"Talking Irises" LOOKING FORWARD TO SPRING - Tall Bearded Irises With Spring Companion Plants

By Susanne Holland Spicker

I love experimenting with different color combinations in the beds. By combining a variety of companion plants, as well as complimentary, or harmonious combinations of tall bearded irises, the beds provide a nice palette of color, as well as a long bloom season by using early, mid and late bloomers that flower at the same time as other perennials in the gardens. The beds are always a work in progress--I evaluate my beds each year at this time and make changes where I want to replace older varieties with newer iris hybrids or add any favorites from my long "wish list." 


I love the colors in this yellow, pink and blue bed: Tall bearded irises 'Skywalker' (Schreiner '96), 'Tulip Festival' (Clough '75), 'Edith Wolford' (Hager '86), 'Aegean Wind' (Schreiner '08), and 'Out of the Blues' (Van Liere '10) with companion plants Singing in the Rain Itoh peony, assorted lupine, hybrid tea rose New Day, clematis Josephine, assorted pansies and petunias, and herbaceous peony Mons. Jules Ellie.

Striking colors of tall bearded irises and companion plants: 'Salzburg Echo' (Schreiner '09), 'Spiced Custard' (Weiler '87), 'Supreme Sultan' (Schreiner '88), 'Dazzling Gold' (Anderson '81),  'Taco Supreme' (Ernst '87),  'Throb' (Weiler '91),  'Flamenco' (Keppel '77), 'Mulled Wine' (Keppel '02),  and 'Tiger Honey' (Kasperek '94), with companion plants early gladiola, lupine, daylily Bela Lugosi and various daylilies and Harlem poppy.

Bold and beautiful!  Tall bearded irises 'Bold Expression' (Ernst '03), 'Dreamcake' (Ernst '02), 'Close Up' (Tompkins '02),  and 'Ringo' (Shoop '79) with companion plants rosy purple pulsatilla, Caribbean Crush verbascum, Fascination hybrid tea rose,  poppy Queen Alexander, America climbing rose, and lilac.

A favorite bed of subtle yellows and blues: Tall bearded irises 'Good Hope' (Moldovan '69), 'Absolute Treasure' (Tasco '06), 'Grecian Skies' (Brown '84), 'Edith Wolford' (Hager '86), 'Bertwistle' (Innerst '90), 'Lavender Luck' (Ernst '88), 'Wedding Candles' (Schreiner '82) and 'On Edge' (Schreiner '86), with companion plants assorted pansies, Blue Star columbine, yellow, blue and white lupine, Crystal Fountain clematis, dwarf Snow Lady daisy, Konigskind clematis, tradescantia, High Noon tree peony, Silver Beauty Dutch iris, and hybrid tea rose Sunblest.

This bed always stands out: Tall bearded irises 'Aristocracy' (Keppel '06), 'Artist's Time' (Schreiner '74), 'Ever After' (Keppel '86), and 'Bubbling Over' (Ghio '92),  with companion plants Elisabeth variegated phlox, pansies, single late tulip Don Quixote, heartleaf bergenia, Jacob's Ladder, bleeding heart, and assorted pansies.

I love these rose and apricot colors together: Tall bearded irises 'Discretion' (Boushay '78), 'Naples' (Johnson '01), 'Mystic's Muse' (Schreiner '93), 'Magharee' (Blyth '86), 'Aphrodisiac' (Schreiner '86), and 'Role Model' (Denny '88), with companion plants assorted lupine, and Itoh peony Singing In The Rain.

Do you like experimenting with your flower beds? What are some of your favorite combinations?  I'd love to hear from you!

BROKEN COLOR IRIS ARE NOT FOR THE TIMID

BY DAWN MUMFORD

For this post I have some collages and a slide show as a continuation of my last article on how to use photos to extend the iris season.  To view my last post click  Another Look at Plicata Irises. The theme this time is "Broken Color Irises." Pictured are 4 collages of irises that are in the slide show at the end.

 

Mike Unser published a great article called Broken Color Iris Terminology in 2012. He introduced the article by saying "in color breaking, a genetic instability causes the colors and/or patterns of the iris to express irregularly giving a flower that is splish-splashed [pattern]in a more or less haphazard fashion. No two blooms are every just alike, and they can create a very lively and exuberant effect in the flower garden."  

Mike's article included many pictures of older broken color irises, including 'Victorine' from the 1840's, 'Loreley' from 1929, and many others up to Allen Ensminger's 'Batik' in 1985. 

   

Brad Kasperek is considered the pioneer of the modern broken color irises. He has been hybridizing broken color irises for 25 years.  Brad approves of Mike's definition. He also said that Allen Ensminger was instrumental in his focus on the genetic instability that made broken colors possible.  He has hybridized many broken color irises since then and in 2005 was hybridizer of the year. Brad and wife Kathie own and operate Zebra Gardens, located in Elwood, Utah.  It is just 21 miles north of my garden in Willard, Utah, and most of the broken color irises I grow have come from Zebra Gardens.    

Susanne Spicker also wrote an excellent article here called Broken color irises with Brad Kasperek in 2013. She visited Brad's Zebra Gardens and took many of the pictures that will be in the slide show today.  

The slide show in this post is similar to my post last time (here is the link to the last post: Another Look at Plicata Irises).  To view the new 3 minute slide show on broken colored irises, click on the button below. Most irises in the show are tall bearded, but not all. Most I grow in my garden, but a few are on my wish list, since many of my broken color irises are new and I don't have pictures of them yet. Susanne is a close friend, and has been gracious in sharing her photos so that you can see them.  

