The 2018 AIS Convention - Iris in Louisiana

by Jean Richter

The 2018 national convention of the American Iris Society was a unique experience. As it was held in New Orleans, Louisiana, where bearded iris do not grow happily, there were no bearded iris on display, either as guest iris hosted for the convention or otherwise in the convention gardens. This provided an unprecedented opportunity to focus on a type of iris that is usually not front and center at these events - the most common iris native to North America, the Louisiana iris.

The six convention gardens and associated area visits provided opportunities to see Louisiana iris in a variety of situations - in a working horticultural research station, an historic home and formal gardens, public gardens, naturalized settings, and in the wild.

Our first stop on the garden tours was the Greater New Orleans Iris Society's species preservation project, located near a bayou in suburban New Orleans.  A highlight of this visit was seeing all five of the native Louisiana iris species.

The most rare of the Louisiana iris species is Iris nelsonii, found in only a few small areas of Louisiana.

Iris nelsonii

Very similar to nelsonii but smaller and much more widespread is Iris fulva.

Iris fulva

Iris brevicaulis is one of the most widespread species, occurring from Louisiana to Canada.

Iris brevicaulis

Iris hexagona is found primarily in Florida and nearby states.

Iris hexagona

Iris giganticerulea is quite common in Louisiana and neighboring states.

Iris giganticerulea

Our next destination was Longue Vue, an historic estate with numerous formal gardens. There were plenty of Louisiana iris among these gardens, including one named for the location: Longue Vue (Haymon 2000).

'Longue Vue' (Haymon 2000)

Our next stop was the New Orleans City Park Sculpture Garden, which also featured the first set of guest iris plantings. A highlight at this garden was Watermelon Wizard (H. Nichols 2011), which later won the Franklin Cook Cup for best out-of-region iris at the convention.

'Watermelon Wizard' (H. Nichols 2011)

Nearby was the New Orleans Botanical Garden, which among many other exhibits featured an outstanding cactus collection and orchid display.

Orchids at the New Orleans Botanical Garden

The second day of our Louisiana iris adventure found us crossing the 24-mile-long causeway across Lake Pontchartrain to A Louisiana Pond, a neighborhood garden project of Louisiana iris planted at the edge of a flood prevention pond. One of the beds around the pond features an area devoted to the introductions of local hybridizer Patrick O'Connor. This planting also featured another iris native to the area, Iris virginica.

Iris virginica

Iris giganticerulea was also putting on a lovely display near the pond.

Iris giganticerulea

Our next stop was the Hammond Research Station. First established as the Fruit and Truck Experiment Station to serve the strawberry and vegetable industries in the region, the facility currently focuses on landscape horticulture. The Greater New Orleans Iris Society partnered with the station to develop a collection of Louisiana iris on the grounds. Guest iris on display included Patrick O'Connor's House of Blues.

 'House of Blues'

The third day of garden tours found us on the road to Baton Rouge. Our first stop was the Burden Museum and Gardens, an open-air museum dedicated to rural life in bygone times, with many historic buildings depicting everyday life on the Burden plantation. Of great interest to many convention-goers was the walking tour of the nearby swamp, with an opportunity to observe Louisiana iris in their native habitat.

 The last garden on the tour was the Baton Rouge Botanic Garden, which features an Iris Pavilion among its many plantings. One standout guest iris here was Acadian Sky (Musacchia 2017), which went on to win the President's Cup for best in-region guest iris.

'Acadian Sky' (Musacchia 2017)

All in all, it was an excellent convention. I have a greater appreciation for Louisiana iris now, and would certainly return if another AIS convention was held there in the future. Kudos to the convention organizers!

California Dreaming 1--Nola's

By Bryce Williamson

Silicon Valley is, of course, a major metropolitan area and the days of good specialty nurseries have passed in fond memory with land in the valley too valuable for that use. I can and may get nostalgic at a later time about the time when the valley supported a fuchsia nursery, a couple for roses, one for camellias, another for azaleas, and regular good full line garden centers, in addition to supporting at least one or two iris gardens for the walk-in customers, or what we call the “carriage trade.”

George Sutton's 'Coral Point'

However, not all is lost. Turning from the freeway onto Berryessa Road in East San Jose and then left on Piedmont and finally right onto Sierra, a short jaunt up the winding and twisting road leads to the area’s last major iris nursery: Nola’s, part of the Prevost Ranch and Gardens. Along with acres of irises, the Prevost Ranch has 40 head of cattle and horses. It is, as in the case of any trip into the Mount Diablo Mountains, a quick time travel back to a different time and place away from the hustle and bustle of Silicon Valley.

 Nola with Phil Williams from Eagleville, Tennessee

Nola’s Iris Garden is a throwback to different era of iris growing in another way—spread out of several acres and subdivided into rooms, the plants are grown in clumps and drifts. Unlike many current purveyors of irises who dig and replant everything every year, Nola allow her irises to develop into clumps and that can make for a spectacular spring display as the flowering plants run up and down the hillsides.

If Nola’s is unique in the valley in the ways mentioned, it is also unique in another: it is one of the last iris gardens in the US that carries thousands of varieties. If you are looking for something unique or hard to find, this is the place to start.

