Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Season's Greetings, and best wishes for a very Happy New Year to everyone that has followed our blog World of Irises this past year. Without our readers there would be no point. Thank you. Here are a couple of irises named for this day. First up - a beautiful historic variety from the 1960's:


[Photo courtesy Laetitia Munro]
'Christmas Time' - Schreiner, R. 1964, I. 1965. From Schreiner's Iris Lover's catalog for 1966: "A flashing thick red beard on a white iris makes the petals look even whiter. And when an iris is absolutely snow white to start with the intensification of frosty brilliance resulting creates a cynosure of beauty like sunshine on new fallen snow. Such an iris is Christmas Time. Tall, soldier straight stems, 3 branches per stem and lots of buds with florets all lavishly laced and ruffled. Uncommon, too, is the vigorous growth for an iris of this color."

(White sport of May Hall X Arctic Flame), HM 1966, AM 1968.


[Photo by Mike Unser, taken at Mid-America Gardens]
'Santa' - (George Shoop by Keith Keppel, R. 1997, I. 1998). TB 34" M.
Standards blended cream strongly flushed peach buff in center; style arms deeper orange buff; Falls warm white, shoulders with large thumbprint overlay of pinkish salmon buff, petal reverse cream buff; beards poppy red; ruffled; slight sweet fragrance. (Tropical Magic X sib).

Those of you who have followed my posts know I am not a fan of the modern iris form, however this iris was of such a remarkable color pattern it really caught my eye and was one of the few I photographed during a visit to Mid-America Gardens back in 2005.

There are numerous varieties named with a Christmas theme. A whole bed could be done in nothing but them. Perhaps in your garden? I'd love to see it. All the best from AIS to you and yours this holiday season! May 2012 be even better for us all.