Rick Tasco's goals [long]
- Subject: Rick Tasco's goals [long]
- From: L* E*
- Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1998 07:47:11 -0800
From: "Lewis,Shirlee E" <Shirlee.E.Lewis@kp.ORG>
> Shirlee,
>
> Please don't tease us! Are you going to tell us about what Rick is
> working
> on? All I know is that they've got a lacy black that will be introduced
> next year.
>
Mark I wasn't going to tease you. I was about to do a separate post when
the network [or at least the remote access to the network] went down and
crashed the computer.
I first heard Rick speak about 2 years ago and at that time I was soooo new
to the iris world that most of what he had to offer went right over my head.
Rick has a wonderful eye and has some great releases coming.
The black that he will be introducing next year is DREAM EXPRESS. For those
of us who live close enough to be able to visit he offered a special that we
could order this iris this year. DREAM EXPRESS is out of PURPLE PIROUETTE x
RUFFLED GODDESS.
Rick is working in lots of different areas -- SDB, Aril Bred, TB, IB,
rebloomers. He has over 1300 cultivars and without a doubt something for
everybody.
We were first treated to a mini review of his recent introductions. It is
amazing that his very first introduction RUFFLED GODDESS won an AM in 1997
and will be eligible for the Wister in 1999.
For 1999 he showed two SDBs, CHOCOLATE SWIRL and WIZARDS RETURN. I liked
WIZARDS RETURN the best but it is hard to get really excited yet since they
are very hard to grow in southern California. Rick swears that CHOCOLATE
SWIRL smells just like chocolate. One yellow seedling was very striking and
Bill Maryott has pronounced that it is the "best yellow dwarf" that he has
seen. It is a possible 2000 introduction. Another SDB seedling has
flounces. Rick let us know that the dwarf Space Agers are just around the
corner.
For the future in the TB game Rick showed seedling 93-5308 as a possible
2000 introduction out of FAUX PAS x SECRET MELODY. This is an incredible
pink, raspberry mulberry. Too incredible for mere words. The falls have a
pencil thin white edge. I almost wanted to give him a deposit now.
MARIPOSA AUTUMN [99] out of JESSES SONG x EARL OF ESSEX. [Flower size like
JESSES SONG]
A seedling slated for a 2000 release is incredible with near white standards
and almost coal black falls. Even though the slide was not the best it
appears that there is very little color on the midrib.
One named 2000 introduction is GOLDEN PANTHER. For those who like warm
tones this will be a must have. Wonderful form in a warm gold shot with
bronze. Bud count has been as high as 20. Just think how long you would
have show in the garden.
Now for the cultivar you love to hate. Rick took GOLDEN PANTHER and crossed
it with THORNBIRD. Two of the three seedlings that Rick kept have more of
the form of THORNBIRD. One has unbelievable appendages. Sort of a cross
between a spoon and a beard at the end. I think that the colors of all
three will be less controversial than their parent. The third was a rich
golden brown. The unique characteristic is that the flounces stand up
around 45 degrees giving the flower the appearance of 6 standards and 3
falls.
Rick found a sport of Keppel's NUMERESQUE that has one the goals that
everyone working in broken color have been striving for. It combines the
broken color on the flower with variegated foliage. The new increase
appears to be holding and Rick promises that he will introduce it once he
has enough stock.
In reviewing my notes I realize that I am going to have to do better in the
future. I get so carried away with the beauty before me that I don't
always get the entire parentage or write good enough descriptions.
If you ever get the opportunity to hear Rick speak or visit his garden don't
miss it. His entire commercial garden is on two acres. He only has one
acre a year under cultivation. Every other year the other acre is planted
in a cover crop that is cultivated into the soil as green fertilizer. One
day I will be lucky enough to try this way.
> Shirlee Lewis
> Sunset Zone 23
> Southern California Iris Society
> Secretrary / Newsletter Editor
> shirlee.e.lewis@kp.org
> FAX 562-461-4217
> VOICE 562-461-4912
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