'City Lights' Lights up the Garden

By Renee Fraser

There are few irises that have stood the test of time in my garden.  One of the prettiest is 'City Lights'.  Although it's not a new variety (registered by Mary Dunn in 1990) it always looks fresh in the garden.  It reproduces well but does not get overcrowded.

It's a reblooming iris here in Southern California.  One year it bloomed for 26 days, from April 1 to 25, and another year it bloomed from March 28 to May 2!

I don't know if it reblooms in cooler areas, because it reblooms here late, beween September and January.

Although my main garden is designed around warm colors and I have no place for blues, 'City Lights' is so lovely that it is the only iris I have planted near my pond.

I must say that pictures really do not do this iris justice.  That white spot makes it look like it is aglow in the garden.

'City Lights' starts out looking quite blue as the flowers first open, but it takes on more of a violet hue as the days wear on.

If you are looking for an iris that has a good long bloom period and lights up the garden, try 'City Lights'.

Crazy about Iris:Breeding Reblooming Irises in zone 6

by Betty Wilkerson

As I write this, I'm just coming off a spring season that was among the strangest I've seen in thirty plus years of breeding rebloomers.  There have been springs with drought and springs with incessant rain.  This year, spring started back in the winter.  This was good, because I was able to do a lot of garden cleanup and repair before the bloom season got started.  Then, the season was two to three weeks early.  One positive to this was that everything bloomed out of order, with a second wave of rebloom stalks at the end of the regular season.  For instance, 'Tara's Choice' is usually one of the first to bloom, but bloomed at mid to late season this year.  It was good to see a few new iris faces, new seedlings, and some slightly older, but favorite faces.

'Tara's Choice (Wilkerson 2004)

Hybridizing reblooming irises can be a difficult challenge depending on your location.  I'm in South Central Kentucky, zone 6.  Why is this important?  It's beginning to look more and more, to this hybridizer, like breeding irises in general, and rebloomers in particular, is a regional job.  If you live in an area where recurring iris bloom is the norm, then perhaps you wouldn't understand how other regions of the country, the eastern US in particular, long for irises that bloom from frost to frost.   

Although I can get tunnel vision when I'm out in the garden every day working with the irises, and making crosses, we are not thinking only of ourselves, but also the thousands of people hoping for a group of irises that will bloom from spring through fall, since many gardening people want the beauty of the iris throughout summer.  

Less than half a dozen people are working toward rebloom in the colder climates, zones 5-7, and we are all in different parts of the country.  It is a struggle to find cultivars that work for all of us.  We have different favorites and have produced different cultivars of our own.  Although many of us consult and talk among ourselves, we are each working for things that will rebloom in our own gardens, and hopefully, for others.   

'Immortality' (Zurbrigg 1990)

Before he passed away, Ben Hager predicted we were only 15 years away from irises that bloom all summer, frost to frost.  Although we are a lot closer to this in certain areas of the country, we are still far away from these predictions in zones 5-7.  It's still to be seen if reblooming irises are indeed regional, as once thought, or if we can come up with a number of good irises that can bloom in most regions and zones like their predecessor, 'Immortality.'

For more information search through the Reblooming Iris Society @ www.rebloomingiris.com. Several of us can be found on "Reblooming Irises" and  "Iris Hybridizers" on Facebook. We enjoy talking about irises in general and rebloomers specifically.   

Late Season Favorite: Iris 'Coral Chalice'

By Renee Fraser


As my experience growing irises increases, I find that I generally prefer older irises that have good plant habits, bloom prolifically, and resist disease.  I also look for irises that bloom in the early part of the season and rebloom in the fall, because it gets so very hot here in Simi Valley that by June, late-bloomers melt like cotton candy in the sun.

But there is always an exception.  'Coral Chalice' is indeed an older iris, and a rebloomer.  It has nice enough foliage, and it does not rot or get leaf spot.  But it is not a great bloomer for me.  The blooms sometimes clump up at the top of the stalk, interfering with each other so that they don't open properly, and since it blooms in the late season and has very little substance, each bloom only lasts a day when it is hot.

