Iris, non-bearded, 2014

[Yann]

No Wim i got it from another source. I know that it was also sold at Celles.

[Brian Ellis]

Broadleigh Sybil's sister: Broadleigh Rose

[Brian Ellis]

and this was given to me - I presume it is Iris graminea ?

[johnstephen29]

Hi Brian it does look like the plum tart iris, to be sure have a good sniff, it has a really great scent.

[johnstephen29]

Here is the first flower of the season on my Siberian iris, I think it is perry's blue. I have had it that long I have lost the lable.

[Maggi Young]

Hi Brian it does look like the plum tart iris, to be sure have a good sniff, it has a really great scent.

gerraway! Does it really smell of plum tart?

[johnstephen29]

It's just the common name for it Maggi, but the scent does remind me of plums.

[Lesley Cox]

gerraway! Does it really smell of plum tart?

Some say of greengages, some say of apricots. Certainly greengages seems to me about right. Depends on one's sense of smell I suppose. Whatever, the scent is delicious and even though the iris is a delight on its own account, it's worth growing for the scent alone. Vita Sackville-West kept a small vase of the blooms on her writing desk all through its bloom season, and I always pick a few for the same reason.

There's a variety called I. g. pseudocyperus (it may have specific rank by now, not sure) which is the same in every respect except that the flower stems are longer and so are usually above the foliage which tends to hide the blooms of the species. It's a favourite of mine.

[Lesley Cox]

I have just received my Online copy of the Bulletin of the Society for Pacific Coast Native irises. I can highly recommend membership of this group for any iris lover. The Online membership is excellent value with a much lower subscription and access to a fabulous seedlist as well as the full colour journals/bulletins. The irises pictured there are stunning - the only possible word for them. The Society deals with the PC species of course and their inter-species hybrids but also highlights the work of breeders of modern forms in amazing colours and some incredible forms and textures. These include a couple of NZ breeders I'm happy to say and as an NZIS member, I'll have access to Mary Barrell's seedlings at the Nov Convention of NZIS in Hamilton. Mary is selling a lot of her named seedlings, the proceeds going to NZIS.

The Online Bulletin of the PC Society also, this time, has a lot of information about a group largely new to NZers, called Cal-Sibes, crosses between compatible PCs and the Sibirica group. Some people aren't keen on hybrids but these look to have great potential as great garden plants. Growing both groups well here in the south of NZ, I intend to be weilding a pollen brush this next bloom season and we'll see what we shall see.   Apparently any of the Siberians can be used, such as chrysographes, forrestii, wilsonii as well as the taller species. The possibilities are endless and the hybrids shown have very attractive colouring and markings as well as graceful yet strong form.

[Brian Ellis]

gerraway! Does it really smell of plum tart?

One cut stem in the house, yes it does Sort of plum/almond - frangipane

[Maggi Young]

Thanks for the scent updates- I had not heard that common name  and you know how food orientated I am!

[Maggi Young]

Lesley- sounds like good advice for Iris lovers  - here's  the link http://www.pacificcoastiris.org/

[Brian Ellis]

Thanks for the scent updates- I had not heard that common name  and you know how food orientated I am!

Really??    A visitor this morning was prompted to smell it and, without any prompting, said it reminded her of Victoria Plums.

[johnstephen29]

Hi here is my Iris graminea with it's first flower of the year, and maggi it has a rich plum scent

[David Nicholson]

A couple from the garden today:-

Iris innominata grown from seed.
Also grown from seed supplied as Iris bracteata but ID'd last year by Fermi as a Pacific Coast hybrid. Sorry about the dark pictures.