Iris that have performed well in the dry Spring in South Australia

by Mel Schiller

This past Spring at Smokin Heights was one of the driest that we've ever had. It has been a shock to our systems. We started watering the iris in September using treated water from the Murray River, which we pay to use per kilolitre. This water lacks the quality of rainwater from the sky, and I cannot possibly drink it. For me, it doesn't taste the best when compared to the rainwater I've been drinking since I was a child. 

Irises that impressed us last season, given the hot and dry spring, are as follows.

'Believe' (Johnson, 2021) 

The first time standard dwarf bearded (SDB) 'Believe' bloomed for us it did not disappoint. Ten stems on a two-year clump; you can only see half the clump in the photo. A common problem in Australia is that SDBs often bloom in the foliage because it doesn't get cold enough. This one doesn't have that problem; beautifully formed blooms open well above the foliage. 

 'Orange Peel' (Keppel, 2022)

The little SDB 'Orange Peel' only came out of quarantine at the beginning of the year and blessed us with blooms this past Spring. Probably the brightest orange iris we have grown to date, it is absolutely luminous!

 'Sky and Meadow' (Black, 2019)

Another little one, 'Sky and Meadow,' has proven to be a very good performer in our climate. In general, SDBs that we import can be unreliable when it comes to blooming each Spring. This one has bloomed every Spring without fail since it came to Australia. 

'Yoda' (Blyth, 2012)

An Australian-bred SDB that performs fantastically in our climate. It is also a fantastic parent!

'Ben David' (Fankhauser, 1989)

This arilbred (OGB) has proven to be a fantastic parent for us. It has given many seedlings in shades of dusty pink. We will be using this variety a lot more in the future to see if a true pink arilbred with a black signal can be created.

'Firefly Frenzy' (Tasco, 2017)

Probably our favourite arilbred (OGB) that we've imported to date. Stems in our garden can have up to 5 buds on a stem. Unfortunately, we think that it is infertile as we've tried making crosses with it every year but with no success.

'Oyez' (White, 1938)

The oldest iris in our collection is the arilbred OGB diploid 'Oynz.' It is a bit temperamental growth-wise and blooms every other year, but when it does decide to bloom, we don't complain. There's really nothing else quite like this iris on the market. Despite its shortcomings, we still like to grow it for its uniqueness.

'Atomic Sunset' (B. Schiller, 2020)

One of Bailey's tall bearded (TB) introductions from 2020, a super bright orange near amoena. An early bloomer that we always look forward to seeing. It is a difficult parent, but we should be seeing results from it next Spring.

'Black Friday' (Schreiner, 2020)

This TB variety decided to open on one of the few rainy days that we had this last Spring. This is a fortunate event as the Australian heat tends to burn the buds in these dark colours before they even open. It made such an impact that Mel decided to add it to her 'black' breeding line.

'Creative Confusion' (M. Sutton, 2020)

Another TB that bloomed on one of the only rainy days throughout Spring. We have been waiting for this one to bloom since we imported it and boy, it did not disappoint! We tried doing as many crosses with it as possible, hopefully we get some good results.

'Spiral Galaxy' (Ghio, 2012)

This TB is one of those varieties that will always have a home in our garden. An intensely bright yellow; it is like a beacon, drawing you in from afar. 

'Zofonic Dancer' (M. Schiller, 2022)

One of Mel's introductions from last year bloomed from the end of July until the end of October. We couldn't believe how many stems it kept sending up. It had rebloomed once before, but not to this extent. It looked amazing in full bloom!

As this blog post has been written we have thankfully experienced a very wet weekend 36 mm (102 points) so far over the past two days. The air is fresh the lawns and iris are green and refreshed. A good rain fixes our hearts and minds. It shows a new lease on life. The Kookaburra's laugh from the tree tops is contagious! 

We wish you all a blessed and safe Christmas with your family and friends. Enjoy the time together and make memories to cherish forever.....as we know all too well, life is too short. <3  

Happy gardening and for our friends experiencing winter.....keep warm and enjoy our photo's from Down Under. XX

Spring Beginnings in Australia

by Mel and Bailey Schiller

Harvest Moon over a field of irises

A wonderful sight is the September Harvest Moon in Australia: September 29th 2023. Lighting the way for the next 6 months will be extra daylight that helps us get our chores completed. We give thanks and show gratitude for each of you that join our family on our bearded iris journey. We wish you all fulfillment and happiness in your lives as we enter the summer months in Australia.

Bloom season has started strong and early for us down under. Dwarf bearded irises have been blooming for the last 3-4 weeks. Over the last week or so the taller classes have started blooming as well. 