So why do I still grow it?  And why did I order even more rhizomes after the first year bloom to start a second clump of it as soon as possible?

I find it exceptionally lovely.  There is something about that peach blush on the hafts and the orange beard that makes the white flower even brighter and more luminous.

 

It is a wonderful companion to another favorite, 'Cajun Rhythm'.  So I photograph it, endlessly, so that I can enjoy it even as it curls up in on itself after a day in triple-digit heat.




'Coral Chalice' was created by Niswonger in 1982.  It grows to about 34" tall, and although it is listed as midseason, it always blooms in late May or June for me, and is among the last to flower.  It has double socketed buds, and the top bud is often triple socketed.

Do you have a favorite that you keep despite a few flaws?  Let us know why you love your imperfect iris in the comments below.

Strong Reblooming Irises Hybridized by Sterling Innerst-2

by Betty Wilkerson

Over and Over

What can I say about 'Over and Over?'  In my zone 6b garden, nothing is as dependable for rebloom. In a good year I will get multiple stalks of 'Over and Over' from July through the first hard fall freeze. Although it must be planted in a new bed or fertilized to bloom this well, in an old bed that hasn't been fertilized for a couple of years it will still put up a few stalks. (First picture is not mine.  It was sent by another grower, but I've forgotten just who.  Sorry!)

'Over and Over' (Innerst 2001) 

One of my favorite places to use it is behind 'Star Gate.'  They create a very interesting play of light and dark. Both irises are good about giving good fall bloom in my garden and bloom at the same time.

'Star Gate' (Wilkerson 2005)
'Over and Over' (Innerst 2001) 

Most often, in my garden, the blooms will look like these below.  The bloom often droops, not having the good lift of the picture at the top of the page.  This could easily be the result of my hot late summer days, or it could be the lack of proper fertilization. But even in new beds, I've not seen the good substance that I see in photographs.

'Over and Over' (Innerst 2001)

What is the value of 'Over and Over' in our breeding programs?  It should be a good breeder for rebloom.  Although it not happen instantly, I believe that with a large measure of patience, and a few generations of both outbreeding and inbreeding, it will give us a path to tall, well-branched rebloomers with good substance in the colder climates.

For those of you who are not genetic experts, it is important to know that plicatas like 'Over and Over' crossed to other plicatas will give more plicatas.  There will be occasional selfs (solid colored irises), but most will be similiar to 'Over and Over.' A plicata crossed to a self can give selfs, bitones, or variegatas (irises with yellow standards and red falls).  Color must exist in the genetic family to be produced in the children, so my guess is that variegatas will be rare in these crosses.  

I've had one reblooming seedling from a cross of one of my older, but weaker, rebloomers by 'Over and Over', and there are several more crosses in the seedling beds that contain 'Over and Over.'  Stay tuned for the results.  Even better, try some crosses of your own with 'Over and Over!'  Have fun!  

Breeding Reblooming Irises: An Eye to the Future-2

by Betty Wilkerson

Zone 6, KY

An Eye to the Future-2.

People love to talk about their favorite finds in the seedling patch.  Dr. Lloyd Zurbrigg talked about ‘Renown’ because it was a seedling that rebloomed well for him.  Then he introduced it in 1992.  There were many reports of it reblooming throughout the country.  After a false start (growing an iris as ‘Renown’ that was incorrect) I finally got the real ‘Renown’ the summer after I moved to Allen County in 2003.  The first bloom was ugly and I questioned the authenticity.  In 2005 I grew ‘Renown’ it an upper bed and it blossomed very well!  I’ve used tons of pollen from this bed, since my final success.  ‘Renown’ reblooms in garden zones north of mine, yet only one stalk has developed here in the off season.  