I was pleased with the large clump of 'Jesse's Song'

Nola’s takes iris orders online. You can find their online catalogue at http://www.walking-p-bar.com/shopsite/.

In the Dykes Winner bed, 'Star Woman' was coming into good bloom.

Prevost Ranch and Gardens - Bearded Irises

4195 Sierra Road San Jose, CA 95132

Phone: 408-258-2611

E-Mail: orders@walking-p-bar.com

More Reblooming Irises From Eastern Hybridizers

By Ginny Spoon

Many of us would love to have a fall bloom of irises like the one in the spring; however, I find it a bit more relaxing to see them in the autumn. In spring we seem to be always in a hurry, getting the beds weeded, seeing visitors, going to a meeting or just having garden flower overload. Below is photo of our garden in the spring. The beds in the foreground are the reblooming beds and in the fall there are many of them in bloom.

Don Spoon and Perry Dyer at Winterberry Gardens in May--photo by Ginny Spoon

In my last blog I mentioned hybridizers in the east who have introduced varieties that rebloom well in cold climates. Sterling Innerst, a Region 3 hybridizer who has passed away now, but left us with some beautiful cold climate reblooming irises, is one many of us remember fondly. Some of my favorite Innerst rebloomers include 'Again and Again', 'Lunar Whitewash', 'Twice Delightful', 'Over and Over' and 'Colorwatch'. 

   'Again and Again'--photo by Ginny Spoon 

   'Over and Over'--photo by Ginny Spoon

Another eastern hybridizer from Region 3, Joan Roberts, who has her garden in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, has also introduced some beautiful reblooming irises. We grow many of hers, including 'Nine Eleven Remembered', 'Amazing With Grace', and 'I Repeat'. 

'Nine Eleven Remembered'--photo by Ginny Spoon

'Amazing With Grace'--photo by Ginny Spoon

One of our own Region 4 hybridizers, J. Griffin Crump, who has his garden in Alexandria, Virginia, has introduced some reliable and lovely cold climate reblooming irises. We grow many of his including "Stealth Fighter', 'Haunting', and 'Autumn Nectar'.

 'Stealth Fighter'--photo by Ginny Spoon

'Autumn Nectar'--photo by Ginny Spoon

'Haunting'--photo by Ginny Spoon

Our Region 4 most remembered and beloved hybridizer and champion for rebloom, Lloyd Zurbrigg, who is now hybridizing with the angels, has perhaps introduced the most cold climate rebloomers. His last introduction, 'Gate of Heaven' is my favorite. 'Immortality', 'Harvest of Memories', and standard dwarf 'Baby Blessed' are probably his most well known.

'Gate of Heaven'--photo by Ginny Spoon

'Immortality'--photo by Ginny Spoon

We are thankful to another of our Region 4 hybridizers, Mike Lockatell of Central Virginia, who saved many of Zurbrigg's seedlings. Mike has introduced some amazing rebloomers of his own. 'Metro Blue and 'Double Dare' are two that we grow.

'Metro Blue' (Gate of Heaven X Daughter of Stars) photo Wiki

Quest for Pink I. ensata

by Chad Harris

The quest for a strong pink Iris ensata has been a breeding goal for many modern hybridizers. The Iris ensata pink is a pastel violet as there are only three colors found with this iris to work with; violet-blue, violet-red, and Alba (white). This color is most notable in the iris garden when compared to a true pink rose seen side by side with the iris.

Many problems with this color line are plaguing us due to previous breeding’s in Japan; most evident is from the Ise line. This line of breeding has given us good clear pastel pink tones. However, the plants were bred to be shorter with their blooms lower than the foliage height. The flower form of the Ise style also is problematic with drooping falls found normally with very little substance.

A row of seedlings all blooming down in the foliage

 A more modern hybridizer of Japan that worked with pinks gave us some bright colored flowers with substance. However his selection of plants has given us a stumbling block of poor plant performance, by purposely selecting weaker plants. As there were no records kept, no one knows why he did this.

Many hybridizers in the United States have recently introduced clearer pinks with strong growth habits, displaying the blooms above the foliage. I regret not showing photos of these at this time as they are still in the American Iris Society’s award system.

The following are some older pink iris’ that can be readily found on the open market for your garden.  Many are the same that I started with in my own breeding program over thirty-five years ago with a quest for pink. Which is your favorite?

 'Coho' (Harris 2005)

 'Dirigo Pink Milestone' (White 2000)

 'Geishunka' (Mitsuda Reg. by SJI 1995)

 'Hime Kagami' (Hirao 1976)

 'Honour' (McEwen 2001)

 'Joy Peters' (Ackerman1990)

'Joy Peters' (Ackerman1990)

'Pink Dimity' (Reid 1987)

 'Pinkerton' (Bauer-Coble 1999)

 'Reisyun' (Shimizu 1996)

 'Saigyozakura' (Mitsuda 1986)

Satozakura (Kamo 1993)

All images by Chad Harris

Aril Trek 2018!

by Tom Waters

'Point Well Taken' (McAllister, 1998)
at the Pountney garden

On April 6 and 7, aril and arilbred enthusiasts from parts far and wide converged on Las Cruces, New Mexico, to enjoy each other's company and an astonishing array of arilbreds in bloom.

