually need to wait a few years to know important factors such as hardiness, vigor, and dependability in bloom. These are some of my favorite first-year blooms in 2014.

'PHOTOGENIC' Ghio 2006

'GOING DUTCH' Van Liere 2009

'RHINELANDER' Schreiner 2006

'LENTEN PRAYER'Schreiner 1998

'ABOUT TOWN' Blyth 1997

'PRETTY GENEROUS'Innerst 2004

'CHRISTMAS EVE'Van Liere 2010

'DESIGNER LABEL'Ghio 2003

'QUEEN'S RANSOM'Van Liere 2012

'TICKLE ME PINK' Van Liere 2011

'GYPSY LORD' Keppel 2006

'SISTERHOOD'Van Liere 2011

'DREAM TEAM' Johnson 2007

'BUBBLE BUBBLE' Ghio 2005

'ROLE REVERSAL'Ghio 2010

'LEMON CLOUD'Painter 2008

'GITANO'Keppel 2007

'ROSY FORECAST'Williamson 2010

'WINNING EDGE'Ghio 1997

'WEARING RUBIES' Blyth 2000

'SOUTHERN MORNING' Metler 2011

'MARCHING TO ZION'Metler 2011

'OVERJOYED'Gatty by Keppel 1994

'ADOREE' Blyth 2006

'FLORENTINE SILK'Keppel 2005

'EVENING TIDINGS' Schreiner 2009

'GOLDEN PANTHER' Tasco 2000

'ARISTOCRACY' Keppel 2006

'RED SKIES'Ghio 2007

First-year blooms are always exciting; it's much

like Christmas morning to go out and see a

new cultivar in bloom for the first time. Time will

tell if these new irises stand the test of time

for good increase, dependability and hardiness--

I hope so, they were beautiful this year.

I'd love to hear about a favorite first-year bloom

you've had.

Have any disappointed you with their vigor or

dependability?

By Andi Rivarola

I really love the AIS conventions held at Portland, Oregon; that is why I believe that if you can only attend one AIS convention in your lifetime, make it to the Portland in 2015.

Aitken's Salmon Creek Garden

And, since it's never too early to make plans ahead of time, I'm here to tell you that registration is open, the hotel is ready to take registrations, and the gracious hosts are preparing the gardens for your enjoyment. Click below for the latest information about the convention, such as a registration link; also information about how to make your reservations early to make sure you get a room on site; and to find out about the fantastic program that The Greater Portland Iris Society has put together for us.

Iris In Wonderland

Just about everyone is preparing to come to Portland, Oregon, for the 2015 AIS National Convention “Iris in Wonderland 2015”. The convention dates are May 18-23, 2015. Five of the six official host gardens on tour are well known commercial gardens and have been hosts for previous conventions. Also, stay a few more days for "Another Day in the Garden," the Siberian/Species Iris Convention to be held immediately following the AIS Convention, on May 24-25.

Mid-America Iris Garden

Mt. Pleasant Iris Farm

At the AIS National Convention in 2015, some of the most exciting commercial gardens, such as Schreiners, Mid-America, Aitken's Salmon Creek Garden, Mt. Pleasant Iris Farm, and Wildwood Iris Gardens will be in full blooming splendor during the tour. Many of the prolific and successful iris hybridizers including Keith Keppel, Paul Black, Thomas Johnson and Terry Aitken will show you around and personally describe their innovative work and amazing creations. What can one say about that? Come join us for the Convention.

'Roy's Repeater' Spec-X

2015 AIS National Convention at Portland, OR

Hope to see you there!

by Ron Killingsworth

It seems the "normal" bloom season is not the "usual" bloom season. Bloom was late this year, very late, and when it arrived, the Dutch irises, Tall Bearded, i.virginica, Spuria irises and Louisiana irises all bloomed at the same time. And when I say the Louisiana irises all bloomed at the same time, I mean the early, mid and late bloomers all bloomed at once. We had a relatively short bloom but boy was it something with all the irises blooming at once!

I wanted to share some spring pictures with you. Most of the pictures are irises but I have thrown in a few other things just to keep you interested. Sue, my wife, increased the number of Tall Bearded irises she is growing so we had quite a few in bloom this year.