'Renown'  (Zurbrigg 1992)

I decided to do some serious breeding with ‘Renown.’  It was a bit of a research project for me and there are several seedlings that I like. At this point, my favorite ‘Renown’ seedling, 2155-01, is from (Treasured x Renown.)  This seedling was a sole survivor from about 50 seed.  It has given some lovely seedlings.  I was going to name it ‘Wormhole,’ but I was told the name would offend Dr. Zurbrigg!  Hope springs eternal in my reblooming heart, so it’s been introduced this year as ‘About Tomorrow.’  It’s my belief this is a very good iris.  It’s not missed a spring since maiden bloom, it has always given a good stalk to fan ration, and it’s very pretty, for a white!    

'About Tomorrow' (Wilkerson 2013)

'About Tomorrow' (Wilkerson 2013) 

After a winter of gnashing of teeth, and wringing of hands, I decided to spend my 2013 spring working toward strong chances of rebloom.  Only a handful of irises rebloom well here, so I decided they would be a good match with ‘About Tomorrow.’  I was also looking for tangerine beards so I searched the blooming irises for something that rebloomed for me and had the right beards.  Seed are now waiting to be planted from ‘About Tomorrow’ by ‘Cameo Blush’ and ‘Summer Radiance.’

'Cameo Blush' (Weiler 1998) 

Photo by Loic Tasquer

'Summer Radiance' (Wilkerson 1996)

One day I had a couple of blooms in my hand and didn’t know what to do with them, so, now, I have seed waiting from ‘About Tomorrow’ X ‘Star Gate.’ Although  'About Tomorrow' is white, I expect this cross will breed to the blue/purple side since the two share ‘Violet Miracle’ genes.  

'Star Gate' (Wilkerson 2005)

'Violet Miracle' (Zurbrigg  79)

At the end of August, I’m enjoying bloom on 1907-10Re.  It is a sibling of ‘Cool Character.’  1907-10Re bloomed all summer in 2011 without missing a day. It looks like I need to line this one out and consider introducing it.  It's still purple but it has many good qualities. Maybe the next generation will have other colors!  

1907-10Re (Wilkerson seedling) 

There are more seeds resting in the envelope rack.  They will all be planted in pots this fall.  Once again, I’ve enjoyed sharing the workings of my mind and the reasoning that went into making the latest crosses.  Will any of them produce good rebloomers of introduction quality?  I really think the potential is here.    

Sweet Violet Rebloomers

By Renee Fraser


My mom Wendy passed the gardening gene to me, but I infected her with the iris virus. She is a master of color coordination, and her small flower garden is filled with violets, magenta-purples, pinks, peaches, and pale yellows. She has recently planted a number of reblooming irises, and a few have bloomed for the first time in her Southern California garden this year, and I thought you would enjoy seeing some first-rate reblooming irises used in coordinated beds.

This is 'Violet Turner'.  It blooms three times here in Southern California:  in April, again occasionally in the summer if it's not too hot, and again in the fall.  The colors are very intense and stand out well against greenery.  Wendy has it planted with alstroemerias, 'Yves Piaget' (magenta) and 'Perdita' (pale peach) roses.

Just on the other side of a small flagstone path is 'Mariposa Autumn', a prolific reblooming iris hybridized by Rick Tasco.  This iris stays short, which is perfect for the front of a border.  It blooms from late March through April, and then intermittently all summer, with a big flush again in the fall.

Off in a corner with flax lily and ferns is 'Double Agent'.  This is its first bloom, so we shall see how it does as a rebloomer this summer and fall.  It has red-violet falls and goes well with the oxalis just emerging from winter dormancy.

'Double Agent'

Over near an arbor, Wendy grows the rebloomers 'Cantina' and 'Total Recall'.  'Cantina' has rebloomed in the fall, but not prolifically like 'Mariposa Autumn'.  It's a fun iris to play with, and one year Wendy found violas in exactly the same colors.  No luck this year, so she used purples instead.

The newest reblooming addition to the garden is 'Tennison Ridge', which Wendy chose specifically to complement 'Darcy Bussell' and 'Twilight Zone' roses.  It should be a spectacular clump by next year, when this new part of her garden grows up a bit.  'Tennison Ridge' reblooms very well here in the late fall.  It is truly lovely when backlit.

