"Talking Irises" GARDEN MAGIC FILLS MY SOUL-The Irises of Kat Zalewska

By Susanne Holland Spicker

"WELCOME TO MY GARDEN" 

The Irises of Kat Zalewska

'HAZELBRAE' (Zalewska 2015)

If you're not familiar with award-winning iris hybridizer Katarzyna "Kat" Zalewska, it is my pleasure to introduce her to you.  When I first saw the magic of her beautiful iris garden, I wanted to share her video with our AIS blog readers. She has graciously agreed.

Kat lives in the English Midlands, in the county of Staffordshire and is proud of the fact that she is the first Polish female iris hybridizer since before the second world war. Kat says that hybridizing is her true love and passion. Her iris garden has approximately 600 varieties of tall bearded irises (TB) and more than 100 dwarf bearded (DB) varieties.

Kat Zalewska seedling 18-13-KZ-B

She says she was hooked when she received her first iris from a neighbor. It wasn't long before she "realized how many varieties there were" and her "interest in botany took hold." She says, "After my first stuttering attempt, I became completely focused on creating my own varieties." 

'PEAR IN WHISKEY' (Zalewska 2016)

Her first crossings were in 2012. However, she says that this "first attempt was not too successful," as most of her "seed pods were damaged in a thunderstorm."  It is not uncommon for her to spend months trying to come to a decision for a suitable name for her cultivars. However, being inspired by both history and her travels, "sometimes a name will spring to mind" as soon as she sees a variety bloom for the first time.

                  'WANILIOWE JEZIORO' (Zalewska 2015)

In the last two years she has registered 11 cultivars. The number of seedlings she has hybridized in the past two years, however, has been a few thousand, a number of which she is still assessing. 

Kat Zalewska seedling

Even though she has "become more interested in crossing dwarf bearded varieties as each year passes, she mainly focuses on hybridizing tall bearded irises.  

Kat Zalewska Seedling 18-13-KZ-D

As yet, Kat has not exported any cultivars beyond the European Union, and currently, there are no growers in the USA, but she would "very much like that to happen," as would I!

                     'VIOLET VENUS' (Zalewska 2015)

As a gifted photographer, Kat's irises provide her with wonderful subject material. The British weather is very temperamental, so the best time to take photos is dictated by that rather than the time of day. She has an old Lumix camera, which, as she states, "serves its purpose." She commissioned a talented young director to produce the beautiful iris garden video that begins this article.

'CRYSTAL CREEK' (Zalewska 2016)

She writes: "A number of hybridizers concentrate on specific characteristics of irises and this heavily influences the fruits of their work. I recognize that different regions have different tastes and I try and embrace this.

Kat Zalewska seedling

Someone once said, "I'm so glad I live in a world where there are gardens."  I wholeheartedly agree, and as a fan of Kat's garden and her stunning iris cultivars, I am hopeful some of her beautiful flowers will make it to the United States.  In the mean time, I look forward to viewing her exceptional flowers on various Facebook groups featuring irises, or on her website: 
www.Irisland.eu where more information about her and her hybridizing program can be found.

Kat Zalewska seedling 

Thank you, Kat, for sharing your spectacular iris garden and giving us the opportunity of getting to know you better. Your passion for hybridizing has helped to make the world more beautiful.

Kat Zalewska seedling

If you have any questions or comments for Kat, I'm sure she'd love to hear from you! Leave your comments or questions here and she'll respond.  

2014 Dykes Medal Winner: MTB 'Dividing Line' by Chuck Bunnell

By Andi Rivarola

If I offered proof that I've been following the work of Chuck Bunnell, and in particular the many lives of MTB (Miniature Tall Bearded iris) 'Dividing Line,' would you believe it? 

'Dividing Line' at the 2006 Portland National Convention

Well, believe it or not, that is the case. I say the many lives because I have encountered it in several locations growing and blooming so happily that I stopped taking pictures of it, I must regret. I'm such a fool!

Besides having seen this gorgeous little Bunnell creation at several of the AIS National conventions the last few years, I also grow another of his MTBs, 'Missus Bee' with great success. May I remind you that it's very rare to grow any MTBs at all in the Mediterranean weather of Southern California where I live?

