2018's Top Blog Posts

2018 In Review

The last year was an important one for The World of Irises. In late October, our number of views passed one million, a significant milestone. During the year, we have had posts of all types of irises. It is useful to look back and note the most viewed The World of Irises posts. Here are the top ten for 2018.

If you missed any of these blog posts, just click on the title and it will load the article for you.

The most viewed post of the years was "Talking Irises" - THE 2018 TALL BEARDED IRIS BLOOM SEASON: A SPECTACULAR SHOW! By Susanne Holland Spicker. This was a guest post and we miss Susanne’s colorful articles as she had been on a sabbatical from writing.

Image by Susanne Holland Spicker

The second most viewed post was “The American Iris Society Announces the 2018 Dykes Medal Winner.”

In third place was “The Diversity of Color in Louisiana Irises - 'Unusual' Colors" by Ron Killingsworth

That post was followed by “Photo Essay: A Visit to Schreiner's Iris Gardens” By Mike Unser.

Next was Tom Waters’s important post about the complicated issues of fertilizing:  “Fertilizing Irises.” This post lead to many serious discussions and some of us have changed our gardening habits based on its information.

Tom Walter’s post about fertilizing was followed in views by Keith Keppel’s “New Color Combinations in Plicatas, part 2."

Bryce Williamson’s post about the new and yet unnamed iris species was next: "New Iris Species Azure Blue."

Next in line was Ginny Spoon's post about East Coast reblooming irises: "Reblooming Iris: A Love Affair." 

That was followed by Chad Harris’s article “Iris Ensata,Iris Laevigata, and Pseudota in Containers.”

And rounding out the top ten viewed posts of 2018 was Keith Keppel’s part 1 of “New Color Combinations In Plicatas.”

New Color Combinations in Plicatas 2

Editor’s Note: In recent blogs, Bryce Williamson wrote how the first good pink plicata, April Melody (Iris Stories: April Melody and Iris Stories: April Melody 2), expanded the range of colors in that group. Today’s hybridizers  have been  combining plicata patterns with other tall bearded iris patterns, taking plicata irises in new and exciting directions. Keith Keppel here shares a peek at some these developments in his Salem, Oregon, garden. Please remember, however, that these seedlings represent work in progress and most will not make the cut to naming and introduction based on plant growth or other factors.

By Keith Keppel

Any time the plicata pattern overlays a colored ground, there is a change in the ultimate color effect. Here in 12-103H, the blue plicata is superimposed on a yellow amoena. Note how the fall edging appears more purplish, and on the hafts, where the yellow is strongest and the blue heaviest, it takes on a reddish tone.

Pattern of plicata, pattern of ground, plus color of pattern, color of ground. So many possible combinations! This is what makes breeding plicatas so much fun:  a row of seedlings is a floral kaleidoscope.

Image by Brad Collins

Twenty-plus years ago we began to see an influx of "gilt edge" standards on darker colors. (Think....Slovak Prince, etc.) The edges are now also on plicatas. 11-75A is an example. Complicated pedigree, but the pollen parent is a sib to Mixed Signals, thus goes back to Reckless Abandon which is a good source for the trait.

Image by Brad Collins

 We've had interesting style arms on plics before, such as very dark blue on blue to purple plicatas, but now, some different color combinations are beginning to show up.    This is 12-99D, from a complicated pedigree including Ink Pattern and Reckless Abandon as grandparents, otherwise all numbered seedlings.   With styles like these, you almost don't mind if the standards don't stay closed!

Image by Barry Blyth

Another variation in ground color patterning -- 14-34B, from ((Drama Queen x Tuscan Summer) X Vista Point):

Image by Brad Collins

A puny first-year plant which will probably never amount to much.....but love the pattern and colors! The ground color fall spot is fun, plus the wild markings. Somehow makes me think of a witch doctor's mask.

Image by by Brad Collins

08-14A, Drama Queen X Tuscan Summer. Another with colored "blot" in the falls. Actually there is also a yellow band on the fall, combining with violet to give the oxblood red marginal band.

Image by Brad Collins

A Cosmic Voyage seedling, 14-38C.   A somewhat more subdued spot, surrounded by cream rather than white ground, and obscured as well as upstaged by the dark anthocyanin patterning. An increasing number of similar ground patterns are beginning to occur, often overlooked unless you specifically search for them. In a lightly plic-marked flower the blot would be far more obvious.

Image by Barry Blyth

Beware: a pretty flower picture does not guarantee a desirable garden plant. It's like going to an auto show: we're immediately drawn to the flashiest colored, stylishly made new models, but before putting in an order for one straight off the assembly line, we need to ask a few questions, and the same applies to irises. How many miles per gallon (how many flowers per season)? Does it perform well under varying road conditions (does it prosper in the garden when stressed during differing weather situations)? What about design flaws like impaired visibility, premature air bag deployment (poor substance, weak stems)? A glamour shot of a single flower does not tell the whole story.

