Scottish Rock Garden Club Forum
Specific Families and Genera => Iris => Topic started by: Chris Johnson on January 01, 2017, 04:33:25 PM
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Nothing unusual but a cheerful sight this morning.
Iris reticulata 'Pauline' and Iris histrioides 'Katharine-Hodgkin'.
An overdue repot last autumn seems to have helped. Perhaps overdone the latter (over 70 flowers). The blue pellets are slow-release fertiliser.
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Lovely iris Chris. What fertiliser do you use?
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Thanks Olive.
The main fertiliser is bonemeal, applied to the compost when repotting. When the noses start to show I apply a small dressing of general fertiliser and bring then under cover. The strong winds up here trash everything otherwise.
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Gail had asked when my talk will be at the RHS Early Spring Plant Fair
Wednesday Feb 15 @ 11:30 (the second day)
The first day is always so busy, so the second day should be a lot better for me. I had suggested first day in the afternoon from the point of view that people might want to be there for the first day to get first chance at the plants. In the morning of the first day pots have to go up to Joint Rock, and paper work has to be filled out beforehand.
Reticulata Iris - Overview + 2016 Highlights
Something for everyone. If you don’t already know, Alan has opened up a whole new world for Reticulata Iris — colours and patterns never thought possible. As well as giving an overview plus growing tips, he’ll show you significant developments from 2016
Here's a picture of 10-CR-1 showing its "orange" colour. Essentially the colour stayed for 7 days. It's been suggested the pigment is Beta-carotene. The colour is slightly more intense at first, and may lessen sightly because the fall is still growing somewhat. The flower was outdoors, but protected by an upside down dish pan. By the end-of-day March 30 the flower was shrivelled.
Looks like a water droplet on the blade "burned out" the anthocyanin
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I do quite love It's Magic (05-HW-1). Here's a tetraploid version. It would seem the tip was damaged when in bud -- i.e. the damage to the end of the fall blades.
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Here's the parentage of Tequila Sunrise (09-LE-2)
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Here's the only sibling: 09-LE-1. Unfortunately neither pod parent set seed. I did get a quantity of seed with 09-LE-2's pollen
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I'm really disappointed that I can't now get time off work to go but am crossing fingers that maybe by the magic of Maggi we can experience a forum version of the presentation??
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Your faith in me is charming, if a tad mis-guided, Gail! However, if Alan wishes to make a thread here with his new projects, or write for the IRG or Journal I am sure both myself and Anton will be all ears!
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Iris reticulata 'Dance On'
Iris 'North Star'
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Some of Alan McMurtrie's irises are quite early this year. Last year they were in flower a month later at the Dunblane show.
Here are 'Sunbeam' and 'Sunshine'. The latter is one of my favourites of Alan's hybrids, a good canary yellow colour that is aptly named. Unfortunately another of my favourites, 'Snow White' (the true plant) is no longer in cultivation, unless someone knows otherwise. I got it twice but it turned out to be the wrong plant.
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It's nice to see my hybrids doing well and being enjoyed by others! (Cyril's green thumb at work)
I am having a bit of difficulty identifying the "Snow-White" (but what else would it be?) I do know Janis had issues with supplying all of the orders. If it isn't Snow-White it should be one of my other whites with blue accents: http://reticulatas.com/sxd-WhiteBlues-1.html (http://reticulatas.com/sxd-WhiteBlues-1.html) (page 1 through 6). Janis had a couple for evaluation. He did for example introduce Ice Cream (97-CK-3), Making Out (95-CS-1), and Sunburst (98-LQ-1). One characteristic of Snow-White is the curl to the fall (Cyril's flowers are just opening). It could be Cyril's colours are darker than I got in my garden Aside: looking over some of the posted photos on SRGC there have on rare occasions been a mixup. In 2011 post #236 00-KV-2 is actually 00-KV-1 (introduced in 2012 as Jump For Joy). This was not Janis' fault. It was the Dutch grower who got 2 tags reversed prior to rejecting them. In 2011, post #229 correctly shows 97-CN-2. It is followed by 97-CN-2B (also pictured in post #291). 97-CN-2B is actually 97-BG-1, though the green is much darker than "normal." At least one of the 6 small bulbs I sent Janis in 2004 was mixed up. A smile is I now have 97-BG-1 in Holland for evaluation.
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In speaking about identification it's interesting to look at 01-IV-1 which will be introduced this year (still working on a name). When it first bloomed it looked like this:
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I have been a touch disappointed when I've seen it in the field in Holland. It looked like this (it didn't seem to stand out):
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I had the grower release a few bulbs last year, and here's a photo from a small bulb forcer in Germany - nice, bold colouring:
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Ideally I want the expression to be consistent. Is the difference due to soil / potting mix? Certainly forcing whereby flowers aren't exposed to sun can have some difference. Eye Catcher has a bit of pale yellow, which you don't even notice when the flowers open outdoors. Presumably it's "burned off" quickly by the sun'd UV.
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Here's 03-JM-2 originally in my garden
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Here it is in Holland in 2016
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Back in 2014 the grower and I thought a mixup had occurred. It looked like there were two similar clones in the stock of Tiger Eye (02-ID-1). We came to realize it's expression changes as the flowers mature (note: "flowers age" would refer to the tail end of their bloom). Initially upon opening:
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A day or so later (I haven't tracked a flower to know how long this takes):
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See what I mean - the dark clone starting to open (2016 picture; other two were from 2014):
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Hi Alan,
I just hope someone in Australia will eventually import some more of your hybrids!
I got a few from Janis when Marcus Harvey was still importing bulbs but when he closed his quarantine house he had to rely on other importers and that didn't work out for him.
cheers
fermi
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I very recently heard from Barry Blyth: "We have a very keen gardening friend who grows Iris reticulata and has a nursery. We have sent the pictures to him. He also has a quarantine licence, so who knows, he may be interested if you have an export outlet in Canada."