I first encountered 'Dividing Line' blooming profusely in rainy Portland during the 2006 National Convention. It's form caught my attention from the start, different from other MTBs and with triangulated edges; the quantity of blooms and bloom stalks also made it very attractive. And, I was intrigued by the vertical line across its falls. Who would have known?

'Dividing Line' at the 2006 Portland National Convention

So, it is with great pleasure that I say: Congratulations Mr. Chuck Bunnell for winning this year's Dykes Medal with beautiful 'Dividing Line,' a little iris that could.

Chuck Bunnell at the  Stanton Gardens of the 2012 Ontario National Convention

The entire list of Award Winners for this year can be found on our website: 2014 AIS Awards.

And, for a fantastic and more expanded list with links and images, visit The AIS Encyclopedia: 2014 Awards at the Iris Encyclopedia. 

Sampling Hybridizers: My Favorite Photos of Louisiana Irises Part III

By Ron Killingsworth

'Mississippi Eavesdropper' (Peter Jackson, 2011)

There are many species of irises throughout the world, and you can learn more about all of them by visiting the web site of The American Iris Society.  Our discussion today is limited to Louisiana irises, and you can quickly learn more about Louisiana irises by visiting the web pages of The Society for Louisiana Irises.

Peter Jackson of Australia has produced many beautiful Louisiana irises. 'Mississippi Eavesdropper' is certainly a great example of his work.  This flower form is very uncommon in modern Louisiana iris hybrids.  The yellow style arms standing tall matched by the same color halo around the petals makes this one of my favorite pictures and favorite irises!

'Montegut' (Joe Musacchia - 2010)

Joe Musacchia lives below New Orleans and if you pass his home you drive into the Gulf of Mexico.  Joe has recovered from several horrible hurricanes and now more and more of his hybrids are appearing each year.

'Miss Gertie's Bonnet' (Dormon Haymon, 1999)

Dormon lives south of Lafayette, LA, and although he is not active in hybridizing today, he produced many beautiful irises in the past.  This iris continues to be one of my favorites -- a beautiful iris -- a beautiful picture -- a beautiful name.  What more could you want?

'Nancy Tichborne' (Bernard Pryor, 2010)

Heather and Bernard Pryor of Australia have hybridized and introduced many award winning Louisiana irises.  I love this iris because of the yellow style arms, the green coloring at the throat of the style arms, the matching signals on all petals and the ruffling on the petals.  The color is very pleasing.

'Our Dorothy' (Bernard Pryor, 1997)

Another beautiful iris well photographed.  This iris is the pod parent or pollen parent in many recent hybrids.  It passes on some really great genes.  It remains one of my favorite Louisiana irises from year to year.

'Seminole Sunrise' (Harry Wolford, 2004)

Harry Wolford lives in Palm Bay, FL, after retiring from Ohio.  This iris is one of several in Harry's "Seminole" series and is a great garden iris with very beautiful colors.

'Shizuoka Sunrise' (Pat O'Connor, 2001)

Pat O'Connor lives in Metairie, LA, a northern suburb of New Orleans, and has produced some really wonderful irises -- most named for Louisiana landmarks.  This iris is obviously an exception to Pat's habit of naming his irises with distinctive Louisiana names.  If you want a red one, this is the one for you! 

'Starlite Starbrite' (Marvin Granger, 1985)

One of many "doubles" produced by Marvin Granger of south Louisiana.  It is my favorite double and even though it has been around quite a while, it continues to win blue ribbons and even "Queen of Show" when entered in iris shows.

'Tarnished Brass' (Frank Chowning, 1961)

Frank Chowning, Little Rock, AR, produced many hybrids during the 50's and 60's.  He liked to produce Louisiana irises that were particularly suited to colder climates.  This iris has a distinctive color and although it has the flower form of the older spidery type, it continues to be a favorite among Louisiana iris growers throughout the world.

'Twisted Sister' (Pat O'Connor, 2003)

Registered as "form twisted and fluted, stands erect", this flower is really different!  It usually lives up to its name and the "stands stand up -- falls fall down" form is one of my favorite forms.

'Wild Cajun' (Henry Rowlan, 1989)

Henry Rowlan, of north Arkansas, hybridized many irises and I love this one because of the red color and the wonderful name. 

