Re: FAVORITE HISTORIC

So far, my list is about 40 long.  I'm trying to whittle it down, but I'm 
not good a picking favorites.  Tend to like what is blooming now best. 
Right now the various I. germanica, some of the old IB's etc. are in full 
bloom, and they are still all marvels, even if they are "old" and "old 
fashioned".   I was out today comparing flowers of 'Albicans', 
'Florentina', and germanica 'Alba', and they are all three similar, but 
they are really easy to tell apart once you see them.  Next to other 
germanica and near germanica such as 'Susa', 'Eleanor Roosevelt', Crimson 
King, two different clones of germanica, and 'Golden Cataract' (fairly 
certain recent identification), it's quite a nice little display here at 
the botanic garden in Albuquerque.

On the species front the "common" yellow clone of I. reichenbachii is in 
full flower and impressive right now.  Not sure if a wild species 
qualifies as historic, but it's very much a favorite right now - long done 
at home though.  Funny because the germanicas and old IB's are ahead of my 
yard here at the garden, by a day or two - go figure.

I'm going to think about it some, and maybe I can declare a favorite, but 
I doubt it.  I'll throw one out that always gets my attention when it 
flowers, and while I don't know it's date of introduction, it is surely 
historic by a fair margin (?).  That is the best old pink I know - 'One 
Desire', which I discovered thanks to this group.  It's not blooming yet 
here though.  It's a strong healthy plant, and flowers well.  There's 
another mostly pink I like a whole lot, but I'm blanking on the name right 
now.

'Purissima' is starting bloom in a yard nearby now with a swarm of 
'Crimson King' at its peak, and the contrast in color, bloom size, and 
height is actually pretty nice.  'Purissima' is another "top of the list" 
cultivar.


Dave

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