HIST: more assortment in Sweden-LONG

Gunnar, in Stockholm,  told us:

<<  I know this wery kunningly chief of the garden centra is a little
 conservative  and think much of the estetic approach in the garden. So I know
he rejects  what he think doesnt fit together with other plants in the garden.
 Thats why we are importing iris ourself. Isnt it terrible to have other
 people to decide what you shall like and not like.>>

Yes, it is annoying not to be able to find what interests you locally. And the
feeling that the nurseryman is trying to manipulate your choices is not a nice
one. Many people  think the older irises blend better with many traditional or
smaller garden perennials, but as the idea of what makes an interesting garden
plant continues to expand-- and even now strange and wonderful things like
cannas, euphorbias, brugmansias, succulents, phlomis, thalictrums, echinops,
cardoons, eryngiums, bananas, and other assertive plants with a lot of
textural interest are getting a lot of attention over here--- I think places
will be found for some very assertive modern irises which might otherwise be
rather overwhelming to some people. I hope so. Too much tastefulness gets
pretty tiresome sometimes and creativity is a wonderful thing.

Having said all that, let me observe that you have listed another strange and
interesting group, mostly of quite old cultivars. I am not as surprized to see
some of these as you might think I would be. This winter I have been working
with another fellow from outside the US who is interested in preservation of
historic cultivars in his  country. Several of the irises on your list appear
on his as well. We--Phil Edinger of HIPS who has been helping me, and myself--
have been very happy and exited to see the survival of many older irises that
we don't know over here. After a post Ellen shared from Mr. Kondratas about a
visit to a Dutch nurseryman who had some very remarkable historic irises, I
have been thinking about treasures that are available in Europe that we do not
still have here, and I intend to do some research on this matter after the
rush of bloom season. 

Now, let's see what's on your list:
  
CLIFFS OF DOVER--(Fay, 1953) a 35" Midseason white self, not rare in the US, a
very famous white iris whose ancestors include SNOW FLURRY.  Won an AM from
the AIS. If you want a good white, although not quite modern, this is a good
white. I might say that whites with more modern form, even including really
fluffy ones, are a very effective companion to the velvety dark bi-tones of
the early years of the century.  

CONSTANT WATTEZ--( Van Veen (Holland), 1953, introduced by Orpington Nurseries
in England in 1959). This is an IB at 24", and is S. shell pink (pale pink,
probably rather warm)  and F. greenish fawn ( greenish tan), and has a dark
tangerine beard. No one over here reports growing it, no AIS awards, but I
think it sounds very interesting and the fact that Orpington introduced it
speaks in its favor.

EMPRESS OF INDIA (Barr, 1921) also has been listed as Pallida "Empress of
India". Got a lot of distribution here before 1930, but listed as "obsolete"
in the AIS 1939 Checklist, meaning it was not known to still be in commerce,
and might be extinct. No one reports growing it here, although the
probabililty is that it is around as an unknown. It obviously survives
elsewhere. I am finding that quite a few "obsolete" things are still being
grown under their own names in other countries--this assuming the name on them
is right. Anyway, it seems to be a medium toned violet bicolor with paler
standards and while I think it might be interesting to see it, I doubt it will
look like much with the moderns. There were also bulbous and japanese irises
with this name.

HARBOR BLUE ( Schreiner's, 1954) a TB at 40", still grown here, Winner of an
AM from the AIS, and the RHS. A big light blue, and an "important breeder"
whose ancestry includes, according to "The World of Irises", p.68, CHIVALRY,
and JANE PHILLIPS. Sounds like a winner to me.   

HELGE (G&K, 1908), rare here, despite having been distributed pretty
widely.Wister recommended it in his book, "The Iris" (1927). It is a "citron
yellow" (a little greenish) IB at 16-20". My best guess is that it was
superceded pretty quickly by some of the new yellows Miss Sturtevant in
Massachusettes was introducing. It must be said that some of the early IBs had
pretty squat proportions, and I think you can live without it.

HOWARD WEED (Kleinsorge, 1947) a TB, is a midseason red-toned self (with some
yellow influence). I have found very little information on this plant except
the parentage is a "Brown seedling" x BRYCE CANYON. BRYCE CANYON would also
give us TOBACCO ROAD, and both are famous irises. I don't see any indication
that anyone here is still growing this, but, as I have said, our records are
not entirely  comprehensive. I will say that Dr. Kleinsorge, known for his
"browns" and his remarkable blends, gave us a group of pretty distinguished
irises and I would not dismiss anything of his without more information. If
this is a rusty blended iris it would look really good with one of the smooth
blues.

INDIAN CHIEF (Ayers, 1929) A very tall, very vigorous, two toned dark red.
Look at it on the HIPS page: http://www.worldiris.com/. I'm confident that it
would get more attention if it were not so easy to grow. A well respected
iris, although not as refined as DAUNTLESS. Unquestionably of older form, and
more sober color. There was also a bulbous iris with this name at one time.