'Word of Warning' (Heather Pryor, 2003)

Another great iris by Heather from "down under".  It has such striking signals and coordinated colors! It has 'Our Dorothy' as a parent.

I hope you have enjoyed some of these well photographed pictures of beautiful irises.  Grab that camera during bloom season and get out there and take some award winners of your own!

Jim McWhirter: An Iris Eye for Style

By Bryce Williamson  

When iris season starts, as it is about to do in Northern California, I find I miss Jim McWhirter not only for his stylish irises, but even more because he was so much fun.  He not only had an eye for good irises, but also for decorating and collecting. He helped me to become me addicted to collecting iris artifacts, though I never had the luck he had in discovering wonderful antiques with iris motifs.

Jim McWhirter and his partner, Don Denney, first appeared at a Spring Regional Convention in 1972. They had become interested in irises and, in the company of Frances and Larry Gaulter and Vi and Walt Luihn, came down for the Sunday events at the meeting. Soon thereafter, they found a delightful old Victorian cottage on acreage in Hayward where they could grow irises. They revived the name Cottage Gardens, which had been first used by Ethel and George Johnson.  By the 1978 National, they had seedlings ready for introduction. At that meeting, the AIS was introduced to Jim McWhirter's iris eye for style.

Jim's first truly famous introduction was 'Tequila Sunrise', a cross of Plough's 'Amigo's Guitar' to a Gaulter seedling (Jim's connection to the Gaulters would last the lifetimes of Larry and Frances).

'Tequila Sunrise'

Jim's first big award winner with the aptly named 'Brandy' from the wide cross of 'Warlord' and 'Pink Sleigh'. It would go on to win an Award of Merit and was on the Dykes runner-ups list as long as it was eligible. Other hybridizers would appreciate the diverse genetic makeup of 'Brandy' and used it in hybridizing.

'Brandy"

Cottage Gardens would later move to Sebastopol.  But Sebastopol, despite the connection to Luther Burbank, proved to be a poor place to grow irises and threw Jim's hybridizing off.   As a result, he moved to Wilton for the superior climate, and released a wide blue-white out of Opal Brown's 'Light Fantastic' X to Larry Gaulter’s 'Carriage Trade'. Jim had the seedling for many years—we had all long admired its wonderful ruffled and wide form—but Jim had keep it back from commerce due to its tight branching. He finally released it as 'Winterscape', a name I suggested to him. That was a wise move, as the tight branching did not pass to its children and 'Winterscape' became a wonderful parent for others, including hybridizers Duane Meek and Joe Gatty.

"Winterscape'

By the time of his death, Jim was becoming increasingly interested in whites and blues. 'America's Cup' was an Award of Merit winner for him and I still grow two of his later whites, 'Helen Cochran' and 'Mother Marshmallow'. By that point, Cottage Gardens had moved into the old Keppel garden in Stockton and was called Stockton Gardens.

'America's Cup'

I always liked his 'Great Gatsby', even better than 'World Premier', and continue to grow it for its velvet finished falls.

"Great Gatsby"

Once a hybridizer dies, their irises often fall out of commerce.  Jim's irises are no exception. Every once and a while, though, I find 'Tequila Sunrise' listed in general garden catalogues or in the the boxes of irises that magically appear in the local nurseries in August.  Sadly, I can't find a single garden still listing the metallic violet 'Holly Golightly' (Jim had wanted to name it Elizabeth Taylor, but Taylor wanted money for the right to use her name).

'Holly Golightly'

Aside from his own hybridizing program, Jim also selected Don Denney's last introductions. As a matter of fact,  Jim and Abram Feuerstein took on the last of the Gaulter seedlings and released the last Gaulter introduction, 'Alexander's Ragtime Band', which went on to win an Award of Merit. It's a shame that Jim died so early, for I'm certain that when Virginia Messick passed on, there were still some seedlings worthy of introduction, and if Jim had lived, he would have used his eye for style to find, name, and introduce them.  I miss Jim for his fun personality and for his iris eye for style, and I am happy to have his irises to remember him by.