You do not have to have Smilebox downloaded on your computer to watch the slide show.  Music accompanies the pictures, so adjust your speakers:  

 Broken Color Slide Show  http://www.smilebox.com/playBlog/4e4459304d7a63344f44513d0d0a&blogview=true

While the slide show is loading click on the bottom left button to make the show full screen.  It looks like this except yours won't be yellow. 

Thanks to Brad Kasperek, Allen Ensiminger and Virginia Messick for your fine skills in hybridizing these beautiful broken color iris. Thanks as well to Susanne Spicker for sharing her pictures. 

Do you grow any broken color irises?  What are your favorites? What other plants or iris do you pair up with your broken color irises?  

"Talking Irises" BROKEN COLOR IRISES WITH HYBRIDIZER BRAD KASPEREK AT ZEBRA IRIS GARDENS

By Susanne Holland Spicker


A recent drive to ZEBRA IRIS GARDENS, a commercial iris garden in Elwood, Utah, gave me a "GNU," (as the Kaspereks would say) appreciation for BROKEN COLOR IRISES and a newfound love for SPURIA IRISES. Brad and Kathie Kasperek are the owners/operators of this beautiful iris garden.  It is the world's leading source for broken color (BC) bearded irises, and I was impressed with their large variety of award winning spuria irises as well.

Brad has been hybridizing irises for several years. He has a wealth of knowledge and is recognized as the pioneer of broken color irises, which are flowers with random streaking and/or splashing of 2 or more colors. They come in Tall Bearded (TB), Border Bearded (BB), and Intermediate Bearded (IB) varieties. Visiting with Brad was interesting and very educational. He stated that it takes roughly 100 years to "perfect" a flower, and since broken  color irises have only been around for about 25 years, the hybridizing is still in its infancy. Improvements in bud count, branching, and form continue to be perfected.  I was impressed with his irrigation system, and the neat, well organized way his garden is laid out--especially the identifying markers on every plant.

Brad's first introduction was award-winning "TIGER HONEY", (TB 38" EM AM 1994). Since then, he has introduced roughly 100 irises--many, award winners. The names of his irises are as unique as they are. Most are whimsical names based on African or wildlife themes.

After viewing rows and rows of blooms, some of my favorite Kasperek irises that were in bloom include:

Bi-color plicata "LLAMA MAMA" TB  37"  EM  2005  HM.  Large and vigorous!

"OKAPI POPPY"  TB 37"  M  2004 AM  Vigorous and graceful.  

A favorite:  "DRUNK SKUNK" TB 32" EM  2012.  Stunning!

"MAGDALENA LOUISA" TB 36" M  2003  HM.  A clean, BC pink--beautiful!

2013 Introduction, "MINK PINK."  Simple and elegant. TB 35" M.   I Love the beards!

2008 Wister Medalist, "MILLENNIUM FALCON"  TB 38" M.  Stunning--A real knockout!

 "MEERKAT MANOR"  BB  25" M  2008  AM.  A personal favorite!

"KINKAJOU SHREW" TB 38" EM  2000  AM.  This large bloomer is an excellent grower.

"PEEKABOO ZEBU" TB 35" ML  2005 AM.  Ruffled, bright and cheery.

This seedling is sure to be a winner--I loved the new, exceptional color!

Exciting seedling!

 "GNU BLUES"  TB 36" M 1994 AM.  Lovely!

"BEWILDERBEAST" TB 30" EM  1995 HM. A favorite--goes with many color combinations. 

"GRIZZLY GOSLING" TB  36" M 2006--Exceptional color and form on this ruffled BC iris.

"IWAN'A IGUANA" TB  36"  M  2004 HM--Lights up the garden--a favorite of garden visitors.

"SPICED TIGER" TB  31" EM  1996  AM.  Dramatic!

"KILIMANJARO SUNRISE" TB  37" M HM  The first BC yellow/violet bicolor.

"QUAIL ALE" TB  37" EM  1996 HM.  Understated elegance on this light yellow beauty.

This radiant charmer stood out in the garden

"FLAMINGO GRINGO" TB  30" EM 2008.  Exciting in the garden!

"OCTOPI PI" TB  36"  ML  2012.  This plicata has  clean, bright orange standards.

A favorite--2013 introduction, "YETI AGAIN" TB 36" ML.  A sure winner!

"CHOCOLATE MOOSE" TB  37"  M  2003 HM.  Dramatic--a lovely clump.

"HOT DOGS AND MUSTARD" (Kathie Kasperek) TB  36"  M 1995  AM.  Kathie's creation works great in designs.

"BRADLEY BADGER" TB 34"  M  2013.  A favorite--Lights up the whole garden!

Brad's introductions have received many awards from the AIS judges, and last year he received The Founders of SIGNA Medal for "Z Z ZANZIBAR" and both "MEERKAT MANOR" (BB) and "PLUM DUCK" (Spec x) received Awards of Merit.  Also, "ORANGUTAN ORANGE" (TB) picked up an Honorable Mention. This year's introductions are exceptional as you can see by the pictures of 3 of my favorites:  "BRADLEY BADGER," YETI AGAIN," and "MINK PINK".

Whether you're a lover of broken color irises like me or not, you'll have to agree that the Kasperek  irises must be recognized as something relatively new and different in the iris world. I am grateful to Brad Kasperek for his passion, and for the countless hours and patience involved in hybridizing these unique flowers. I find them beautiful, and have a long wish list after visiting his iris garden. Whether in a clump or a single stem, they are very striking, making exciting attention-getters in the garden. I see many possibilities for companion plants and other irises that compliment their wonderful patterns and colors.

What do you like most about Broken Color irises?  Which is your favorite?

NOTE:  Look for part II of my visit to Zebra Iris Gardens, where I talk about Brad's hybridizing priority shift to spuria irises, and pictures of some award-winning spurias, as well as some of Brad's stunning seedlings!