This is an unmarked 12-97 series seedling involving Reckless Abandon, Sorbonne, Class Ring, and unnumbered seedlings

Image by Barry Blyth

And finally, adding a touch of pumpkin:  14-35B, from  ((Barbados x 07-204P) X Cosmic Voyage):

Image by Brad Collins

Seedlings in the Keppel Garden

Happy Holidays, Iris Lovers.  We have a special treat for you on Christmas eve:  a guest post by Ron Thoman, a writer, photographer, member and judge of the American Iris Society.  He is currently the Secretary of the justly famous Delaware Valley Iris Society and the Editor of the DVIS enewsletter.  If you have never seen the lovely gardens, the college grounds, and the iris photos visit www.dvis-ais.org for a real treat! ~ Renee Fraser

By Ron Thoman

When I attended the 2015 AIS National Convention in Portland, Oregon, I made sure to take the optional garden tour, which included the Keith Keppel Garden.  I had visited Keith’s garden twice when it was Stockton, California.  The last time was in 1986 when the AIS National Convention was in San Jose’, California.  A few years before that, I visited his garden when on a business trip to the Electric Power Research Institute in Palo Alto … when it just happen to be the iris season.  So it was with some excitement that I first glimpsed Keith’s current garden from the bus window.

It was past peak bloom for his tall bearded irises, but there were still many wonderful flowers to see.  The day was cloudy but bright, an ideal light for photography.

With only one and a half hours before the bus captains would blow their whistles, there was not enough time to properly evaluate seedlings.  However, I did see a lot of very interesting flowers.  The tall bearded irises pictured below may or may not be introduced since it takes much more that a pretty flower to make a worthy introduction.  Nevertheless, it is does show the hybridizing direction in which Keith is going with his tall bearded irises.  So let’s take a look.

09-69D

This flower is a golden honey color with an ideal form. The tangerine beards provide perfect contrast as does the dark coloring at the base of the standards.

11-172N

The iris world always has room for another pink. And this is a beautiful baby-ribbon blue pink, with nice form and ruffles.

12-01A

This is a flower of nice form and proportion. Gray standards sit atop medium dark blue falls. The dusky beards echo the mood of the standards.

10-99E

This is flower of earthen tones. The standards are a very special attraction with their dark mahogany color. The lavender blaze under the gold beards adds interest.

08-79F

This is a blue amoena, in which it looks like the blue was brushed onto the falls leaving some of the white showing. The added attraction is the dual colored beards, the inner being a dark red orange and the outer being light blue.  The full flair provides a dynamic feel.  It reminds me of butterflies fluttering around the clump.

07-21C

Now this one is really different.  I think of it as an ink-blue reverse amoena trimmed in gold.

09-55A

This is one voluptuous flower.  The apricot standards are not timid, but are in good proportion with the lavender blue falls with the gray edges. The generous beards finish the look.

10-99F

I have seen this color combination before.  But never have I seen it with such dark blue-purple standards.  The ruffled falls are a lovely shade of pink.  And the tangerine beards are an added attraction.

10-21A

This flower has a unique color pattern with outrageous ruffles.  It illustrates that there are many different types of ruffles, and these are especially nice.  Let’s hope that the floppy standard is not typical.

08-79G

True pink standards sit above royal purple falls with a delightful spray pattern surrounding the red-orange beards.  I am hopeful that the tucked fall is a rarity, since this is a no-no in tall bearded irises.

06-77D

The yellow standards are in good contrast with the amazingly deep cobalt blue falls.  The brown edges and hafts of the falls add significant charm.

10-82D

The standards are white.  The falls are purple, with the purple bleeding out onto the lighter colored border.   And the border seems to actually glow.  The red beards complete the look.

02-19A

I was attracted by the saturation and clarity of the gold of the standards and the blue in the falls.  The tan edges of the falls make it even more appealing.  The beards pick up the color of the edges.

12-100D

It is good to see that the  ”plicata man” is still working on plicatas.  With the plicata-type flower there seems to be an infinite possibility of colors and patterns.  Here I particularly like the lavender standards with darker purple veins.  It gives the impression of a fine filigree pattern.

The bus captains loaded us into the buses way too soon.  I could easily have used a couple more hours.  There were entire sections of the garden that I didn’t even see.  And I know there were many seedlings that I missed.

Of course, there were many other photographers busy in the garden.  If you are one of those photographers, we would like to hear from you.  In the blog spirit, won’t you submit some of your photos as comments to this article?

As I rode in the bus, I was satisfied that I finally was able to visit Keith Keppel’s Oregon garden.  Thank you, Keith.  

"Talking Irises" PLICATA TALL BEARDED IRISES--an historic past and an exciting future!

