Reticulate Iris 2009

[Hristo]

Great stuff Paul, sindpers is a little stunner, I have seen many a pundit suggest it is by far the best hybrid juno to be had, I can see why!
Junos are I think my second addiction after orchids, so beware!
I look forward to seeing your first flower! 

[David Nicholson]

Lovely show of Irises Paul..... and of Crocus.... and of Snowies, you are having a good spring!

[Brian Ellis]

Super pictures everyone, I am beginning to yearn for the Northern hemisphere Spring!

[Paul T]

Some more retics flowering for me at the moment....

Iris reticulata 'Clairette'
Iris histrioides 'George' and friends
Iris reticulata 'Harmony'
Iris reticulata 'Sprintime'

Please click on the pic for a larger version.  If pics are too large, please let me know.

[Paul T]

And a few more....

Iris reticulata 'Joyce'
Narcissus cordubensis and a good clump of Iris x histrioides 'George'
An unknown pale blue retic that I am sure we discussed last year and came up with a name for, but the search function brings up nothing by way of unknown reticulatas for me unfortunately!  Does anyone have a name for this?  David, this is the one I sent you bulbs of I think?

Please click on the pic for a larger version.  If pics are too large, please let me know.

[David Nicholson]

Yes, you did Paul. It was a couple of years ago and it took it a year to get used to NH seasons before I finally lost it last year. More to do with my failings I think, none of my Iris retics. did much last year and I lost quite a few because I dried them off to early.

I'm thinking about using some wood ashes on them Paul

[Paul T]

David,

That's a shame.  Will have to see what we can do next dormancy, but you'll need to remind me. 

[Armin]

Paul,
lovely I. reticulata stuff and a very nice clump of N. cordubensis

[Paul T]

Thanks Armin.  I particularly like the contrast between the glorious purple of the Iris and the yellow of the Narc. 

Awaiting the opening of a white Iris winowgradowii hybrid at the moment..... hopefully open tomorrow depending on the weather.  I hope it will do better for me than 'Katharine Hodgkin', which I love dearly but can barely grow. 

[Lesley Cox]

Is the pale blue reticulata 'Cantab?' Mine is in flower now but just a single bloom this year. I find it's not among the more vigorous. Danfordiae is also out (the commercial Dutch clone), but new bulbs, none of last year's, which, inevitably have split. I don't think I'll bother buying more.

[Regelian]

Paul,

I was just going through some shots of reticulata I've collected on the internet and thought of your unknown.  I strongly resembles 'Alida', although yours seems a bit more opulent and ruffled.  A foto was posted in this thread around March 1, 09.  Check it out.

[Paul T]

Lesley,

Checking the Net for pics, Cantab is much bluer than mine I think.  My unknown is pale blue, almost with a hint of aqua in it (a very small hint, but but it is different to any other retic I have flowered recently).  It also doesn't have the neat rounded falls of 'Cantab' either.

Jamie,

Checking the Net for 'Alida' there are definitely some pics up there that show it as a very similar colour to mine (and some that show it as very different), and it certainly looks much more like it colour-wise than 'Cantab'.  However, shape is again the main thing that rules it out.  Mine does not have the neat rounded falls, they all are much more slender and fold back.  I have a half dozen flower out now and they're all pretty much the same.  Both 'Alida' and 'Cantab' have what I would call fairly modern forms, whereas this unknown of mine is much more spidery I feel. I have bought 'Alida' this year (not flowering unfortunately) so I can compare it properly at some point.... but even at this stage that new bulb that isn't flowering has a more substantial leaf than any on my clump that are.

Looking through other retic pis on the Net while checking on these names, I didn't come across any that have a similar form to mine.  I am wondering whether mine is an older species type (as in shape of flower, not implying it IS a species) or something?

[Maggi Young]

Links to Iris 'Alida' in the forum:
http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=1194.msg31539#msg31539

http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=1194.msg31679;topicseen#msg31679

http://www.srgc.org.uk/smf/index.php?topic=1331.msg34197#msg34197

[Paul T]

Maggi,

Thanks for the links.  There are actually more than that (well using the search I actually found some others anyway), as I found pics different to those earlier in this topic (or were you just listing other topics there?).  They just confirm that the shape of mine is all wrong for 'Alida' as it is nowhere near as rounded and "formal" as any pic of it I've seen.  I would still be fairly sure that the colour is all wrong too, as mine is much paler etc.

Thanks again for the links.  I would definitely rule out 'Alida' now I think.

[Regelian]

Paul,

I agree with you, the form is more spidery on yours, and in my eyes considerably more attractive!  Possibly it is an old species seedling, possibly not pure, but I really don't know enough about the variance of this group of Iris.  I think it is a pretty fabulous plant, though.  You know where to send the extra seed bulbs   I have only a few reticulatas, but am trying seed to see if I can get forms better adjusted to my garden.  Katherine Hodgkin does very well for me.  Go figure!