'Tennison Ridge' with 'Darcy Bussell' rose in the background

All of these irises were in bloom at the same time, in late April.  They bloom so much they give the daylilies and the roses a run for their money.  If you live in a warm climate that does not suffer from early frosts, you might consider growing some reblooming irises in your garden.  

Do you grow any reblooming irises?  Which are great performers for you?  Please share in the comments section below.

Orchid-Colored Irises in My Garden

By Renee Fraser

My garden is filled with hot-colored roses and lilies, and although I love the oranges, yellows, and reds, they can be pretty ovewhelming on a hot Southern Californa day.

My internet gardening buddy Hoovb, who writes the gardening blog  Piece of Eden, suggested some purple or lavendar to cool it down.  Now I know I have strange tastes, but I don't care for purple, and I really don't care much at all for purple-blues with salmon-orange, the dominant color in my garden.  But she was onto something, and I thought about it until one day I saw Persian Berry in bloom at a nursery. What color is that? Using the most universally recognized color chart in the western world, the Crayola 64 Count Crayons, I decided the color was ORCHID. Cool pink, warm lavendar, that color.  Orchid to tame my hot colors.

Fortunately, there are a multitude of orchid-colored irises and each is more beautiful than the last.  Soon I was on the hunt for 'Jennifer Rebecca', which reblooms here in Southern California.  It took a long time to become established in my garden, and it has been moved from spot to spot, mercilessly, until it finally found its home right between two screaming salmon-orange roses.

'Jennifer Rebecca' Zurbrigg 1984,  reblooming iris with 'Marmalade Skies' floribunda rose

'Jennifer's' beard is the same color as the rose.  What a stroke of luck!

And here is the inspiration iris, 'Persian Berry'.  It looks very nice with yellow, and like 'Jennifer', it has a nice orange beard.  

'Persian Berry' Gaulter 1976

I have 'Persian Berry' in a bed with the pale yellow David Austin rose 'Allux Symphony' (aka Symphony), foxgloves, and dark reddish-violet violas.  I await 'Storm Rider' from Rick Tasco at Superstition Iris Gardens to center between the two roses.

'Storm Rider' Tasco 2013

To the right of 'Allux Symphony' I have 'Plum Pretty Whiskers', which reblooms for me.  It's a lovely shorter iris, perfect for the front of the bed.  The deep color in its falls was the inspiration for the dark violas and 'Storm Rider'.

'Plum Pretty Whiskers' Spoon 2003

Late-bloomer 'Rhinelander' is the latest-blooming of my orchid-colored irises.  It has yet to bloom this year, so this photo is from last year.

'Rhinelander' Schreiner 2006

I just couldn't help myself, so last season I got two more orchid-colored irises, even though (as usual) I didn't have good spots for them.  I ordered 'Orchid Pinstripe' because it is so unusual, and Randy Squires of the San Fernando Valley Iris Society gave me 'Enchanter', a huge iris that towers over the others.  I am anxiously awaiting their first blooms.  This year, however, I resisted buying any new orchid-colored irises, even though there were a few that sorely tempted me.

Do you grow any orchid-colored irises?  Or is there another color that you just cannot resist, regardless of how many you already have?  Let us know which you love best in the comments section.

Exploring the Mysteries of Bloom Season & Height: Rebloomers

by Betty Wilkerson

Height

According to the American Iris Society, rebloomers must meet the same criteria that are stated for their individual classes.  My breeding program deals with tall bearded iris with the occasional cross in other classes.  The height qualification for tall bearded irises is 27 1/2" and above.  There is no upper limit stated, but an iris must stay in balance.  Many tall bearded irises have problems with falling stalks when the height is excessive. 

As you can see in this clump of 'Summer Radiance' (Wilkerson 96) there are stalks of various heights.  The stalks are measured from the ground to the top of the open bloom.  This should be done for a two year period.  The stated height is the average of these measurements in its home garden.