It would be great to make this happen. You might want to follow up with Barry and try connecting with the fellow.
(The bulbs would be coming from Holland where I have them being propagated due to the longer growing season and good distribution network)
It would be great to get my hybrids to you and Otto Fauser.
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Snow-White (96-DZ-1) "back in the day" (I no longer have it -- of course I have too many others, with more coming every year [wonder what surprises are in store for 2017?])
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One that I still have (it reappeared) and quite like from that time is 96-BN-1. It was the first of the ones I classified as 'Light Spotted Pale Blue-Green' -- a "pattern" that occasionally showed up in backcrosses to danfordiae.
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Looking at expression variation, here is Pristine (03-FQ-1) when it first bloomed in my garden:
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Here it is in Holland in 2014
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And in Holland, March 2016
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Here it is ~two weeks prior on Feb 17, 2016 at the RHS Early Spring Plant Fair in London where it received a Preliminary Commendation
[I personally am not that concerned about awards, but they do help get recognition for what I have accomplished, and they potentially help spread the word so other people can also enjoy this magical new world that I've opened up]
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Alan, I can see your photos of Iris 'Snow White' vary slightly with the one in Janis's catalogue. I feel the blue accent is far more pronounced in my plant than you would expect with difference of soil/potting mix and climate. However it is possible the expression is not always consistent.
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I believe a key identifier for Snow-White is the curled fall. I'll just point out that Snow-White does have some yellow beside the ridge, and the blue veining and dots were light greenish where they mixed with the yellow. I see some of that on the falls of your flowers
One that I'm more familiar with is Eye Catcher. I get thrown a bit when I see lots of blue in the style lobes, or see a lot of dotting on the sides of the falls. This isn't a characteristic I normally see. I'm a bit puzzled to understand why this happens. The first 3 pictures were taken by other people:
Style lobes quite blue [first photo by Kit Strange]
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Style lobes with some blue, and uncharacteristic dotting at sides of falls
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This is the Eye Catcher I'm familiar with (the flowers are more white when exposed to sunlight)
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This is more correctly what you should see in the garden [photo at 2016 Lentetuin]
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Iris 'Eyecatcher' in my greenhouse. This is their second year with me and fewer flowering bulbs than I started with. A few of them are deformed and I wonder about virus.
Iris 'North Star' I think this is nearer the true colour than the one I posted earlier. The camera sees colours differently according to the intensity of light.
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Hi Roma,
Eye Catcher is not virused. For some bizarre reason this is a temporary characteristic -- something is unstable in determining the number of flower parts to produce. Take a look at the last two photos of Eye Catcher in my post above. You'll see a number of the flowers have extra parts, or the wrong parts. This won't be consistent from year-to-year. There are some "normal" flowers in there as well.
Here's one with mirrored ½ Standard and ½ Fall along with reduced styles, all of which are suppose to be standards. I took the photo at Jacques Amand Nursery last February. Note: pale yellow is because flower hasn't seen sunlight.
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A key to getting flowering bulbs is to give the plants a long growing season so the bulbs can regenerate to a good size. I find bulbs >1cm will bloom.
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Thanks, Alan. Glad I don't have to throw them away. Must try feeding them more this year. I had trouble with bulbs rotting last year. Not sure if it was over watering later or if the damage was caused when I lost a few panes of glass from the greenhouse in December 2015 followed by torrential rain. I did cover up as much as I could but they could have been soaked before then.
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Last Winter / Spring in England there were problems with all of the rain. The potting mix used by Jacques Amand, which normally is quite good, was retaining too much moisture. You could see bulbs that had stopped growing and were rotting.
Here in Canada I now leave some straw on the seedling beds, and try to do some watering later on in order to keep the ground slightly moist and keep the small bulbs growing as much as possible. Since they are closer to the soil surface they are the most likely to stop growing when the hot weather comes.
I can see it in the leaves when a bulb is rotting. Of course it's too late to do anything by then. I have raised beds, and it might help if I added a bit of concrete sand (i.e. coarse sand). [I have done that as an experiment a couple years ago. It does seem good, but I haven't put the effort in to trying it in other sections of the garden.] Coarse sand on it's own is not that great for Retics because it dries out too quickly in the warm weather, stopping growth. The area where I live has clay soil, but I had "sandy loam" trucked in to make the beds. Is it really sandy loam? Think of it as good garden soil.
I do have bulbs being grown in sandy loam at a farm 2 hours from Toronto. The bulbs do about the same as here.
A friend's garden 20 minutes to the North has loam soil. Bulbs do okay, but sometimes there is a bit of loss to rot. Some varieties do reasonably well.
It's always a good idea to have a few bulbs in a second location (including a second pot; but not kept right beside the first one)
Could even help to have a slightly different soil mix in the second pot.
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Reticulata Taxonomy
I am publishing this here as a draft. I believe it is a good idea to have my thoughts documented so-to-speak. Further study is needed to refine this more. For example, is Norman Steven’s Adiyaman Retic part of group B like I’m hoping, or should it be in Group A possibly as Iris reticulata var Adiyaman? I am working to resolve this. I have a number of other 2n=18 candidates that I’m also studying. As you know, my most interesting hybrids are from crosses between Iris danfordiae, sophenensis, and Çat ANMc2325.
I am also working to determine if zagrica is indeed part of Group A.
Iris reticulata is a very variable species. I believe both bakeriana and hyrcana are forms of Iris reticulata. So Iris reticulata var Bakeriana comprises clones found between Mardin and Savur in Turkey. I treat the Iranian clones that people attribute to bakeriana as simply separate varieties of Iris reticulata that happen to have dark falls / more than 4 ribs to their leaves.
