CULT: Iris High 2000
- To:
- Subject: CULT: Iris High 2000
- From: D* E*
- Date: Wed, 19 Jul 2000 21:51:52 -0500
Hello Folks,
Last year I gave yard awards (including raspberries) to the
various performances which occurred amongst the irises.
This year, 'awards' seems a bit high falutin' for what has
occurred here since the end of last spring's bloom season.
So it's back to school. This year I am going to note which
irises did comparatively well within their classes. The freshman
class will be those first year acquisitions, sophomores will have
been here for two seasons...and so it goes. Of course there are
the clubs - athletic, and so on. And last, but not least the truants
and dropouts and even one or two which are being expelled.
All in good fun, of course. Useful for me perhaps. But long, so
the delete key may be in order if one is short in time.
Outstanding freshmen:
JAZZ BABY (Noyd '60 OGB-). Prolific increase and prolific bloom on the
increase. Interesting color. The standards were so light they were
close to white; the falls at times came close to being lime green
with reddish flecks. The flecks were consistent and attractive so I
didn't much think they were virus marks. It took me awhile to isolate
just what it was that made me like this one so well, though. I finally
realized the blooms were gravity defying - almost like soap bubbles
attached by a spider's thread. Once I identified what it was, I made
a comparison to others in bloom. None came close to having this
quality. The light, floating effect was wonderful. I hope it repeats next
season, but it's been a hard summer.
Runners-up: DESERT PLUM (Hager '92 OGB) rich plum color on a
big bloom with a pronounced dark spot, this was a favorite with the
visitors; JEHOSEPHAT'S RELIANCE (McGrath '98 OGB) this one
exhibited richer color than the description in the catalog - the standards
didn't fade to near white staying clear lilac and the falls were definitely
rosy lilac. The signal was definitely burgundy, this one exhibits some of
the clearest smooth color of any arilbred I've bloomed; PASSING
FANCY (Rich '89 OGB) has colors hard to describe, but the effect is
a bronzy/reddish tone overall with touches of gold and it was a strong
bloomer with strong stems; FROSTED VELVET (Fisher '89 MTB) -
3 perfect little stalks in the medians where I've had so much trouble!
It was a jewel with white standards over velvety royal falls edged with
a startlingly vivid white line. If it will only stay happy now!
Outstanding Sophomores:
The largest class here. They came when a lot of work came together
and suddenly there was all this prepared space, so there was more
competition here. Ultimately it went to LADY FRIEND (Ghio '80 TB).
Just a super clump and bloomed for a long time in that unique blended
shade of red. But the competition was keen and others might well have
chosen PAPRIKA FONO'S (Nelson '87 TB reb), dark red brown over a
creamy ground; MOCAMBO (Denney '78 TB) standing up to the heat
with pale greenish-gray standards over darker violet touched oxblood
falls (unique colors, but not really an odd-looking iris); SHINING WATERS
(Essig '33 TB) with the ghostly blue shimmering and a wonderful foil with
LADY FRIEND; BUTTERMILK BLUSH (Hedgecock '93 TB) well-named
opaque white touched almost imperceptibly with apricot pink - lots of
stalks on a strong plant; TEL AVIV (Foster '70 OGB) - I like veining and
got it here! The impression of a dark bloom, it is simply covered in veins
and defies my ability to convey with a description - all on strong stalks;
AUTUMN ECHO (Gibson '75 TB reb) in autumn golden brown shades -
colors I'm a sucker for anyway, so a good performance has to get
recognized; VANITY - vain with good reason, and tough too with lots of
strong growth resulting in lots of bloom stalks. The pinkest pink I grow.
THORNBIRD (Byers '89 TB) likely wouldn't have been all that controversial
as it grew here this year. The blooms were almost uniformly cream touched
lightly with violet then overlaid with strong dark violet markings with
almost
totally consistent spoons until the last couple of blooms. Last year many
of the blooms picked up more of the color of Gruyere cheese - interesting
but not as attractive and had spoons, horns and plain beards mixed. It
had been moved due to exceptionally strong growth which it still displays
and appears to be prolific in bloom production. There were other good
sophomores, but I have to limit this.
Outstanding Juniors:
From a smaller class, this is where I began to move away from
growing only grandmothers and gimmes. PORTRAIT OF LARRIE
(Gaulter '77 TB) a medium light blue which remains one of the
truest blues and consistently pushes up bloomstalks - a lot.
Runners-up:
SATAN'S MISTRESS (Seligmann '82 TB officially aka OGB-) is
still my personal favorite and though it increases rather slowly
never skips the bloom season. One day I hope to see it actually
fill the allotted space allowed. Should make for one spectacular
spot of saturated ruby red-black color. SAHRA TASH (Shockey
'86 OGB) is another which defies my descriptive abilities - off white
ground with yellow/gold and darker markings? A subtle bloom
which gets better the longer it is studied and has been a good
grower - so far. IDIDIT (Schick '97 TB) a bonus which came with
one of my first orders, it has grown aggressively but not bloomed much
'til this year after it was banished and planted to stop erosion. Must
like the new location because it bloomed heavily this year with
dark almost electric blue blooms with pronounced brown shoulder
markings. So many stalks and it is still showing the ability to grow
expansively. Probably has foliage which holds up better than any
iris I grow.
Seniors?
Well, I'm convinced I've identified one grandmother as INDIAN CHIEF
(Ayres '29 TB) by growing an acquired rhizome for several years and
comparing the side by side plants and blooms. It blooms and blooms
and I just wonder why some people don't ever report that all their
blooms have turned from various other colors into this particular shade
of bronzy red? because it can sure overtake the neighbors with it's very
healthy growth habits. Unfortunately, the other seniors don't have names
and though they deserve a mention for their contribution, must remain
anonymous.
The clubs and favorites and other mentions must wait for another post.
Donald Eaves
donald@eastland.net
Texas Zone 7, USA
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