'Cajun Rhythm', My Prettiest Iris

By Renee Fraser


My best blooming iris is 'Total Recall', which is practically an everbloomer here in Southern California.  My sentimental favorite is an old NOID (No Identification) that has been on the property for over 60 years, when grandpa used to mow it over every week when he did the grass.  But my prettiest iris, in my opinion, blooms late in the season and generally gets burnt to a crisp from the late May/early June heat.  'Cajun Rhythm' (Schreiner, 1996) is a lovely butterscotch orange with a pinkish flush on the midrib and a variable white apron on the falls.

I love it with nasturtiums.

It looks nice with another late bloomer, 'Coral Chalice'.

'Tennison Ridge' with 'Cajun Rhythm'.

Here it is with 'Double Delight' rose.

'Cajun Rhythm' is registered as growing to 36" tall, but it is rather short in my garden.  The foliage is nice, and does not corkscrew or twist.  Although it often suffers from the heat here, 'Cajun Rhythm' is so pretty it will always have a place in my garden.

IRISES, January 2012 Issue

Inside IRISES, the Bulletin of The American Iris Society

Here's the scoop: this is a wonderful issue of Irises, and if you can, as much as possible, you should share this delight with your friends and family. If you are receiving this via Facebook, be sure to click on the link to see the original blog post, you'll be glad you did. The front cover, a picture of 'Cajun Rhythm' that Rene Fraser took at her Southern California garden is spectacular. I don't really know how anyone looking at it cannot be moved. Also, if you click on the blog post you will see a much larger picture than you would on Facebook.

The details:

• Front cover: a delicious picture of 'Cajun Rhythm' (Schreiner's 1996) taken by our own blogger Renee Fraser
• My Favorite Irises by Nyla Hughes
• Double, Double, Toyle and Trouble by Bob Hollingsworth (an expanded article that originally appeared in this blog)
• Planting Combinations: Irises in the Garden by Renee Fraser, Debbie Hughes and Brenda Fox (also an expanded article that orignally appeared on this blog)
• An Iris Lover: Twenty-five Years on My Knees by Hybridizer Marky Smith
• The Wonderful Wizard of Auz: A Week at Tempo Two with Barry Blyth by LLee Heflin
• 2011 AIS Photo Contest Winners
• 2011 Tall Bearded Iris Symposium (popularity list)

And much, much more, such as:

Lots and lots of full-color pictures
Information on the 2012 Annual Convention at Ontario, CA
AIS President's letter Judith Keisling
IRISES' Editor letter Kelley D. Norris
Milestones, Remembering Salt-of-the Earth Members, and Sections Happenings by Jim Morris
Youth Views by Cheryl Deaton

American Iris Society members registered for e-membership already have access to this great issue via our website, and for those who receive it via mail, the issue is on its way.

Be sure to give us your feedback, comments and article recommendations in the Comments section below, via Facebook, or write to us.

Andi Rivarola
The American Iris Society
Social Media Manager
andinsky@gmail.com

Strikingly Beautiful Flowers

Artists and photographers have long created iris portraits: many of us are familiar with the famous iris paintings by Georgia O'Keefe. Endless combinations of line, form and color can be produced by zooming in on the iris flower. Irises are so photogenic in this respect that the temptation is to take nothing but portraits and close-ups: the striking beauty of the iris flower causes us to neglect photographing the whole plant.  


There are other challenges for the amateur photographer who wishes to capture the plant in the landscape.  Aside from focus and exposure issues, there is always the blue tarp covering the compost pile, the rusting skeleton of an old Bultaco, or more often, three-foot-high weeds looming in the background.   


Here I tried to give you some photos of the plant, foliage and all, as well as the flower.  It would be a little dull were I to take these photos today, since so few irises are in bloom, so most are from last spring.  Many of these irises are new to my garden and have yet to form true clumps.  This gives me something to look forward to next year, and this spring, I promise to take photos of the whole clump, even if the weeds are blocking the view!

Tall Bearded Iris 'Rare Treat' in Andi's garden.  Ruffles galore.

Tall Bearded Iris 'Lady Friend' which is the first to bloom for me.

Tall Bearded Iris 'Cajun Rhythm,' a late bloomer.

Tall Bearded Iris 'Persian Berry' a very early bloomer.

Tall Bearded Iris 'No Count Blues'

Tall Bearded Iris 'Spin Off' is good for the front of a border.

Tall Bearded Iris 'Classic Look' 

Border Bearded Iris 'Maid of Orange' has nice, upright foliage with narrow leaves.

Tall Bearded Iris 'Looky Loo'

Tall Bearded Iris 'Scoonchee' in Lois's garden.

Tall Bearded Iris 'Queen's Circle' in my garden (top two) and at Carolyn's.

Tall Bearded Iris 'Sweet Musette' in Wendy's garden.

I leave you with this image of a strikingly beautiful garden featuring the iris 'Sweet Musette.'  In the background, tomato cages and wheelbarrows.