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'PARISIAN DAWN' Keppel 2006
By Susanne Holland Spicker
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The 2014 TALL BEARDED IRIS SEASON was the best for me in recent memory. I divided nearly all of my irises last year, and wasn't expecting a banner year, but their increase and bloom was more prolific than I have seen for several years. The weather in the top of Utah was ideal for them to establish a good root system in the fall, and the hard freezes in late winter and early spring came before there was damage to the buds, as had been the case the past few years. The new rhizomes I planted had a 95% bloom success--unheard of in my experience with new plantings. Although I was very happy with these new irises, sometimes first-year blooms aren't indicative of what kind of plant it turns out to be. I usually need to wait a few years to know important factors such as hardiness, vigor, and dependability in bloom. These are some of my favorite first-year blooms in 2014.
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| 'PHOTOGENIC' Ghio 2006 |
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| 'GOING DUTCH' Van Liere 2009 |
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| 'RHINELANDER' Schreiner 2006 |
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| 'LENTEN PRAYER' Schreiner 1998 |
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| 'ABOUT TOWN' Blyth 1997 |
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| 'PRETTY GENEROUS' Innerst 2004 |
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| 'CHRISTMAS EVE' Van Liere 2010 |
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| 'DESIGNER LABEL' Ghio 2003 |
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| 'QUEEN'S RANSOM' Van Liere 2012 |
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| 'TICKLE ME PINK' Van Liere 2011 |
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| 'GYPSY LORD' Keppel 2006 |
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| 'SISTERHOOD' Van Liere 2011 |
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| 'DREAM TEAM' Johnson 2007 |
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| 'BUBBLE BUBBLE' Ghio 2005 |
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'ROLE REVERSAL' Ghio 2010
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| 'LEMON CLOUD' Painter 2008 |
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| 'GITANO' Keppel 2007 |
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| 'ROSY FORECAST' Williamson 2010 |
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| 'WINNING EDGE' Ghio 1997 |
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| 'WEARING RUBIES' Blyth 2000 |
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| 'SOUTHERN MORNING' Metler 2011 |
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| 'MARCHING TO ZION' Metler 2011 |
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| 'OVERJOYED' Gatty by Keppel 1994 |
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| 'ADOREE' Blyth 2006 |
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| 'FLORENTINE SILK' Keppel 2005 |
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| 'EVENING TIDINGS' Schreiner 2009 |
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| 'GOLDEN PANTHER' Tasco 2000 |
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| 'ARISTOCRACY' Keppel 2006 |
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'RED SKIES' Ghio 2007
First-year blooms are always exciting; it's much
like Christmas morning to go out and see a
new cultivar in bloom for the first time. Time will
tell if these new irises stand the test of time
for good increase, dependability and hardiness--
I hope so, they were beautiful this year.
I'd love to hear about a favorite first-year bloom
you've had.
Have any disappointed you with their vigor or
dependability?
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