"Applause Line" Tall Bearded by Joe Ghio 2004

It is difficult to grow bearded irises in the heat of Louisiana, but Sue and I built some raised beds in an area of the side yard that is shaded from about 2 PM til dark. We made sure the beds are well drained and are watered very little from the sprinkler system. They seem to be doing quite well. Time will tell.

"Blue Jean Baby" a Louisiana iris by Charles Arny 1987

"Blue Jean Baby" is one of my favorites - it is so pretty, in part because of the name. There is nothing prettier than "my baby" in blue jeans! Charles Arny is no longer with us but he left a lot of beautiful irises for us to enjoy.

"Braggin Rights"a Tall Bearded irisby Tom Burseen 2004

Sue and I love Tall Bearded irises but they just do not like the weather in Louisiana. Too hot and too wet. Basically the same reasons most PEOPLE do not like the weather in Louisiana! But this is a beautiful iris and worthy of bragging about, and it is growing.

"Bullion Audit"a Louisiana iris by T. J. Betts (2003) of Australia

This is an example of a beautiful yellow iris that should be welcomed in any garden. I really like the veining and the green throat of the style arms.

"Cedar Bayou"a Louisiana iris by K. Strawn 1993

Registered as a "violet-blue" iris, it is a beauty and a great garden iris.

"Chacahoula Fire"a Louisiana iris by Rusty McSparrin 2005

A really breathtaking iris with some fantastic coloring. The signals are outlined in red while red veining continues to the end of the petals. I like the color, the form -- the whole thing!

"Cherokee Rose" antique rose bush - climbing

This rose bush is a welcomed sight each spring. It blooms early and then it is gone. The flowers are really pristine white and beautiful. They remind me that Easter is near.

"Colorific"a Louisiana iris by Joe Mertzweiller 1978

This is a beautiful bi-tone iris with green style arms. Mertzweiller was a college professor and hybridized a lot of irises. He also converted the first Louisiana iris tetraploids.

"Dixie Deb"a Louisiana iris by Frank Chowning 1950

"Dixie Deb"is an "oldie but goody". It still wins high level awards at iris shows. The older open form is favored by many, myself included. That is "Dr. Dormon"in the background - see more about this iris below.

Double Poppy (We call them Marie's Poppies)

Marie Calliet was a charter member of the Society for Louisiana Irises and lived in Little Elm, TX, north of Dallas the last years of her life. We obtained some poppy seeds from her on one of our visits to her garden and we grow them in NW Louisiana. This is an example of a double that grows well and blooms during the Louisiana iris bloom season.

"Dr. Dormon"a Louisiana iris by Sidney Conger in 1972

This iris was named for Caroline Dormon, a famous conservationist and botanist, among other things. She lived near Saline, LA, and started Briarwood Nature Preserve. This is one of many irises named to honor Caroline Dormon.

"Dural White Butterfly"a Louisiana iris by John C. Taylor 1989

John Taylor has hybridized many Louisiana irises "down under". He has produced many beautiful and award winning irises. This iris, although registered in 1989, remains an award winning white loved by all iris lovers.

Dutch Irises

We grow many varieties of Dutch irises and they are usually the first to bloom in our gardens. This year they bloomed quite late.

More Dutch irises in NW Louisiana


White Dutch irises growing in NW Louisiana

"Fire Alarm"a Louisiana iris by Caroline Dormon 1951

This is one of Caroline Dormon's earlier irises and is actually more red than shown in this picture.

"Elvis Dreamer"a Tall Bearded by Tom Burseen 2008

"Enviable"a Louisiana iris by M. D. Faith 2002

M. D. Faith is no longer with us but he left a legacy of beautiful Louisiana irises. He started hybridizing late in life but that did not stop him from producing some beauties.

"Extra Dazzle"a Louisiana iris by Heather Pryor 2003

Heather Pryor and her husband Bernard have introduced many beautiful Louisiana irises. They live "down under" and often visit the US during the American Iris Society conventions. Heather is a blogger here on World of Irises.

