Louisiana Irises - My Favorite Pictures Part II

by Ron Killingsworth

In Part I of this series, we looked at some of my favorite iris pictures.  Here is the second part, with more lovely photos of Louisiana irises.

'Double Encore'  (Marvin Granger, deceased by Jeff Weeks, 2010) 

Marvin Granger, from south Louisiana, found a "cartwheel" form Louisiana iris growing in the wild and collected some to use in hybridizing.  He then crossed this iris and produced several cartwheel form irises.  After his death, Jeff Weeks decided to name and introduce one of Marvin's seedlings that Jeff had been growing for many years.  "Double Encore" is that lovely iris.

'Duck Lady' (Pat O'Connor, 2009)

Pat O'Connor lives in Metairie, LA, just north of New Orleans.  He has hybridized some really nice irises and is quite a photographer.  The iris was named for a famous (infamous) lady who wandered around in the French Quarter of New Orleans with a duck in a cage.

'Endearing Thought' (Bernard Pryor, 2004)

Bernard Pryor and his wife Heather have produced an abundance of beautiful Louisiana irises from their home in  Australia.  They are both fantastic photographers and I always enjoy their bloom season pictures since their bloom season falls in the fall here in Louisiana.

'Exquisite Idea' (Heather Pryor, 2006)

Another beautiy- well photographed from the Pryors of Australia.

'Flareout' (Marvin Granger, 1988)

'Flareout' is one of several "cartwheels" produced by Marvin Granger.  It is one of my favorites and I though the photographer really captured a great photograph of this blue cartwheel form Louisiana iris.

'Hurricane Colin' (Pat O'Connor, 1992)

With all the hurricanes in south Louisiana, one might think this iris was named for one of the more famous and destruction ones; however, it was named for Pat's son.  Pat says Colin was in fact often a small hurricane!

'Lime and Soda' (Peter Jackson, 2010)

Peter Jackson is another great hybridizer and photographer from "down under".  His Australian Louisiana irises are beauties to behold and he is also a great photographer.

'Longue Vue' (Dormon Haymon, 1999)

Dormon named this beautiful white iris to honor Longue Vue House and Gardens in New Orleans.

'Lottie Butterscotch' (S. Shephard, 2007)

This is a collected species of Louisiana iris and is a rare form mostly found in older hybrids and in the species.  It is a lovely iris and this is a great photograph!

There are just a few more to go and I'll publish part three of my favorite pictures in the immediate future.  Hope you enjoyed the beautiful irises and the great photography.  Learn more about irises at The American Iris Society or about Louisiana irises in particular at The Society for Louisiana Irises.