Iris reticulata also has other ranges of variability from olive coloured pollen to seed capsules well above the ground, as I documented many years ago. I not sure if I got it published anywhere, but it was part of my presentation to The Adirondack Chapter of NARGS March 20, 2004 — the slide deck is on the Articles page of my website.
I was disappointed when Iris celikii was described because to me it is simply an inferior form of Iris danfordiae. Similarly, the fact Reticulata Iris kopetdaghensis’ feature of blooming above it’s leaves is not unique enough to give it specific status — it is Iris reticulata var. Kopetdaghensis.
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Iris reticulata from Adiyaman, Turkey.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/467/31744765773_e0a8c67ac0_o_d.jpg)
Iris reticulata caucasica
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/650/32313517552_e0cdc9d4fe_o_d.jpg)
Iris zagrica
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/330/32313518382_25ea4b91fc_o_d.jpg)
Iris pamphylica
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/767/31744766143_a8fe75d6b1_o_d.jpg)
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Iris Pamphyllica has beautiful colors. Is it a species or something?
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Wonderful pictures Steve
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Wonderful pictures Steve
I agree, that Iris pamphylica against the black background is simply stunning.
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Many thanks Alan and Gail!
Fred Iris pamphylica is an uncommon Turkish Iris species.
There is more about it here: http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=3033.0 (http://www.srgc.net/forum/index.php?topic=3033.0)
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Thanks for the link Steve ;)
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Iris histrio, JJA 588.406. Turky, Hatay, W of Kişlak. Ex a N. Stevens coll.
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A wonderful pot full, Tatsuo!
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Beautiful Tatsou.
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Great pictures, crossing fingers that my pamphyllica seedlings will give such beauty.
your turkish reticulata originate from Leonid?
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Once again, I bought a bulb ... I was thinking of buying Iris 'Eye Catcher'. Unfortunately, this Dutch seller (this is not the first time) seems little serious or honest in the cast. :(
It's not that I do not like this one ... But I do not know his name and it annoys me. There is also the fact that 'Eye Catcher' really appealed to me and that is missed to get it. Any expert (or creator ...) would know his name and would like to tell me? :)
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As long as I am, with the doubts on the names ...
Last year, in garden, an Iris sold with a label 'Iris Rétine' *. It does not seem that "Rétine" exists (Yet it is a nice name for a future Iris). Someone would have an idea of the name? Or, at least, is it an Iris reticulata?
* "Rétine" in French. "Retina" for translation.
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As long as I am, with the doubts on the names ...
Last year, in garden, an Iris sold with a label 'Iris Rétine' *. It does not seem that "Rétine" exists (Yet it is a nice name for a future Iris). Someone would have an idea of the name? Or, at least, is it an Iris reticulata?
Hi fred,
Your blue iris is possibly 'Alida' which is a sport of 'Harmony'
http://lambley.com.au/garden-notes/turkish-iris (http://lambley.com.au/garden-notes/turkish-iris)
cheers
fermi
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It's true, Fermi, I thought about Alida as well.
Here is a picture of 2016 Alida flowering in my home.
On the other hand Alida is not yet in flower this year.
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"Good news" Fred, you have my hybrid Amazing (00-KN-1). It is a sibling of Sea Breeze, and Splish Splash.
The original Dutch grower I was working with one year got it mixed in with Eye Catcher. The suggestion is burlap that was being used to keep the small stock varieties separate had small holes in it. So when the trailer that was being pulled behind a tractor hit bumps, some of the bulblets fell through. There were 3 stocks of Eye Catcher as a result my sending the grower bulblets in 3 successive years. One stock was sent to Janis Ruksans and was released in 2009 as Avalanche. The Dutch grower had gotten confused -- he claims it was a different white with blue accents that he sent Janis, but the label clearly said 98-NP-4 -- which is indeed the one the grower liked, and which has been officially renamed Eye Catcher. So the grower was left with two stocks; one of which was contaminated. As you would expect, the grower was suppose to be cleaning the contaminated stock. In 2013/14 we went through a legal battle which resulted in me buying him out. He "kindly" mixed all of the bulbs together -- wasn't that "nice" of him (I guess it was his way of getting back at me for my standing up for my rights). In March 2015 about 10% of the stock was Amazing. Over the course of a week I spent the equivalent of about 2 days cleaning all of the bloom-size bulbs of Amazing out of the stock (they were planted off to the side). This substantially reduced the chance of customers getting Amazing when they ordered Eye Catcher. Based on what I saw in 2016 there was perhaps 1% contamination -- meaning that in Summer 2015 there was a small chance customers would have gotten a bulb of Amazing when they ordered Eye Catcher. In March 2016 I further looked over the stock of Eye Catcher and pulled out any bulbs of Amazing that showed up, with the goal of reducing the contamination below 1% -- this is how I ran across the Eye Catcher sports shown in post #93 of Reticulate Iris - 2016.
Amazing is slightly earlier than Eye Catcher, so if your pot has more than one bulb, there's a very good chance most will truly be Eye Catcher.
The original colouring when Amazing first bloomed in 2004:
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The light yellow Eye Catcher sport I'm looking forward to seeing again in Holland (I'm of course also keen to see the one that was in the process of sporting...):
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Allan, he bears his name, 'Amazing'.
So, I'm happy to cultivate it. :D On the other hand, there was only one bulb in the sachet.
So no 'Eye Catcher'.
When I talked about his creator who could tell me his name, I was thinking of you, Allan.
It seemed to have seen him on your photos.
I will try to get 'Eye Catcher' another time. ;)
Ps: 'Amazing' is it a fertile hybrid? In self-pollination or with others?
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Amazing is fertile with other 2n=18 hybrids such as Sunshine, Eye Catcher, Sea Breeze, etc.
FYI: For each bulb of Eye Catcher or Amazing I was getting just €0.10 last year, and about €0.02 of that goes to the grower for growing costs. My new Happiness is being sold for €0.25 per bulb. It will then cost over €2,000 for Plant Breeder Rights, and €200 for registration.