I'll continue my pictorial of the bloom season in NW Louisiana with part two. Meantime, if you are interested in growing Louisiana irises, or just want to know more about them, then visit the website at Society for Louisiana Irises. If you want to know more about all irises, visit the website of the American Iris Society. Hope you enjoyed the pictures.

by Dawn Mumford

My focus this time will still be on the "Oldies" before 1985 but I will focus on those 'historic' irises that won the Dykes Medal.

Our iris patch in peak bloom.

There is a lot of information about the Dykes Medal found on The American Iris Society's website, as well as a really nice slide show showing all the Dykes Medal Winners. Just click here:

http://www.irises.org/Photo_and_Galleries/Galleries/DykesMedal_Winners.html

From the AIS website:

Dykes Memorial Medal: First awarded in 1927, The Dykes Medal is the highest award of the AIS. Awarded to no more than one iris per year, Irises are eligible as a Dykes Medal candidate for three years following the winning of a classification medal. Only AIS registered judges may vote.

Medals: Each year there are medals awarded to irises of each specific classification type. This is the top award for each AIS iris classification type. Irises are eligible as a candidate for a medal the second year after they receive an Award of Merit (AM), One medal for each classification is given each year (except for the very popular tall bearded which awards 3 Wister Medals each year).

Some years no award was given. Those years were 1930, 1931, 1934, 1946, 1960, 1969, 1987, and 1985. Once an iris is eligible it is only eligible for 3 years and then is no longer eligible. It can take 17 to 21 years before an iris is eligible.

Here are the "historic" irises that won the Dykes Medal between 1958 and 1984.

'Blue Sapphire'Schreiners Dykes Medal 1958

This iris was introduced in 1953. It is a blue self with a light silvery color.

"Swan Ballet'by Muhlestein Dykes Medal 1959

Photo courtesy of Mike Unser

'Eleanor's Pride' by E. Watkins Dykes Medal 1956

photo courtesy of Mike Unser

'Whole Cloth' by P. Cook Dykes Medal 1962

Photo courtesy of Sherry Austin

'Whole Cloth' by P. Cook Dykes Medal 1962

Photo courtesy of Carlos Ayento

'Amethyst Flame" by Schreiner Dykes Medal 1963

photo courtesy of Cathy Dudley

'Amethyst Flame' by Schreiner Dykes Medal 1963

Photo courtesy of Coleen Modra

'Allegiance'Paul Cook Dykes Medal 1964

Described as violet, ultra-marine, frosty blue. Photographs close to true color. Very tall in our garden.

'Pacific Panorama'by Sexton Dykes Medal 1965
Photo courtesy of Carlos Ayento

'Rippling Waters' by Orville Fay Dykes Medal 1966

This iris is a favorite of mine because of the ruffles and flutes. I like the contrasting beard as well. It really was ahead of its time for form, created nearly 50 years ago.

'Winter Olympics'Opal Brown Dykes Medal 1967

This is one of the first of all my irises. I received it in a trade from a friend back in 1985. Rather simple looking, but white shows so nicely in an evening garden. I thought that I was going to get rid of it because it was too simple (no ruffles or lace or flounces) but I think I will have to reevaluate that decision. A few years ago I told my husband that it had to go and he transplanted it to a part of the orchard where I rarely go. I think that it is time to bring it back.

'Stepping Out'Schreiners Dykes Medal 1968

This iris still wins awards today. It has form, texture, contrast, substance and more. Lovely in a vase with yellows and whites and deeper purples. Forty-five years old and many iris growers still include it in their catalogs.

'Skywatch' by Benson Dykes Medal 1970
Photo courtesy of Mike Unser

'Debbie Rairdon'by Kuntz Dykes Medal 1971

Not the best picture because it was taken indoors. Among its attributes are vigorous habit and heavy substance.

'Babbling Brook'by Keith Keppel Dykes Medal 1972

This iris is described as a remarkable French blue. It stands out in my garden. It has veining which enhances the iris.

'New Moon' by Neva Sexton Dykes Medal 1973
photo courtesy of Colleen Modra

'Shipshape'by Sanford Babson Dykes Medal 1974
A massive medium blue flower that takes little care but stands out in a crowd.