Susanne Holland Spicker

Barry Blyth seedling - Yellow plicata
(Photos courtesy of Roland Dejoux)

Hybridizers Barry Blyth and Keith Keppel have very successful plicata programs, with many award-winning cultivars through the years. They continue to explore plicata patterns, coming up with exciting new variations. With their permission, Roland Dejoux, President of the French Iris Society, shares some of the latest cutting-edge Barry Blyth and Keith Keppel seedlings:

Barry Blyth seedling

Barry Blyth seedling

Keith Keppel seedling

Barry Blyth seedling

Keith Keppel seedling

There are several forms of plicata irises. Walter Moores, hybridizer and iris expert, tells us there are those that are barely a plicata, with narrow margins; some are almost solid; some are banded; there are  amoena plicata irises, others are bi-colored, others look like a seamstress has meticulously applied a hand-sewn edge; and still others look like a pepper shaker has applied the color, like his  all-time favorite plicata, the heavily peppered 'Leanna.'  I can see why it's a favorite!

'LEANNA' (Meininger 1997) 
(Photo AIS wiki)

Plicata irises have been around forever. Shown here, the historic plicata from 1612, 'SWERTI.' It is still grown in the garden of Gordana Stojanovic, and is the oldest documented plicata. 

'SWERTI' 1612   
(Photo courtesy of Gordana Stojanovic)

Considered one of the best bearded irises of all-time, the beautiful white and blue-violet plicata 'MADAME CHEREAU' (Lemon 1844) is grown all over the world, and is still offered by commercial iris gardens, as seen in this photo from Schreiner's Iris Gardens. 

'Madame Chereau' 1844
(Photo courtesy of Schreiner's Iris Gardens)

The first Dykes Medalist was a plicata--'San Francisco' (Mohr 1927), as well as 7 others through the years:

'SAN FRANCISCO' Mohr 1927 DM
(Photo AIS wiki)

'Kilt Lilt' (Gibson) DM 1976
(Photo courtesy of Dawn Mumford)

'JESSE'S SONG' (Williamson) DM 1990
(Photo courtesy of Dawn Mumford)

'SPLASHACATA' (Tasco) DM 2005
(Photo courtesy of Dawn Mumford)

'STAR WOMAN' (M Smith) DM 2008

'DRAMA QUEEN' (Keppel) DM 2011

Jim Hedgecock, of Comanche Acres Iris Gardens, has had a keen interest in the hybridization of plicata tall bearded irises for several years. He says he "knows that many of the future color advancements [in tall bearded irises] will come from the plicata pool of genes." He goes on to say that he sees "multiple bands in different colors on both the standards and falls."  To a certain extent these already exist, but he says "they just need more refining." One of the most exciting advancements, he predicts, is the background colors. "We will see orange, pink, and no telling what other colors as background colors in the near future of plicata blooms" he says. Hybridizers have "pulled out the luminata and glaciata patterns from the plicata" and he says "we can only guess what is next!"  Pictured here is his 2012 introduction and a few of his innovative seedlings in his emerging line of plicata irises:

'ORDINATION' Hedgecock 2012

This iris is destined to be the front-runner of what Jim hopes will be a line of plicata irises with multi-colored standards.

Hedgecock seedling X-5-1

Hedgecock seedling R-102-X

Hedgecock seedling Z-34

Hedgecock seedling X-32

Iris-lover Gayla Schmidt shares two of her all-time favorite plicata irises from her garden with us:

'WONDERS NEVER CEASE' (P Black 2007) HM 2009  AM 2011
This is one of Paul's favorites in his hardy plicata program--WOW!

Gayla says she loves the bold colors--that they just grab your eye when in bloom! She loves the great balance of color in 'Showcase.'

'SHOWCASE' Schreiner 1975

Dawn Mumford has about 35 plicata tall bearded irises in her garden. She says "she doesn't know how you can narrow it down to just 2-3 favorites," and shares some of her all-time favorites with us from her garden:

'QUEEN IN CALICO' (Gibson 1980)

'RANCHO ROSE' (Gibson 1975)

'CREATIVE STITCHERY' (R Schreiner 1984) HM 1988

'ROSE TATTOO' (Nearpass 1976)

As dramatic new plicata patterns are introduced in the coming years, one can only dream of the stunning creations yet to be introduced. I am anxiously waiting for  many new beauties in the iris world.  

Watch for lots more Keith Keppel and Barry Blyth seedlings, shared by Roland Dejoux, in my next post!

Do you grow plicata irises? What is your favorite plicata?  I would love to hear from you!

NOTE: To read more on plicata tall bearded irises, or "The Plicata Men," Jim Gibson and Keith Keppel, and their amazing cultivars, click on the following links:

"The Amazing Plicatas of Jim Gibson"/Mike Unser, April 2,  2012, World of Irises. 

"Illumination - By Keith Keppel"/Andi Rivarola, April 9, 2012, 
as featured in the April 2012 issue of IRISES, the Bulletin of the American Iris Society.

"Plicata Tall Bearded Irises"/Jim Hedgecock, January 17, 2012, World of Irises.