I had thought for £3 €3 maybe you were being given 3 or 4 bulbs
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Amazing is fertile with other 2n=18 hybrids such as Sunshine, Eye Catcher, Sea Breeze, etc.
FYI: For each bulb of Eye Catcher or Amazing I was getting just €0.10 last year, and about €0.02 of that goes to the grower for growing costs. My new Happiness is being sold for €0.25 per bulb. It will then cost over €2,000 for Plant Breeder Rights, and €200 for registration.
I had thought for £3 maybe you were being given 3 or 4 bulbs
The bulbs are stunning - I was thinking 3 euro was a bargain to be honest
Can you recommend the best place to obtain your bulbs from?
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Amazing is fertile with other 2n=18 hybrids such as Sunshine, Eye Catcher, Sea Breeze, etc.
FYI: For each bulb of Eye Catcher or Amazing I was getting just €0.10 last year, and about €0.02 of that goes to the grower for growing costs. My new Happiness is being sold for €0.25 per bulb. It will then cost over €2,000 for Plant Breeder Rights, and €200 for registration.
I had thought for £3 maybe you were being given 3 or 4 bulbs
Take to a while to become a millionaire Alan ;D
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The bulbs are stunning - I was thinking 3 euro was a bargain to be honest
Can you recommend the best place to obtain your bulbs from?
We can certainly go through Allan directly? Or is it forbidden?
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Nothing wrong with a €3 cost if the grower & hybridizer are getting a fair share. Best way to ensure that is through competition.
The smile (smile of insanity so-to-speak), is costs exceed profits; and will continue to do so for a while...
One of my original goals had been to earn some money from my hybrids and reinvest it in having polyploids created (i.e. tetraploids, possibly octoploids, and, big stretch, maybe even hexadeciploids). You might wonder why octoploids? Especially when their flowers won't likely be larger -- Tetraploids should allow 2 species / groups to be crossed and maintain fertility (when crossing hybrids of similar genetic background); Octoploids should theoretically allow up to 4. Of course higher ploidity makes it significantly more difficult to pull out recessive characteristics. We'll see if octoploids have noticeably thicker petals to stand up better to weather, or whether instead their stems break in strong winds, rather than flutter about as diploids do.
In 2011 I couldn't wait any longer for invisible / nonexistent profits, and started funding the conversions out of my own pocket. There have been problems with that work, and once again this March I'm hoping to get things back on track.
I have opened up a whole new world for Reticulata Iris, and the public are just starting to see what I've done (re: 12 years to build up stock and get a variety to market). Problems with Dutch growers have set me back with getting varieties to market. Fortunately my "insurance policy" (i.e. working with a middleman) paid off, and that's why Mars Landing, Sea Breeze, Splish Splash and Sunshine are available today; plus two or three others will be available in future.
I believe polyploids will allow me to take things further; much further. But that's of course unproven. ...and will take the remainder of my life (I'm days away from hitting 62)
The best place to get my hybrids is from Jacques Amand (www.jacquesamandintl.com/product-category/iris-reticulus/ (http://www.jacquesamandintl.com/product-category/iris-reticulus/))
Beautiful Day F1 Blue 2n=18
Dance On F1 Blue 2n=18
Darkness 2n=20
Evening Twilight F1 Blue 2n=18
Eye Catcher 2n=18
Happiness 2n=18 New 2017 Introduction
Mars Landing 2n=18
North Star 2n=18
Orange Glow 2n=18
Regal 2n=18
Scent•sational 2n=20
Sea Breeze 2n=18
Sea Green 2n=18
Splish Splash 2n=18
Spot On 2n=20
Storm 2n=18
Summer’s Day F1 Blue 2n=18
Sunshine 2n=18
Velvet Smile 2n=20
Vivacious Beginnings F1 Blue 2n=18
White Caucasus 2n=20
Last year Janis Rüksans (www.RareBulbs.lv (http://www.RareBulbs.lv)) had Turkish Delight and Sunbeam
Leonid Bondarenko (www.litbulbgarden.com (http://www.litbulbgarden.com)) has Debonaire, Orange Glow, and Sea Green
Eugenijus Dambrauskas (www.AugisBulbs.com (http://www.AugisBulbs.com)) lists Orange Glow, and Velvet Smile
Dix Export (www.DixExport.com (http://www.dixexport.com)) will have several
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Nothing wrong with a €3 cost if the grower & hybridizer are getting a fair share. Best way to ensure that is through competition.
The best place to get my hybrids is from Jacques Amand (www.jacquesamandintl.com/product-category/iris-reticulus/ (http://www.jacquesamandintl.com/product-category/iris-reticulus/))
Eugenijus Dambrauskas (www.AugisBulbs.com (http://www.AugisBulbs.com)) lists Orange Glow, and Velvet Smile
thanks Alan - I will order from Jacques site once they are availaible again
the AugisBulbs, my browser won't let me open the site as it is giving a serious virus warning - anyone else getting this?
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We heard recently that there seemed to be a major problem with the Augis site - a note of the was in another thread - it's very hard to make sure everyone who may be affected reads these things.
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RHS Early Spring Plant Fair is on tomorrow, Valentine's Day in London, England
The Jacques Amand stand where I'll be, is in Lindley Hall this year
My talk will be at 11:30AM on Wednesday, Feb 15 (also in Lindley Hall)
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Mars Landing
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Dance On -- an F1 Iris sophenensis x danfordiae hybrid
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I see that the RHS are now charging members £5 to get in to the London shows, always has been free in the past. Another reason to consider whether it is still worthwhile being a member.
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Shame be on me ... I said that by buying Iris reticulatus 'Eye Catcher', I was deceived on the merchandise by a Dutch seller. It turns out that the flourish that flourished was a creation of Alan McMurtrie called 'Amazing'. Finally I find it not bad at all. Knowing the history of this Iris intruder, this gives even more value to my eyes.