'Pink Taffeta'by Ruldolph Dykes Medal 1975
photo courtesy of Susanne Spicker

This is one of my favorite pinks. One note however, it won't look right in a pink depression glass vase because it has too much shrimp color in it.

'Kilt Lilt' by Gibson Dykes Medal 1976

This ruffled and frilled plicata cries out for attention. The first plicata to win the Dykes since 'San Francisco' in 1927. Plicatas are those irises that are stitched or stippled with a margin of color on white or dots or peppering.

'Dream Lover"by E. Tams Dykes Medal 1977
I'm always attracted to lavendars, orchids, and purples. This iris reminds me of periwinkle- that pretty little blue/purple flower that is a ground cover. Picture below. It has clean coloring which I love.

Photo credited to Perennials Image Gallery

'Bride's Halo'by Mohr Dykes Medal 1978

This one has a lovely precise 1/8 inch gold border around the falls, which unfortunately doesn't show well in this photo.

'Mary Frances'by Larry Gaulter Dykes Medal 1979

I spelled this wrong for years (Francis). This grows vigorously for us and is a lovely pastel. The graceful ruffling is beautiful.

'Mystique' by Joe Ghio Dykes Medal 1980
This bitone (two shades of the same color) is said to be well liked by Californians (me too).

''Brown Lasso' by Buckles -Niswonger Dykes Medal 1981

Photo courtesy of Colleen Modra

Brown Lasso' by Buckles -Niswonger Dykes Medal 1981

Photo courtesy of Gerard Sirius

'Vanity' by Hager Dykes Medal 1982

photo courtesy of Susanne Spicker

I tend to gravitate to blues and pinks. This one is a lovely delicate pink without any shrimp color in it.

'Ruffled Ballet'by Elvan Roderick Dykes Medal 1983

I'm afraid this one doesn't increase well for us but the form and color is worth keeping anyway.

Another'Ruffled Ballet'by Elvan Roderick Dykes Medal 1983

Susanne Spicker describes the falls that are wide and full as "cocker spaniel ears". We like the generous falls on this one a lot.

'Victoria Falls'by Schreiners Dykes Medal 1984
This one is very stunning with only one fault that I know of. The stems are rather thin and in a wind storm they fall.

'Victoria Falls'by Schreiners Dykes Medal 1984
It made a beautiful clump for us this year.

Do you grow any Dykes Medal winners? Do you plant them all together in the garden or do you put them with other irises? Which ones are your favorites?

I am very grateful to all my friends who so generously shared their photos. They shared more photos than I had room for, so I will do a continuation of this article in the future.

by Jim Murrain

Iris anguifuga is native to China and has been cultivated for centuries around summer gardens to repel snakes from entering the grounds and, when the rhizome is ground into a paste, applied topically as an herbal remedy against snakebites (or so these ‘Old Wives' tales go). This clone was collected by Dr. James Waddick in 1989 and has been named 'Snake Bane'.

'Snake Bane' is a typical beardless Iris in many respects. It has that generic shape and color of many irises. It could easily be mistaken for a Spuria Iris at bloom time. However, it has a marked difference from all other irises, it is dormant and leafless during most of the growing season. Iris anguifuga begins growth in late fall as other irises are getting ready for winter and the snakes are going into hiding. It remains green in my z6a garden all winter although at only two to three inches in height. In early spring it puts forth a burst of growth and is in flower by mid-May. Around June, as the snakes emerge and gain their strength back, the Iris goes dormant or 'disappears'.

These two older photos give a better idea of the true color. I. anguifuga is vigorous in full sun and makes a nice clump quickly. It will grow in partial shade but flowering will be reduced.

The missing link? Iris anguifuga spends summer as a compact bulb. When it breaks dormancy in the fall it grows a rhizome. After flowering the rhizome withers away except for the growth point which pulls together in the form of a bulb. It is thought that this may be how bulbous irises first developed.

This illustration from the book Iris of China shows Iris anguifuga on the right half, 1 through 5. You can see the bulb shape has formed just before the rhizome will disappear for the summer.