Miniature dwarf bearded iris 'Ribbit' (Johnson, 2020)

Opening on the first day of Spring was probably the best formed and most interesting miniature dwarf bearded iris we grow: the green-toned beauty 'Ribbit.' A fantastic grower and reliable bloomer, it has been a joy to grow since we imported it into Australia in 2020. 

Miniature Dwarf bearded iris 'Twinkle Little Star' (Black, 2020)

Following closely was another miniature dwarf; 'Twinkle Little Star'. This iris has been a very good performer for us since we imported it. Generally, dwarf varieties don't perform very well for us here in South Australia. Our Winters don't get cold enough for these little irises to truly thrive. Yet, we persist because we think they are absolutely adorable. We have also been hybridizing dwarf iris and selecting for those that perform well in our climate. 

Standard dwarf iris' Tallica' (Blyth, 2015)

Another iris blooming right at the beginning of Spring was 'Tallica.' Although this Australian-bred standard dwarf has never reached its registered height for us, it is a fantastic performer in our gardens. As you can see by the photo, it puts on a wonderful display!

Standard Dwarf bearded iris 'Done Me Wrong' (Baumunk, 2009)

'Done Me Wrong' is not the greatest performer in our climate. However, we love the look of large beards on a dwarf iris, so it gets to stay around. It is always very early and one of the first standard dwarfs to bloom.

Intermediate bearded iris 'Plasma' (Blyth, 2007)

Although not registered as a rebloomer, 'Plasma' has been a reliable rebloomer in our garden since we first acquired it. It has bloomed sporadically over Autumn and Winter and sent up its first Spring stems last week. Very popular with garden visitors, you can see why!

Intermediate bearded iris 'Lumistreak' (Black, 2022)

Imported last year from America, intermediate bearded iris 'Luminstreak' is proving to be an overachiever, blooming in its first Australian Spring. Normally, imported varieties only bloom in their second or third Spring, once they acclimate to our conditions. 

Miniature tall bearded iris 'Tic Tac Toe' (Johnson, 2010)

The best performing miniature tall bearded iris that we grow, 'Tic Tac Toe' always puts on a spectacular display. Most years it also blooms quite heavily in Autumn. 

Miniature tall bearded iris 'Say Red' (Craig, 2008)

'Say Red' is quite a vigorous bloomer for us, and it has been difficult to grow a decent clump. We have yet to have any success in using it in our hybridizing.

Arilbred iris (OGB+) 'Emerald Fantasy' (Tate by Shepard, 1983)

We absolutely adore the dramatic arilbred 'Emerald Fantasy.' If only this colour and pattern could be replicated in tall bearded irises. The arilbreds are a bit behind this year, normally starting to bloom at the beginning of September. We don't mind though--as there is more choice of iris to hybridize with!

Arilbred iris (OGB) 'Zizah' (Rich, 1983)

'Zizah' was the first arilbred to bloom this Spring, we almost didn't notice it as the stems are quite short. A classic colour combination in arilbreds, stunning!

Border bearded iris 'Stegosaurus' (Sutton, 2012)

'Stegosaurus' is the first border bearded iris to bloom each year. We love the unusual hard spikes along the edge of the standards. We have tried using it in our hybridizing with limited success. It is a very difficult parent but will occasionally set a pod. 

Border bearded iris 'Smiling Bright' (Ryks, 2020)

Close behind 'Stegosaurus' is the South Australian hybrid 'Smiling Bright'. A fantastic grower and increaser, it puts on a massive display of flowers each Spring. It makes quite a statement!

Blyth seedling A157-A:(X262-X:(Early Encounter sib) X Kiss The Princess)

Barry is known for breeding extremely early tall bearded varieties and this is one the earliest to date. Starting to bloom at the very beginning of Spring, it is probably not suitable for many American gardens but is perfect for us here in Australia. Late bloomers tend to burn in our hot Australian sun, so Barry worked on extending our season out in the other direction. This seedling has passed all the checks and will be introduced next year. 

Tall bearded iris 'Zofonic Dancer' (Schiller, 2022)

This one of Mel's introductions, 'Zofonic Dancer,' has been blooming since the end of July. We aren't sure if we should characterize this as extremely early Spring bloom or a late rebloom, as this variety has never rebloomed for us in the past. Nevertheless, it has put up more stems since Spring has started and will probably be in bloom for at least another month. 

Bloom season is exciting as we wander our field and garden with child-like awe, excitement, and exhilaration. Checking for new blooms, being reminded of varieties long forgotten about, and (of course) enjoying the new varieties that have been imported. We look for pollen and dream of what could be or should be---dreams that one day will come to fruition. Bearded iris season is the best!

Happy Gardening!