On the other hand, I am ashamed that today, when entering the glasshouse, I came across a big surprise ... The two additional shoots I was taking for compensation of the bulb 'Amazing' Seems to be two other varieties of Iris. So that when I reread the label correctly, I realized that it is written "five pieces for 3.00 €" and not "a piece bulb for 3.00 €".
So what astonishes me is that I do not have five shoots but three, all of which come out in the same place in the pot.
It seems that I finally 'Amazing', 'Eye Catcher' and another cultivar ...
An idea of which Alan?
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Wow, fred,
€3 for 3 different McMurtrie iris is incredibly good value, even if not what you expected!
cheers
fermi
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Wow, fred,
€3 for 3 different McMurtrie iris is incredibly good value, even if not what you expected!
cheers
fermi
I agree with you Fermi. :D
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RHS Early Spring Plant Fair is on tomorrow, Valentine's Day in London, England
The Jacques Amand stand where I'll be, is in Lindley Hall this year
My talk will be at 11:30AM on Wednesday, Feb 15 (also in Lindley Hall)
The Jacques Amand display with so many of Alan McMurtrie's Iris won a Gold medal
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I am not surprised that Allan gets such a distinction. It's really deserved. When one sees the selection work he does and the new colors he has introduced into the world of reticulata. :D
Twenty-four hours later, it appears that the third unidentified Iris is 'Eye Catcher' in the end.
It is strange as the flower evolved.
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Iris reticulata 'Clairette' and I. r. 'Alida'
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David, can you show us a photo closer to the flower of Iris 'Clairette',
It looks very white inside or is it an idea?
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Are these any good Fred?
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Iris 'Shelia Ann Germaney'
in this week's Bulb Log
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2017Feb151487153179BULB_LOG_0717.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2017Feb151487153179BULB_LOG_0717.pdf)
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Are these any good Fred?
Certainly they are good, David.
I was just asking you to get a closer look because I did not know this Iris. :D
It really is very white, it is a beautiful cultivar.
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(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)
Iris 'Shelia Ann Germaney'
in this week's Bulb Log
http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2017Feb151487153179BULB_LOG_0717.pdf (http://www.srgc.org.uk/logs/logdir/2017Feb151487153179BULB_LOG_0717.pdf)
Maggi, I'm always impressed with how Ian is able to divide the bulbs in unlikely moments like here with Katharine Hodkins' seed sister.
And I learned a lot with harvesting bulbils for a more certain multiplication than leaving them glued to the original bulbs.
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Well, I'm glad I can enjoy your photos since I'm not going to be seeing my new reticulatas.
I didn't realize how tasty they must be and didn't cover them with rocks like I use to try
to protect crocus. (not that that is always successful)
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Diane, I sympathise - it is horrifying how many critters are out there, waiting to munch on our flowers. Every one of them hungry and ready to dine. We've got some similar problems here too. Not helped by the quite mild winter, either.
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Oh, Diane, it's true that it's sad ... When we wait a full year for the return of the blooms and that everything is wiped out just before ....
These are slugs you think? Or something else ?
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A rat or squirrel probably. The bulbs were dug out and portions eaten so definitely not a slug.
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Hi David,
love the colors of your Retic "Clairette I hope this will become available in Australia some day.
Cheers, John.
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It is (or was) John. Fermi has shown pictures of his most recently, I think, on 27 August 2013 and Paul Tyreman ha shown them on 18 August 2009
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This one flowers in the house of glass. Does anyone have an idea of his name? I only have an Iris reticulata label.
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[attachimg=2]
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Thanks David,
I have never seen it for sale in Australia, (or at least in the Nurseries that I purchase from). Hopefully if Fermi reads this he will let me know where he purchased his from.
All the best, John.
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John,
Iris reticulata 'Clairette' used to be sold by Marcus here in Australia. In an email conversation with me a few years ago he said he couldn't tell the difference between Clairette and Springtime. I don't know anyone else selling Clairette here. You could always try calling Lambley nursery to see if they will stock it in the future, or suggest to them that they should!
http://hillviewrareplants.com.au/plant/iris-reticulata-clairette (http://hillviewrareplants.com.au/plant/iris-reticulata-clairette)
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This one flowers in the house of glass. Does anyone have an idea of his name? I only have an Iris reticulata label.
Fred it is often difficult to tell them apart and the colours do differ tremendously depending upon the light that they have been photographed in and how accurate the camera lens is in coping with the exact colour of the plant. This page from Peter Nyssen's web site might be useful:-
http://www.peternyssen.com/our-shop/autumn-planting/iris/reticulata-species.html (http://www.peternyssen.com/our-shop/autumn-planting/iris/reticulata-species.html)
Yours could be 'Harmony'
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nothing special just what in flower today
[attachimg=1]
Palm Springs
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It seem the Reticulatas are starting in Holland. Here's pictures of North Star the grower sent me yesterday. Including a pot that had been forced for the upcoming Lentetuin
[attachimg=1]
[attachimg=2]
Forced:
[attachimg=3]
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thank's Jon,
I do have Springtime and if I get a chance to speak to David Glenn I will ask him about Clairette.
Gordon is another retic I have never seen for sale here.
Cheers, John.
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I can't remember what this is - any suggestions?
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I can't remember what this is - any suggestions?
Iris histrioïdes 'George' ?
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Very likely, Fred.
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Raffle prize from the last local AGS Group meeting.
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Hello John , both I.'Springtime ' and 'Clairette ' are old I. reticulata x bakeriana hybrids and very similar There is a slight difference and I like 'Clairette ' better . A few years ago David Glen of Lambley Nursery sold I. ret. 'Gordon ' However this information is of no use to you as your Tasmanian Quarantine will not permit the import of bulbs/plants into your island from the mainland . Sorry to disappoint you - blame your Quarantine . regards Otto.