It is a modest plant in the garden with a simple display, but the story is a real conversation starter and who knows? Maybe it will keep the snakes away, too.

Kathleen Sayce

All irises have pods with three valves that open and spread when seeds are mature and pods are dry. Open pods toss seeds a few feet, shaking seeds out in the wind and opening a bit more from day to day. Iris pods often open at inconvenient times, usually on hot sunny days when I'm away from home. This was a frustrating reality for me when I started crossing plants and saving seeds, because I'm often hiking in mid summer, away in the hills when those pods pop open.

I. douglasiana has green pods with three valves. Bag and save upright pods, not the sprawling stems. You will find the mature pods more easily later if they are upright.

I began collecting iris seed by designating small paper bags for each variety, adding pods to the bags day by day and week by week, cutting off the pods when the color started to change from green to brown. But inevitably, some slip past, and open on their own. Tracking seeds of choice hybrids was tough: several times the pod opened and seeds slipped out, and were scattered in the garden in less than 24 hours. When you’ve hand pollinated the flowers after growing the parent plants, losing the seeds at ripe pod stage is tough.

Iris douglasiana has the longest ripening period. Pods may take nine weeks to fully mature.

Iris douglasiana is the most widely grown Pacifica Iris, and its pods are ripe about nine weeks after flowering. Some species ripen a bit earlier, like Iris innominata, which has lovely yellow flowers; in five to six weeks the seeds are mature and ready to gather from this species. I learned this the hard way, going out weeks too late to bag what I thought were green pods and finding only the pod sections, brown, dry and open with the seeds long gone.

Iris innominata can ripen seeds in five to six weeks. I know, because I lost all the seeds the first year this species flowered in my garden. I sauntered out in week six to put pod bags on the three green pods, only to find they were brown, open, and the seeds were scattered.

There is a solution: organza party bags, AKA seed pod bags. These days I check plants a few weeks after flowering, cut off flower stems on plants whose seeds I do not plan to save, and put mesh bags over the rest. For my original purchase, I got green bags, thinking green would blend in better over the summer. Not bad, but I now find bags all winter, even in spring, that were overlooked the prior summer!

Mesh bag on green pod––unobtrusive, discrete, and could be easily overlooked in a few weeks when the seeds are ripe.

When the pods are ripe, I cut the stems off, tie them together, label the bunch, and dry the pods still in the bags. If they open and shed seed, great, this saves me time prying open each pod. If they don't––and some late flowering I. douglasiana plants often do not open their pods––I slice each pod open along one side and pry out the seeds.

If the seeds are going to a seed exchange, they go back into a clean mesh bag, labeled, and air dry for a couple of weeks. If I keep seeds to plant, I plant them immediately outside.

The goal: New seedlings. Note the styrofoam boxes, top layer of chicken grit, and mesh cover. The grit helps in heavy rain to keep the soil mix in place. The mesh wards off any number of animals and birds that think germinating Pacifica Iris seeds are tasty snacks. These seedlings will go out into the ground in early fall.

I live in a summer dry, winter wet climate, which Pacifica Iris prefer. Seeds go into styrofoam boxes, in a well drained mix, covered with a thin layer of fine granite gravel (chicken scratch). A fine wire mesh cover goes over the top, to keep voles, chipmunks, jays, crows and other animals from eating germinating seeds. The seed boxes stay outside all winter, no matter the weather, and in the spring the next crop of Pacifica Iris seedlings emerge.

I'd like to know what other iris growers think of using mesh bags, and what color of bag you recommend. I need to order more. I’m thinking red or orange for the next order. Or should I go wild and order mesh bags to match the pod parent flowers?

by Betty Wilkerson

Twenty four registered irises have'Immortality'in their lineages. Most of these indicate that'Immortality' is the pod parent. This is because its anthers are rarely able to release pollen. My personal experience is that crosses with 'Immortality' as the pod parent are mainly undesirable. In other words, these often wind up on the compost heaps. It takes a lot of seedlings to get a good one.

Dr. Zurbrigg, the hybridizer of 'Immortality', was quite helpful to other hybridizers. He wrote articles in 'The Recorder' and was good about answering questions. He and I were on a rebloom robin a few years before his death, and he addressed 'Immortality's' pollen problem. Most people find that the anthers look dried up and useless and most seasons the pollen is useless.