'Summer Radiance' (Wilkerson 96)  

As an introduction moves into the market, there will be some variations in the heights, and the iris may not reach these stated heights in the individual garden.  Soil contents, even micro elements, can change everything about an iris, including the height.  An early, hot season can create variations in height, too.

Spring Bloom Season

Tall bearded irises are the last of the bearded irises to bloom.  Season of bloom is designated within the tall bearded bloom season by VE for very early, E for early, M for medium, L for late and VL for very late.  These are determined in the garden of the hybridizer introducing them, and, based on my personal experience, may not be the same in your garden.  Again, VE means the iris should be one of the first tall bearded irises to bloom in your region and VL means the iris should be among the latest tall bearded irises to bloom.  These dates should be taken as suggestions, and may vary from garden to garden.  

It might seem that all rebloomers are very early (VE) to early (E) in the spring garden since they need time to bloom again, and indeed, most are.  'Star Gate' (Wilkerson 2005) is the only rebloomer I've introduced that isn't an early bloomer.  It blooms in mid season and can easily be used in breeding with later blooming spring only irises.  

'Star Gate' (Wilkerson 2005)  

As a hybridizer, you plan spring crosses during the winter.  The bloom season starts, but new acquisitions don't always bloom as hoped.  I rarely order very early irises because they can have a problem during a late freeze, although  I occasionally receive very early bonus irises.  So far, most of the new irises I've received with the VE classification are bloom EM in my garden.  

Rebloomers have pushed forward the beginning of spring bloom in my garden.  Here, tall bearded season begins with rebloomers and seedlings of mine that contain a lot of rebloom genes.  They will bloom for several days before regular spring blooming irises begin.  

In 2011 we had a light frost at the beginning of bloom season.  The blooms and pollen looked fine, but the pollen was damaged on open and nearly open blooms of 'Matrix' (Earl Hall by Lloyd Zurbrigg 1991)  'Echo Location' (Wilkerson 2007) and other open blooms.  When the frost hit, there were ten to fifteen stalks with open blooms on 'Lunar Whitewash'.  Crosses I made with this pollen did not take.  These are the difficulties faced by hybridizers working with early bloomers. It was three or four days before viable pollen was available.  

'Matrix' (Earl Hall by Lloyd Zurbrigg 1991)

'Echo Location' (Wilkerson 2007)

'Lunar Whitewash' (Sterling Innerst 2003)

By the time the late blooming irises are open, most of the rebloomers have finished blooming.  It’s hard to find anything other than ‘Star Gate’ to combine with late irises like ‘Iconic,’ ‘Haunted Heart,’ ‘Love Lines,’ or ‘Angel Among Us.’ Pollen from rebloomers can be stored in envelopes in the refrigerator for several weeks, but it’s such a busy time it’s often hard to remember to collect it!  

'Iconic' (Ghio 2010) Photo by Kent Pfeiffer

'Haunted Heart' (Keppel 2010)

'Love Lines' (Wilkerson 2006)

'Angel Among Us' (Wilkerson 2007)

Rebloom Season

My favorite rebloomers can bloom any time from the end of spring bloom until a killing frost.  To my knowledge, there is no correlation between the spring bloom season and the rebloom dates.  Rebloom can happen at any time and is determined by the genes of the cultivar, soil conditions, and weather conditions. There are only a few that can do this in my zone 6 garden during a normal season.  A few more can summer bloom in a moderate year, but few produce summer blooms in a hot and dry summer.  Cycle rebloomers are not genetically capable of summer rebloom and only rebloom in the fall when the temperatures cool and some fall rain has fallen.  

Additional information can be found at the American Iris Society website and the Reblooming Iris Society website.  Membership in the latter includes twice yearly publications called 'The Recorder.'  This publication reports rebloom from all over the continental U. S. and any other area that reports to them.

When do your rebloomers bloom?  Have you had summer as well as fall rebloom in your part of the country or the world?