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Otto,
Glen's website doesn't mention any restrictions on the import of plants/bulbs to Tassie.
Rob K
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Hello Otto,
we can still buy most bulbs from the bigger nurseries on the main land we just have to pay a bit extra usually around four or five dollars for the quarantine inspection. the bigger nurseries do this automatically for Tasmanian orders. David Glenn at Lambely does as well as Barry Blyth at Tempo Two, Garden Express and Tesselarr also do. there are some restrictions on some bulbs like Alliums but we can usually buy them from the local nurseries anyway. I currently have an order in at Lambley for some Iris. I also have an order in with a West Australian nursery for Reticulata Iris and have been buying bulbs from them for a few years now with no problems.
All the best John.
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John,
Shame about Tempo Two though; just as I started into arilbreds.
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Iris reticulata ex Kuh-e-Abr, Iran
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3858/32145047043_89f04e7550_o_d.jpg)
Iris histrioides ex Soganli Pass, N.E Turkey
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/734/32834991911_53bf8d4e49_o_d.jpg)
Iris reticulata ex Armenia
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3746/32145047283_42e465d130_o_d.jpg)
Iris pamphylica -a slightly darker clone than my previous posting.
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2636/32834991781_cc03f91508_o_d.jpg)
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Very nice Steve, beautiful photographs
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Hi Rob,
I don't quite understand why is it a shame about Tempo Two,? I have just started into Arilbreds myself and bought several from Tempo Two late last year. Tempo Two is still operating as a mail order nursery it is only the garden visits that they have stopped.
Regards John.
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My apologies to everyone. I didn't mean to hijack this thread.
Barry Blyth is retiring (see: https://garden.org/thread/view/59877/Celebrating-Tempo-Two-Irises/ ) - this will be the last catalogue as I understand it (finding that out meant I sent in a second order back in December).
John, perhaps we should PM each other to compare our orders - we may be able to swap at some point.
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Iris 'Blue Note'
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Iris x winogradowii 'Alba'...a probable hybrid.
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Iris pamphylica -a slightly darker clone than my previous posting.
A picture of Iris pamphylica from Facebook by Hans Achilles - showing a handy pollinator
[attachimg=1]
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Iris reticulata 'Blue Note'
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A picture of Iris pamphylica from Facebook by Hans Achilles - showing a handy pollinator
(Attachment Link)
This bee with the thorax covered with pollen ... :)
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Iris pamphylica is a stunner.
A few are starting here : I. "bakeriana" - seed raised gathered at Hop Pass, SE Turkey and I. hyrcana
(Edit by maggi to add photo names)
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I'll just point out your first photo isn't bakeriana. I'm curious where you got it. Iris bakeriana has a dark fall (ink blue in the Mardin to Savur form) and octagonal leaves (8 ribs). It has been suggested that some forms from Iran are also bakeriana, including ones with 6 ribbed leaves. This is something for taxonomists to evaluate
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For comparison, here is the Iris bakeriana I have which I believe is correctly named.
Paul
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Thanks Alan and Paul, you are right. The plant is seed raised gathered at Hop Pass, SE Turkey. I wondered a bit but named it as it was labelled and forgot to chek it.
My first Iris bakeriana I have is a true one and fits well two Pauls picture. But it doesn't flower this year.
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Iris winogradowii
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2924/33206565875_d6ceb6d1c4_o.jpg)
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Photos from the Lentetuin in Breezand, Holland which runs from March 2-6, 2017
[attachimg=1]
North Star
[attachimg=2]
Sea Breeze
[attachimg=3]
Holland's Glorie
[attachimg=4]
Overall ~180° photo of part of the Lentetuin
[attachimg=5]
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In the field in Holland:
Happiness (01-IV-1) in the foreground, with North Star (00-BC-1) in the row to the right (small bulbs and bulblets of North Star are in the foreground). 99-SH-1 is in the 3rd row beside North Star
[attachimg=1]
North Star (00-BC-1), with Eye Catcher just starting in row to the right
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Splish Splash (00-KN-6)
[attachimg=3]
Happiness (01-IV-1)
[attachimg=4]
99-SH-1
[attachimg=5]
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Iris kurdica:
(https://up.picr.de/28513479ie.jpg)
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Very nice Ebbie. I think this was one that Janis found and he used to stock it but doesn't seem to be on his List now.
Maggi, if you're looking, on Iris reticulata March 2009 (reply 316) Chris (Hristo) had produced a 'montage' of reticluate Irises but it doesn't seem to be available now? It was a wonderful resource and if it is retrievable it might still be of use and interest to many.
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Hello David - yes I see that the photo no longer enlarges. Not sure why. It is not possible to contact Hristo for a larger file size again - he is, at the moment, very ill, recovering from repeated surgery in the UK . We of course wish him all the best in his fight back to helath but it is not likely that he will be able to replace the file any time soon.
I will search my old files to see if I can locate a copy here.
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Phew, that was a struggle! Found it though - here is a version which I will post as "forum size" and a larger one to enlarge if you wish is available from me via email.
Here is Hristo's compilation of reticulata Iris hybrids.....
[attachimg=1]
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And an even larger file size photo of the ID sheet may be downloaded here :
http://files.srgc.net/general/HristoReticIDfull.jpg (http://files.srgc.net/general/HristoReticIDfull.jpg)
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Hello David - yes I see that the photo no longer enlarges. Not sure why. It is not possible to contact Hristo for a larger file size again - he is, at the moment, very ill, recovering from repeated surgery in the UK . We of course wish him all the best in his fight back to helath but it is not likely that he will be able to replace the file any time soon.
I will search my old files to see if I can locate a copy here.
First of all Maggi very many thanks for finding the time to sort this one out. Secondly, if you are in contact with Chris do please pass on my best wishes and tell him to keep on fighting.