Dr. Zurbrigg pointed out that some years the anthers make the pollen but simply do not release it. If you wait until the anther is mature, you can put it on something like a paper plate and press the blade of a kitchen knife on the anther. As you pull it across, a few grains of pollen will release. During the time I was using 'Imnmortality,' it happened only twice. It is well worth the effort, since the children produced from these crosses seem superior to the reverse!

'Immortality' (L. Zurrbrig 1982)

'Immortality' makes a beautiful companion plant when planted with colorful blooms. Like most rebloomers, it needs to be moved every couple of years to rebloom well. The clump above was planted during the summer of 2004 and the picture was taken the following summer.

'Bridge in Time' (Wilkerson 1995)

During my third year of making rebloom crosses, I was able to strip some 'Immortality' anthers and obtain good pollen. Both'Bridge in Time' and'Returning Chameleon'were introduced from this process. I made over a dozen crosses using 'Immortality' as the pod parent. 'Corn Harvest'and'Champagne Elegance' as parents each produced several rebloomers, but all found themselves on the compost pile.

'Bridge In Time' (Wilkerson 1995)

During the spring of 2013, I took two of my granddaughters to what turned out to be the last SOKY show. They enjoyed touring the display garden. They used my digital camera to took many clump shots in the garden. This is their picture of 'Bridge in Time.' It is much taller than 'Immortality' and has had 13 buds.

'Returning Chameleon' (Wilkerson 1995)

Although I considered it to be less attractive than 'Bridge in Time,''Returning Chameleon' turned out to be the most dependable rebloomer. Even if it's left in the same spot for years, it will rebloom well if fertilized and watered.. The ruffling is less obvious when blooming in the heat of summer, but it does rebloom.

'Returning Chameleon' (Wilkerson 1995)

Fall blooms often open in cooler weather and their features, like ruffles, are more distinct. 'Returning Chameleon'has become a favorite through the years. One Halloween, I was taking pictures of'Returning Chameleon'when Jack jumped right in! He's a stinker, but really good contrast for 'RC.

In closing,'Immortality'is thirty two years old and most would say it's too old.to use in breeding. In an area where only a few rebloomers perform, it is still one of the most dependable. My goal is dependable rebloom in zone 6b. Would I use it again? Yes. Under the right conditions, and if I could get pollen.

Feel free to post questions.

By Renee Fraser

Mixed beds with irises

Boxes full of irises are arriving in the mail, and iris lovers are unpacking their purchases and trades, planning their planting schemes, or wandering about the yard wondering "where on earth will I find space for all of these new plants? What was I THINKING?" An exciting time of the year.

People who are new to irises are also posting questions in the iris forums and on Facebook, wondering how deep to plant them. Sometimes irises come with directions from the growers, who may be from a different part of the country, and sometimes they don't. Much discussion has resulted on some of these iris forums, with many of us repeating the advice we heard from our grandmothers: that irises should be planted with the top of the rhizomes exposed. I admit to dispensing this very advice myself until last year, when I learned from professional growers that the ideal planting depth does not always leave the top of the rhizome exposed, and that indeed, the rhizome should be covered by as much as two inches of soil, dependent upon the climate.

The American Iris Society website says to plant rhizomes "at or just barely below the surface of the ground. Irises should be planted so the tops of the rhizomes are visible and the roots are spread out facing downwards in the soil. However, in exremely hot climates or with very light soils, cover rhizomes with up to one inch of soil."

So the first thing we learn is that iris rhizomes should be protected from the sun and heat in hot climates. In Cathey's Valley, California, Rick Tasco and Roger Duncan of Superstition Iris Gardens plant their irises with about an inch or so of soil over the rhizome to protect them from the hot California sun.

Iris rhizome under 1" of soil at Superstition Iris Gardens, California.

Iris rhizomes at the proper depth for hot sunny climates.