Smokin Heights Season That Was........

by Mel Schiller

Whoever would have thought that our spring would be so incredibly wet!

We had an unbelievable amount of rain. Getting good photos was a challenge in between rain, wind, and soggy-looking bloom. Living on one of the driest continents on earth, which has a fluctuation in temperature and rainfall, we are certainly not complaining! 

Every year we are faced with challenges – challenges in growing conditions, challenges in weather, challenges in pests. Challenges are a part of life. How we overcome them is how we grow on a personal and business level.

The season that was .... Braiden's death anniversary is forever in our hearts as the beginning of our iris season. My mind in particular is consumed with the loss of my child; it is a heavy burden. Each year it is something I need to allow and grow from in my heart and mind. 

The iris were late coming into bloom as the season was so cold and damp. Sunshine was hard to come by. Then WHAM!, the bloom started all at once. 

We had a hard time keeping up with photographs, hybridizing, and evaluating. Our iris field is spread out over five acres. We also had some of our last hybridizing efforts from the USA blooming in a different section of the garden.

We were able to evaluate seedlings on wet days and sunny days. This led to a lot of decisions about what to keep going for future evaluation and what to dispose of as not up to standard: poor bloom and stems, and diseased foliage, just to name a couple problems. 

The last year of evaluation for the USA seedlings

This past spring was also the year that South Australia hosted the National Iris Convention. We had a one-day show in which we benched over 150 stems, florets, and seedlings among all the different classes.

We wrapped our buds in toilet paper to protect them from the long travel to Adelaide where the iris show was held. Then we placed our entries in a big tub with dampened floral foam in the bottom and inserted the stems in the foam to hold them safe (hopefully). On the day of the show, we awoke to a foggy morning!

We were incredibly proud of ourselves for being able to supply bloom for all classes in the show. For the first time ever, we were able to provide standard dwarf, intermediate, and aril entries! We received 2nd and 3rd in the show with two of our very own hybrids: 'Dreaming Easy' and 'Zofonic Dancer.' 'Victoria Falls' grown by Jennifer, took home Champion of the Show. 

The very next day Smokin Heights hosted the National Iris Convention attendees. We awoke from our sleep throughout the night to on- and off- again torrential rain. At 7 a.m. the phones were ringing hot. Major flooding was occurring in all the areas that the tour group was supposed to visit. The group eventually made it to Smokin Heights just after a late lunch. With rain patches still occurring, the group managed a tour of Smokin Heights and the soggy field. Bailey was able to lead a tour of our seedling patch in between rain showers. 

National Iris Convention for Australia attendees!

The very next day was lovely and bright, full of hope and promise with an amazing sunrise!

The Intermediate and Dwarf Bearded irises bloomed exceptionally well this past season

Performing hybridizing was a task in itself this past season. Wet pollen and soggy stigmatic lips were a popular problem! We have managed to collect around 400 pods of hybridized iris from our field stock  – not bad considering the wet season!

Iris seeds from our hybridizing efforts

More hybridizing seeds

New,  imported irises from off the delivery truck and onto our lawn area

We looked forward to receiving our imported iris from the USA. In February, they were finally released from quarantine. Australia has incredibly strict rules for importing bearded irises into our country. Importing is not for the faint-hearted; it is a costly, time-consuming, and stressful job! But this effort is worth it for irises we would like to use genetically in our hybridizing program. 

 A small portion of the field photographed this past week

The field will not be dug and replanted this year. There is enough room for increase and growth to postpone a replant. Instead, plants will remain in place while we apply fertilizer (for nutrients) and pre-emergent herbicide (for weed control) over the next couple of months.

The following is a small selection of new varieties hybridized by Bailey and me:

Tall bearded iris 'Brave The Storm' 

(Inner Darkness X Black Lipstick)

Tall bearded iris 'Flash Warning'

(Secret Status X Raise Your Glass sibling)

Tall bearded iris 'Disruptor' 

(complex ancestry)

Tall bearded iris 'Lady Of Luxury' 

(complex ancestry)

Tall bearded iris 'See You In Heaven' 

(Seasons In The Sun X Carnival Capers) 

Standard dwarf bearded iris 'Rather Snazzy'

(Troublemaker X Stop And Stare)

The small selection of iris we registered this season withstood our unusually wet conditions superbly. Now that we have finalized business orders we can plan for our next season. We also celebrate ten years of Smokin Heights. Bailey and I are so very grateful and appreciative of our accomplishments. Every day is a blessing and we have our garden to enjoy and nurture. 

It is now time to weed the garden beds as they have been unattended for the last few months. Weeds are plentiful! Time for us to enjoy solace in our garden.

Happy Gardening