KOCHII -- which the BIS book lists as I. kochii Kerner ex Stapf, is a species(
we think) which is often confused with the very similar cultivar CRIMSON KING.
KOCHII is not yet rare here, but it is being grown much less than it was a few
years ago, a development about which I am concerned. See it on the HIPS page.
I will quote Mike Lowe here, who, in March 1997 discussed the comparison with
CRIMSON KING.

<<<<<<<The best description of differences in these iris comes from Cornell
University 'Memoir 100, A Study of Pogoniris Varieties' Austin W. W. Sand,
Ithaca, New York, July 1926:

"While the general color [CRIMSON KING] is very similar to that of kochii,
it is not quite so distinct a self-color. The outer haft of CRIMSON KING is
more definitely veined and broader, its segments are more decidedly waved,
and the stalk is more widely branched. In kochii the segments are more
slender and graceful, while the whole of the flower is very similar to that
of ALBICANS. CRIMSON KING is undoubtly of germanica origin. CK has
persistent green foliage." [kochii tends to be deciduous]>>>>>>>>

LENT A. WILLIAMSON ( Williamson, 1918). A tall bitoned blue-violet TB.  The
Cornell Bulletin 112 says " a lavender-violet, velvety, royal purple bi-
color"..'strong in growth and vigorous in production". A justly famous iris,
hardy, tough, beautiful and --not rare! See it on the HIPS page. This really
is a spendid older ( American) iris. It was given an award by the RHS, and was
remarked upon with high favor in many publications.  

NIGHTFALL (Hall, 1942) TB, Dark purple bitone. Still being grown here. Won a
HM in 1943.Mother was INDIAN CHIEF, father was an "almost black seedling".
Period literature says 36", floriferous,velvety rich pansy purple, standards
quite a bit lighter,  almost no haft veining, substance and form excellent,
furnishes needed contrast when planted among the lighter colors.Very smooth
and stunning, etc. (Hall Chroncicles). Considered one of the best--at the
time--from a major hybridizer who would be famous for his 'Pinks".

RED ORCHID (J. Sass, 1934). Early blooming IB, period literature says "Our
reddest intermediate, 28", velvety violet carmine, glowing ruby brown, dark
yellow beard, reddest of all the very early red toned varieties to date,
unusually fine color".(Sass Chronicle). Won an AM in 1936 and has I.pumila in
the genes.

RUBY MINE (Schreiner's, 1962) TB, 40" ML, rich red self, shot copper. it has
PACEMAKER and INCA CHIEFinits background an got at HM in 1963. I don't know
much more about it other than it is, according to WOI, p.80, out of TRIM, the
McKee red brown that was the first bearded iris to be patented. Sounds pretty
nice.

SALONIQUE( Cayeux, 1923) Standards clear creamy yelow, falls violet purple,
throat veined white. A Cayeux iris that is not widely grown here, but is grown
elsewhere in Europe. Many of the Cayeux irises of this period are among the
most elegant introductions of the first part of the century.

SOUV. [Souvenir] DE MME. GAUDICHAU (Millet, 1914). A famous and important iris
which you can see on the HIPS page. From Cornell 112, "color effect a violet,
brilliant black-purple bi-color...bronzed outer haft...bluish beard yellow
tipt....growth rampant, stalks tall and well branched..striking and remarkably
early." From AIS Bulletin #6 "growth rampant, over three feet."  

VALHALLA (Tom Craig, 1962) TB, 38" E-La-Re, Standards lobelia, Falls lobelia
to clematis. In other words, a tall blue near bitone. Sounds very lovely, and
the name seems very appropriate to Scandinavia, I think. Might be right nice
with the CLIFFS OF DOVER.

WHITE KNIGHT (Saunders, 1916) A white self, TB, and quite late. Widely
distributed in its day, and remarked upon with approbation in many books, it
is now almost impossible to find here. I know because I've been looking for a
major garden restoration HIPSource has been working on. Although there must be
more of it around, at this point I sadly know of only one person growing it
here. I am pleased to see it thriving elsewhere. Cornell 112 says"color effect
a clear white self ...inconspicuoulsy veined...Beard fine, very dense,
projecting, white and yellow- tipped. The flowering stalks are erect, short,
and well branched. The blooms are freely produced. makes a good cut
flower....odor is very strongly scented iris." 

I hope this helps you some, Gunnar, and I will speak to you soon about some
information I need. You should remember that while I've done the best I can
for you here, I am not an expert in any sense of the word. And before anyone
else posts lists of mysterious oldies, let me say that researching one's own
irises, while very time consuming, is really all part of the fun! Come join us
at HIPS! Information is on the HIPS page
-------http://www.worldiris.com/------. When you visit, drop Mike a note and
tell him what a fine site it is. He does a great job for us all.

Anner Whitehead
Commercial Source Chairman
Historic Iris Preservation Society, AIS
HIPSource@aol.com, Henryanner@aol.com
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