The advice to protect the rhizome from the sun is also recommended in areas we would not normally consider too hot and sunny, such as Colorado. Iris hybridizer and grower Bob Van Liere of Iris4U says "in Colorado it is recommended to plant just below soil level to keep the rhizome from sunburning. We are at 5300 feet here at our garden and most of the Colorado is above 5280 ft. We have customers planting up to about 9200 feet, a short growing season for sure." So summer sun is something to consider when planting in high altitudes as well as the typically hot climates of places like Arizona and Southern California.

Bob digging irises at Iris4U in Colorado. Note the depth of the rhizomes.

Hybridizers who grow irises in very cold conditions also recommend deep planting for iris rhizomes. Chuck Chapman, a hybridizer in Ontario, Canada, experimented with planting depth several years ago, planting rhizomes half exposed, with only the top of the rhizome exposed, and a half inch, one inch, and two inches beneath the soil. He says they all bloomed and increased, but the best growers, by a small margin, were 1/2" and 1" beneath the soil. The worst growing rhizomes were half exposed. Chuck is probably the most northern grower of tall bearded irises, and he notes that there is less frost heave the deeper the rhizomes are planted. Furthermore, he says that when he contacted other growers about how they planted their irises, all planted them below the surface.

As a final note, Chuck points out that Bob Van Liere did some research on roots, and the results of his experiments were published in Tall Talk, the periodical of the Tall Bearded Iris Society. He planted rhizomes with and without roots, and those with roots did substantially better than those without, growing "hair roots" off of the trimmed roots. Some people like the longer roots because they hold the iris up and in the ground as it gets established.

I have mixed plantings in my hot Southern California garden, and everything else needs more water than the irises. That translates into problems with rot, especially since my soil is rich and loaded with organic material that stays wet. Hot plus wet equals fungus and bacteria growth. I lose a significant number of irises some years, particularly in small beds bordered by bricks or stone, which turn into little dutch ovens during the summer. One trick I use to increase drainage in my mixed beds is to plant them in mounds. I place the rhizome on a mound of soil at the same level as the surrounding earth. I cover the roots well and the rhizome by just a bit, producing a low mound above the surrounding soil level, to provide better drainage.

Leaves should be cut short enough so that the newly planted rhizome does not tip over, but not too short: about six inches for shipping, and up to ten inches if you are dividing at home. Please excuse the short leaves on this poor little rhizome that was 'accidentally' hacked off my my dear husband's grass edger. (We battle over territory like feudal lords: he tries to maintain his territory for grass, but I slowly annex it inch by inches for flowers.)

Since iris growers won't be able to put food on the table unless they are successful at what they do, I tend to favor their advice, rather than what grandma told me. So I now plant my iris rhizomes a bit deeper. Whatever you do, though, do not plant them deep like a flower bulb! They are not bulbs, and if the green leaves are buried they will not thrive and may die.

If you are not sure about how deep you should plant your irises in your particular climate, your local iris society may have some advice. Check here to locate a society near you. And if you have a favorite tip for planting irises, please share it in the comment section below.

And good luck finding spots for those incoming orders!

IRISES, the Bulletin of the AIS - Spring 2014 Edition

A Rain Screen for Pacifica Iris Flowers

TALL BEARDED IRISES--WHAT IS A "SHOW STALK" IRIS?

The American Iris Society Announces the 2014 Photo Contest

Hey, Listen Up: Advice to Young Siberian Irises

I'm So Glad

What Rains May Come to Pacific Iris Flowers

Dominance and Patterns in a Reblooming Iris Cross

Mass Plantings in Public Spaces

OLDIES BUT GOODIES

Louisiana irises grown in New Zealand

Surprise!

TALL BEARDED IRIS--FIRST-YEAR BLOOMS, 2014

AIS National Convention 2015 -- Portland, Oregon

Aitken's Salmon Creek Garden

Iris In Wonderland

Iris Bloom Season in Northwest Louisiana - Part 1

TALL BEARDED IRIS, OLDIES, DYKES MEDAL WINNERS BEFORE 1985

Iris anguifuga - The missing link?

Bagging Pods to Save Pacifica Iris Seeds

Creating New Irises Can Be Frustrating! Don't Give up!!

How Deep Should I Plant My Irises?