Extreme Hybridizing with Margie Valenzuela

By Renee Fraser

Anyone who googles for irises or visits the popular gardening site Dave's Garden is familiar with Margie Valenzuela's photographs of irises.  She has spent countless hours photographing, commenting on, and posting thousands of her exceptional photographs for the benefit of complete strangers all across the Internet.  She typifies the democratic promise of this new technology and the selflessness of its best contributors. The American Iris Society World of Irises is proud to welcome her to its team of guest bloggers.  Look for her first post in March.  Meanwhile, let's continue our series of posts on avocational hybridizers and their very favorite iris introductions with Margie's work.

Although it is hard to believe by looking at her, Margie Valenzuela  began growing irises 33 years ago.  (At age 10, In the early 1960’s, she won the JFK Physical Fitness Award.  It still shows.) After she moved into her first home, she got a lovely surprise:  two purple and white flowers bloomed that spring.  Then one fateful day she walked into a shopping mall smack-dab into hundreds of irises of every imaginable color.  She was smitten by the iris virus, and determined to create new colors and patterns of irises. She began dabbing pollen in 1996; saw her first seedlings bloom in 1998; and introduced her first iris in 2007.

Growing irises is quite a perilous undertaking even under normal circumstances, but Margie takes it to a new level.  She grows the irises in her backyard and the adjoining steep hill, which are infested with rattlesnakes, coyotes, the occasional jaguar or mountain lion, scorpions,  javelina (wild pigs), and -if she's out at night- tarantulas.  Not to mention the wily wabbits!

She lives in Arizona, near the border with Mexico, where the climate is desert-like and dry most of the year, except for a few months of the summer during the monsoons.  Over the last few years the monsoons brought high humidity and higher temperatures as well as the afternoon thunderstorms, so Margie faces  extreme climates with extreme temperatures: 117 degrees for highs, and as low as 15 degrees without snow for lows.  As you might imagine, it's a challenge to keep irises alive at all.

Margie has a hard time choosing her favorite iris introductions.  Many have outstanding growth, great patterns, interesting and unique qualities, and a few are dependable rebloomers.  She was willing to close her eyes and choose a few for the purpose of this article, though, and starts off her list with 'Grand Canyon Gold', which has the 4-4-4 factor of 4 standards, 4 falls, and 4 beards evenly and properly spaced on the top flower of each stalk.  Consistently!  She notes "there’s never an odd number:  that top bud (if it’s displayed) is always in 4’s.  A clump of these is quite impressive.  I’ve discovered this trait shows up best in the plant if the rhizomes are planted in virgin soil, and/or in soil that is fertilized often. Weather conditions do not seem to matter."

'Grand Canyon Gold' 2007

Margie cheats a little here- her second choice is her plicatas as a group.  She says "the variety of plicatas that one can create is amazing!  Every one I’ve introduced is stunning in its own way: all are vigorous, dependable, and have great branching."

'Easter Wonder' 2008

'Birthday Magic' 2009

'Hidden Gem'  2009

'Vance George' 2010

With 'Calizona Gold' Margie honored the recent American Iris Society Convention of the same name.  "It’s so bright and bold that it’s a beacon of light in the garden.  It also has the 'lines and speckles' pattern in red which enhances the flower.  Substance on this flower is so stiff that it keeps its shape without any ‘melting’ in 100 degree heat. Great branching, great vigor, nice ruffles on semi-flaring falls."

'Calizona Gold'  2012

Margie's final choice is  'My Little Wagon', a near-red with hints of orange.  "It has the common form, yet it is so vibrant in the garden, year after year, and so vigorous. It has a way of drawing attention to itself and it knows how to put on a show." 

'My Little Wagon'  2012

Margie says that 2013 is a great year for her: "My introductions were not what I wanted... they were more than I had hoped for!"  

'Sunrise at Dawn' 2013

'Healthy Living' 2013

What does the future hold?  Margie enjoys making ‘wide crosses’ (crosses between plants that are not closely related),  "though I do plan my crosses with much thought. Too often an unexpected color pattern, or depth of color, or moving color happens by chance.  Some ultimately don’t make the cut, and some reselects can’t deal with the excess of desert critters and temperature extremes here to survive to introduction.  I look for uniqueness, vigor, form, substance, branching (in most cases), and overall good health of the plant.  I do have a few goals, but I keep those to myself, that way if I don’t ever achieve my goals, no one will know but me!"

With her angelic personality and deeply held religious beliefs, Margie is quite suitably considering taking up the harp.  If she learns to play nearly as well as she hybridizes, there will be a little more heaven on earth.

