Iris, non-bearded, 2014

[Lesley Cox]

Where did the other two go? Trying again.

Iris PC seedling.jpg

Iris verna.jpg

[Lesley Cox]

A lastly, a very rare hybrid bred by the late Jean Stevens, the doyenne of NZ TB breeders. She did important pioneering work way back in the 40s and 50s I think, to achieve the first pinks and reds in tall bearded irises. To my mind this one from the Evansia or crested group is much lovlier, clear lavender-blue, about 60 cms high and with a well branched stem carrying 7 flowers. It is I. wattii x I. tectorum and I assume the cross would be repeatable. I was given this plant maybe 10 or 12 years ago by a gardener from north of Auckland and apart from him I know of no-one else who has it still so it's very precious as well as beautiful. I nearly lost it in our previous dry garden but was able to save a tiny fan and this is doing well in the cooler garden here. I've been able this year to divide it in two and share it for insurance purposes.

Today at the Larnach Castle plant sale I was able to buy a huge plant of I. wattii at the outrageous(ly low) price of $10 (about 4.5 GBP). The plant is enormous, in an 18" pot and with dozens of flowers, mostly over now but a few still to come. It would easily divide into 6 or 8 plants if I wanted to go there but I'll plant it whole for now.

[johnralphcarpenter]

That really is superb! I have a large I. wattii  in a pot which stays outdoors and survives our winter here.

[fermi de Sousa]

Lovely Iris, Lesley,
it wouldn't last one summer in this garden though
Latest Spuria Iris in flower, 'Barleycorn';
a white Louisiana Hybrid;
second tier flowering on Iris halophile;
cheers
fermi

[vanozzi]

Siberian iris ''Careless Sally'', flowering now.

[GordonT]

The Society for Pacific Coast Iris seed exchange is now open. Here is a link to the exchange:
http://pacificcoastiris.org/spcni_seedexchange.html

Attached is a photo of a seedling I grew from open pollinated seed of Iris 'Harland Hand' a selection of Iris douglasiana. The bloom is much fuller than the parent, and the plant has proved to be a robust grower... we will see how it fares through our Nova Scotian winter.

[johnralphcarpenter]

So nice to see this on a sunny Christmas Day - Iris unguicularis 'Abington Purple' Quite small flowers but intense colour.

[zeblouz]

Winter greetings from Aquitaine France. Here is I. unguicularis Fée d’Hiver (translation ‘Winter Fairy’), registered in 2000 and very free flowering for me. Some years I get flowers over five months, starting towards the end of October with the occasional bloom then more steadily as winter progresses with the final main show in February and early March. As with other unguicularis, flower form is best I find during cold and crisp periods, whilst the flower shape during milder conditions during the main bloom in late winter tends to be less compact and neat.
Best wishes,
Lawrence Ransom

[fermi de Sousa]

The "Eye shadow" iris, 'Kinboshi', produced 2 blooms in time for Christmas.
It's growing in a pot sitting in a container of water,
cheers
fermi