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Very nice Ebbie. I think this was one that Janis found and he used to stock it but doesn't seem to be on his List now.
Thanks David. Your guess is right. This Iris is from Janis.
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From the greenhouse today Iris reticulata 'White Caucasus'
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After Feb. 2012 bare frost desaster: Iris 'Katherine Hodgin' fully recovered :D
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Two more Eye Catcher sporting yellow
[attachimg=1]
[attachimg=2]
Amazing
[attachimg=3]
Holland's Glorie starting to bloom along the edge of the row
[attachimg=5]
[attachimg=4]
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The scent from the small iris is nice and strong.
'Alida'
[attachimg=1]
'Clairette'
[attachimg=2]
'Eyecatcher'
[attachimg=3]
'Gordon'
[attachimg=4]
'George'
[attachimg=5]
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Cracking plants and cracking images too Gunilla
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12-IO-1 in the process of opening
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11-MH-1 in the process of opening
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[attachimg=4]
[attachimg=5]
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12-IO-1 in the process of opening
1-MH-1 in the process of opening
WOW, these two are :o :o :o
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WOW, these two are :o :o :o
Agreed! Astonishing colours, can't wait for those to be released...
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I'll WOW as well.
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Agreed! Astonishing colours, can't wait for those to be released...
::)
we'll be waiting a lot longer :'(
but we can always live in hope ;)
cheers
fermi
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Iris zagrica, JJA 601.600
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Phew, that was a struggle! Found it though - here is a version which I will post as "forum size" and a larger one to enlarge if you wish is available from me via email.
Here is Hristo's compilation of reticulata Iris hybrids.....
(Attachment Link)
[
/quote]
Maggi, thanks so much for locating this picture of the irises.
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12-IO-1 on March 20
[attachimg=1]
and on March 22
[attachimg=2]
11-FB-3 a lovely white with blue accents. It is also a reasonable size.
[attachimg=3]
11-HE-1 is also quite nice
[attachimg=4]
11-DA-1 is a nice colour, but unfortunately it will be looked down upon as simply a blue / purple. It is also a matter of how nice it looks from year to year
[attachimg=5]
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An "old one" that has reappeared -- 97-AG-1
[attachimg=1]
Another "old one" that has reappeared which I quite liked, but was rejected -- 96-BN-1
This was the first of the colour pattern "Spotted light blue-green" to appear occasionally from back crosses to danfordiae
[attachimg=2]
11-HU-2
[attachimg=3]
Last year's 10-CK-7 looking quite nice
[attachimg=4]
11-IL-1 with cells torn off the upper layer of one fall
[attachimg=5]
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Some exciting flowers there, Alan!
cheers
fermi
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Something to knock your socks off...
11-EK-3 blooming for the first time
[attachimg=2]
[attachimg=1]
11-JO-1
[attachimg=3]
[attachimg=4]
11-EV-2
[attachimg=5]
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Wow! Those are all beauties. I want them NOW!
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Well and truly knocked.
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Well and truly knocked.
Almost all the way!
;D
cheers
fermi
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Cute ;)
Here's a new one, 10-AJ-2 that's similar to 2005's 05-EP-2, 05-EP-3 and Wow (05-GQ-3). Its from 03-HW-1 x 05-GQ-1 (Wow's sibling)
[attachimg=1]
[attachimg=2]
Smile, when is a blue not a blue re: "it's just a blue"
I suppose, there no getting away from the fact that at the end of the day it is indeed just a blue -- but it's a lovely blue 11-FM-1
[attachimg=3]
[attachimg=4]
11-DV-2
[attachimg=5]
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No sign of those sox now! ;D
Alan, all of these are fantastic!
cheers
fermi
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Here's the current one I'm keen to see open -- 11-KD-1
[attachimg=1]
[attachimg=2]
And this one 10-CC-2
[attachimg=3]
11-JK-1
[attachimg=4]
[attachimg=5]
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I bought six pot of Iris 'Katharine Hodgking' in gardening(1,49€/pot). There were six bulbs per pot. I took them out of the pots. I washed their roots to remove the very moist soil and won in hypertufa planters waiting to see if they are not virosed. Apparently not. I would plant them in the garden once their cycle is over.
[attachimg=1]
[attachimg=2]
[attachimg=3]
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I quite like the markings on 10-CC-2
March 30
[attachimg=1]
April 2
[attachimg=2]
11-KD-1 is quite nice, but it does make me realize what a true colour break Tequila Sunrise (09-LE-2) was last year
[attachimg=3]
Here's one that knocked my socks off - 11-JB-11
The dark colours of course don't stand out like yellow or orange does, but I was amazed
[attachimg=4]
A cutie 10-AI-1
[attachimg=5]
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Fantastic set Alan. I especially like 10-AJ-2. Such richness in that brown hue.
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Last year a slug nipped the base of 11-GN-2's flower just as it was opening. This year we get to see it in all of it's glory
March 29
[attachimg=1]
[attachimg=2]
[attachimg=3]
April 2nd
[attachimg=4]
April 5th
[attachimg=5]
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Here's one of this year's best in my mind - 09-HT-1
April 2nd
[attachimg=1]
[attachimg=2]
Which becomes...
April 5th
[attachimg=3]
[attachimg=4]
It finished on April 9th. Here's what it looked like on April 5th in the morning (8:30 AM). The two pictures with the colour change were taken at 1:30 PM
[attachimg=5]
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Allan, you really get closer to a beautiful orange color ... Congratulations
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I have a seed pod of Iris "Eye Catcher", another one of "Amazing". I also have other Iris reticulata with seed pods.
I am very pleased to have obtained it.
Remains to succeed the harvest and the sem of seeds now.
On the first photo, on the right is Iris "Eye Catcher", on the left is Iris "Amazing".
