Hi all,

 

I was in the archives and found a post that didn't make it to my email for some reason.  Griff asked why I made the Lunar Whitewash x Romantic Evening cross.  Sorry, I didn't answer before. 

 

Lunar Whitewash impressed me a lot during the first year it bloomed at my place and I was anxious to add some of it's qualities to my lines.  (Not so impressed now, but I'm quite happy with this cross.)

 

It was also the first season I saw bloom on Romantic Evening.  I'd been pleased with seedlings I'd bloomed from Visiting Royalty which is half Romantic Evening. Some of the VR seedlings had red beards.  I'd done a lot of research and knew RE shouldn't block summer bloom. 

 

This cross fulfilled a number of goals: 1) combine the genes of both. 2) test the genes of both in my soil and climate,  3) increase the tangerine factor in my rebloom lines &  4) build on modern form. 

 

Results:

 

Several have looked like 2019-06 in both color and form.  I'm a bit intrigued by the pale blue haze on the falls.  They look much darker in the bud.  Love the lace and the gold rim that shows on several.

I'm probably most fond of the bitones and neglectas. 

 

The cross did appear to be weak.  Several went so dormant in the droughts of 2007 & 2008 that I thought they were dead.  Now they are showing off. 

 

None have rebloomed, but I didn't really expect any in this first generation.  I'm seriously enjoying this cross and will see the results from it for years to come.  I've over half a dozen reselects and I'm using them all in breeding.  I'm extremely happy with most of the seedlings crossed in 2005 & 2006. 

 

 

Betty Wilkerson

Bridge In Time Iris Garden

KY Zone 6. . . ever so thankful my garden is on a slope.