Iris Gardens on San Jose's Bird Avenue

By Bryce Williamson


The history of selling irises to the public in the Santa Clara Valley has a long and illustrious past. There have always been gardens selling irises here.  When I first joined the Clara B. Rees Iris Society, Faye and Othellia Scofield gardened in East San Jose selling irises and herbaceous peonies.  (I was remiss in not learning how they were able to grow peonies, and  all of my efforts have been expensive failures.) By the time I became fully involved in irises, most of the serious iris gardens were found on Bird Avenue in the Willow Glen area.

Clara and Ruth Rees had been growing irises on Bird Avenue since the 1930's and it became a natural extension for Ruth to sell to the public. For many years, her collection of 6 pinks for $5.00 for a standard ad in the San Jose Mercury News around Mother's Day. To get to the gardens, we walked through the small back yard and through a gate with its towering old rose bush. The garden was divided into a series of rooms separated by lattice work. That had the advantage of adding an element of surprise--fixed firmly in my mind is the day I walked beyond one room and into the next, to find a beautiful stalk of 'Swan Ballet'.

To the south was the “field.” Unlike today when most commercial growers reset all their plants each year, varieties in the Rees garden were grown in clumps—here was my first viewing of such classic irises as 'Cliffs of Dover', 'Amigo', and there was always a drift of 'Snow Flurry' in the garden.

'Cliffs of Dover'

'Snow Flurry'

'Amigo'

Rees creations include these two irises:

'Light and Lovely' Rees

'Waltzing' Rees 

Bernice Roe was a late addition to Bird Avenue. While the Rees business was mainly carriage trade, Bernice, in my memory, only advertised once for local business and relied on her catalog instead. At one time she sold irises, chrysanthemums, and geraniums on King Road in East San Jose. I've been told that one of her red chrysanthemums was widely used and is a foundation parent for many red varieties in commerce today.  She hybridized some real beauties.

'Soft Contrast' Roe

'Velvet Morning' Roe

Bernice's Bird Avenue house was a gem—apparently built by a craftsman, it had a full basement and attic and special features including windows that dropped out of sight and finish boards that hinged over the unsightly casements. Bernice was always interested in all types of irises—her very good collection of Spurias were against the fences.  She was always finding some new and exotic plant for her yard.

'Fountainflow' Roe

The final iris garden on Bird Avenue was Bill Maryott and Marilyn Harlow's place. Bill purchased one deep lot south of the Rees place and the house next door that had been the Rees field. In many ways, Bill's nursery was the most successful carriage trade garden ever in the valley. Around Mother's Day, cars and visitors would clog the streets for blocks around the garden. Bill, in his limited space, was able to create lovely irises. Bill wisely realized the potential of Knopf's 'West Coast' and used it with great success in creating his oranges. Personally I think his orange line will be his most enduring legacy to the iris world, although 'That's All Folks' has been his biggest award winner.  Bill relocated first to Freedom, California, and then went on to make a successful transition from iris to daylily hybridizing.

'That's All Folks' Maryott Photo by Betty Jacobs

Spring in Maryott's Garden

'Guadalupe' Maryott

'Corona Gold' Maryott

'Pure As Gold' Maryott

Recently I took a ride down memory lane on Bird Avenue. The Rees home is gone, though Bill and Marilyn's house is still there. What was once iris fields has become Iris Court, a street of million dollar homes, and one of the models is called 'Snow Flurry'. Bernice's old house remains, much to my delight, but the backyard has been paved over.  The railroad tracks that ran along the western back of the Maryott-Harlow and Rees properties have been pulled up and there is debate as to what to do with the narrow strip of land. One suggestion has was to turn it into an urban linear parkway with a path for exercise and biking and connect it to the larger trail system that now stretched from Morgan Hill to the bay. Wouldn't it be nice if irises were planted there?

The carriage trade sales of irises have now shifted to the eastern foothills where Nola's Iris Garden is located. Here are the last places in the increasing dense Valley of Heart's Delight where there is room to have a large iris garden.

Nola's Iris Garden in the rolling foothills

If you visit the Willow Glen area and drive past Bird Avenue, close your eyes and imagine the iris farms that used to grace the area.  Perhaps if you concentrate enough, you will smell the perfume that used to waft in the air.