[attach=1]
[attach=2]
[attach=3]
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1. Any idea of what it is? It popped up among "Harmony" but flowered a fortnight earlier
2. It is supposed to be "Frank Elder"
3. Iris winogradovii
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You clearly have one of my F1 sophenensis x danfordiae hybrids as indicated by the hair-like standards (due to the effect of danfordiae). It is 2n=18.
I would think your "Frank Elder" is actually Katharine Hodgkin because of the yellow on the fall blade.
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Thank you, Alan, for clarification. I am so happy to have one of your hybrids flowering. So it may be a stray bulblet of what I grow as Blue Ice, which I received as a single bulb back in 2011 and which gave a single flower for 4 seasons and no flowers in 2016 and 2017. What a delight I have it flowering again in a place of its own choice. Thanks again for your work
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Hi Oleg, At some point after the leaves die down, dig up the bulb. You should find a large bulb, a medium bulb, and a number of bulblets. The base of the large bulb will be about 2¾ inches deep (7 cm). Replant the large bulb at the same depth, then plant about ½ of the bulblets about ¾ inch deep (2 cm), in a circle about 2 inches from the main bulb. The medium bulb and bulblets can be planted in a similar way in a second location.
Some of the F1 clones do better than others. This is what I like to see (from this year; just went out and counted 25 dead-heads). I have a couple of other large clumps. I took a number of bulbs off a clump with 23 flowers last year (14 the year before), to give to Kew as well as plant in a second location
[attachimg=1]
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Thank you, Alan, for advice. I hope I will eventually have a clump like this breathtaking one of yours.
Any idea of what this Iris is? I got it a number of years ago as Iris histrio which it certainly isn't. A variety of Iris reticulata?
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Iris Kathrin Hodgkin
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Hi Oleg, your blue Retic is Blue Note, which is a sport of Pauline
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Thank you, Alan. As always you are quite precise. The best connoisseur of reticulatas. May you have every success in your work we all worship
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Can someone advise me? When I harvest the seeds of Iris reticulata ... How to keep them? Ambient temperature? In a paper bag, in sand like the Narcissus? Sow them at what time? In September? At what depth? Just below the surface of the gravel grains that cover the pots or more deeply like the Crocuses, Narcissus, ...
Thank you for your valuable feedback.
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Iris reticulata 'Harmony' today, the most reliable & persistent reticulata here.
johnw
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Two white reticulatas - one from Armenia, really true white, another from Alan Mc'Murtrie - 'White Caucasus' - slightly bluish (flower on left)
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And now surprise from Iran - purest white Iris bakeriana (Iris reticulata subsp. bakeriana)
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Who can tell me if they are seeds of Iris reticulata?
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Hi Fred, without question those are good Reticulata seeds. I do have pictures on my website -- menu: Seeds - 1.
Two of the photos are shown below. Note: some of the seeds in the second are clearly no good (hollow)
As to how best to plant them, I hesitate to give advice. I'm not happy with my own germination rates.
At the moment my suggestion, especially for a small number of seeds, would be to plant them right away. Myself I would plant them in the ground, not in a pot. I have difficulties with plants in pots for a number of reasons. One is due to watering (not too much, and not too little), and the other is temperature swings during Winter. My solution is simply to let Mother Nature take care of them by planting about ½" deep or a touch more in the garden. I mulch with a bit of straw (to help keep the ground frozen over Winter; and to retain a bit of moisture when the ground is starting to dry out in early Summer). So a light cover over Summer; heavier over Winter simply to keep the ground frozen
I was sent some seeds from Holland in each of the past 2 years. The seeds sent 2 years ago germinated. Of the 3 batches, two are coming up like grass. My own is not coming up nearly as well. All of the seed was planted late in the Fall. I have no explanation for the differences. As expected, virtually none of last year's germinated; but I expect it will next year (i.e. most germination after the second Winter). All of the seed was treated with gibberellic acid in hopes that would improve germination. I plant my seed in Fall because that's when I have time to clear an area for it. This year I hope to plant a small amount of seed as soon as it ripens. I'm not expecting that will make a difference, but we'll see -- it happens I have a bit of space by the area cleared for 2016 seed.
As to why the 3 batches of seed from Holland are doing differently I have no idea. They were all treated the same on my end. There was no indication of what the pod parent is. At least one is Eye Catcher (98-NP-4)
I've added a photo showing the corresponding seeds that were planted in Fall 2015 -- the heavy germination were the seeds on the right
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Thank you for the reply Allan, I will sow in pot as of this weekend and put in nursery outside waiting for next year.
Thanks for your advice.
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It's nice to finally have some flowers after a 2013 sowing of some of Alan McMurtrie's bee pollinated Iris retics. ;D As it will probably be many years before any of Alan's hybrids become commercially available here in Australia (if ever) then trying from seed is the next best thing.
04BS, 04IH, 04IM.
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Some Retics now in flower:
Alida
Violet Beauty
George
cheers
fermi
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Iris 'Springtime'
cheers
fermi
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[attachimg=1]
Alan McMurtrie has updated his website with 2017's bloom - www.Reticulatas.com (http://www.Reticulatas.com)
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News from Alan McMurtrie in Canada about some new ( double-sided) postcards he is preparing about his new reticulata iris being trialled.... he hopes to visit the SRGC Dunblane Day again in February 2018 to catch up with Scots friends....
"I've just finished designing 2 postcards to show off some of my most interesting new 2017 hybrids. The one exception is Holland Glory / Holland's Glorie which actually first bloomed in 2003. 38 m of it were planted this Fall in Holland (rows are 1.5 m wide between tractor tires (roughly 1.3m wide planting area). It will be a few more years before we have enough stock to start sales.
I never imagined so many colours & patterns were possible with Reticulata Iris ! I have opened up a whole new world."
[attachimg=1]
[attachimg=2]
[attachimg=3]
[attachimg=4]
www.Reticulatas.com (http://www.Reticulatas.com)