The Aril Trek was a joint undertaking of the Aril Society International and the Mesilla Valley Iris Society, and the arrangements were all excellent and smoothly executed.

A labyrinth patterned after the one at Chartres Cathedral,
in Howard Dash's garden

Friday evening registration was followed an educational session of "aril bingo" and a panel discussion with Dell Perry, Pete McGrath, Rick Tasco, Perry Dyer, and (much to my surprise) yours truly.

'New Vision' (Tasco, 2012)
at the Dash garden

At the Wilson Garden

The heart of the weekend was four garden tours on Saturday: the small but beautifully designed Pountney garden in the residential Tortugas area south of Las Cruces, the expansive Dash garden high in the West Mesa desert, the glorious Wilson Garden north of the city, with row upon abundant row of perfectly grown irises of many types, and the delightfully ornamented Ayres garden, northeast of the city.

The timing seemed perfect for arilbreds, with both halfbreds and quarterbreds apparently near peak bloom, amidst late medians and early TBs. I got to see many old and new cultivars in bloom that I have not grown myself. It was also rewarding to see such fine arilbred performance in gardens with such different growing conditions: desert sand to river-valley clay, cool verdant niches to sites exposed to the full sun, wind, and temperature extremes of southern New Mexico.

'Dubai' (Johnson, 2013)
at the Wilson Garden

Saturday afternoon featured informative judges training led by Dell Perry (who took us through the intricacies of aril and arilbred classification and characteristics with verve and expertise) and Perry Dyer (who applied his experience and keen eye to show how to look at these varied plants in the garden). Yes, I did pass the test at the end!

'Gideon's Lamp' (McGrath, 2004)
at the Wilson Garden

At the Saturday night dinner, keynote speaker Pete McGrath amazed us all with slides of startlingly beautiful pure aril hybrids and tantalizing arilbred seedlings from his continuing effort to bring bolder veining into this group. Pete's talk was also a story of his experience with aril and arilbred irises, full of deep disappointments and unexpected rewards, and always coming back to the personal dimension: the people and relationships that affected him and his work, often in profound ways.

'Mean Mr. Mustard' (McGrath, 2010)
at the Ayres garden

It was a great weekend. I particularly enjoyed renewing old acquaintances in the iris world, and meeting other new friends I had only known on line. If you are an iris lover, but not sure if you can manage the time and expense of attending a national convention, regional and special-interest gatherings such as the Aril Trek are a comfortable and rewarding way to see some beautiful iris gardens and meet many wonderful people!

Spurias in Oregon - Part I

By Kevin Vaughn

2017 was not the best iris year in Oregon. Our rainy season was a VERY rainy season, with over 45” of rain from October-April. Bearded irises that appreciate dry weather were not at all happy and a bed of Pacific Coast Natives were virtually wiped out after being flooded. The spurias were another story. In spite of the rain, the bloom on the spurias was especially good and every plant bloomed almost in excess, making up for their bearded cousins.

Spuria iris seedling by Kevin Vaughn (photo by the hybridizer)

For example, several years ago I planted 8 cultivars in a bed bordering a huge Douglas fir stump, in an effort to obscure this stump. It worked like a charm and I defy you to see the stump now and there were close to 100 stalks in that very small garden.

As much as I enjoy growing irises, hybridizing is my raison d’etre. I can’t help but look at a plant and not think of a way in which to improve it. Before I left MS, I was crossing a lot with my spuria ‘Banned in Boston’. It had lots of qualities I like in a spuria as the blooms are wide and the strong striping of dark purple on the falls is very distinct. The stalk is wonderful as the blooms open nicely with no crowding and all the flowers open well. The last year in MS, I crossed ‘Banned in Boston’ with ‘Destination’ and ‘Missouri Orange’, hoping to get a spuria with the basic color of ‘Banned in Boston’ but with a large orange signal to contrast with the purple striping. These seedlings bloomed in ’13 and ’14 and were a fairly motley bunch, mostly sort of dirtied purples and bronzes. Sometimes hybridizers have to hold their noses and make a cross that doesn’t look that good to the eye, but you know has “wonderful genes”.

Spuria iris seedling by Kevin Vaughn (photo by the hybridizer)

So, I dutifully crossed the best flower from each of the two groups of ‘Banned in Boston’ X orange crosses in ’14 and ’15. Most of these seedling bloomed this spring and although I didn’t get the planned-for ‘Banned in Boston’ with orange signal, what came out was a very nice crop of brown spurias with stripes of brown on an orange background. Although most of the seedlings had striping only on the falls, a number of the seedlings also had striping on the standards as well as the falls. This pattern had occurred in some of the other colors of ‘Banned in Boston’ seedlings but it seemed especially striking on these brown over orange combinations.

To be continued on Part II...

From the Editor: This article first appeared in Spuria News, the bi-annual newsletter by the Spuria Irises Society. Reprinted by permission of the author. The Spuria Iris Society is a section of The American Iris Society, and is dedicated to expanding the public's knowledge of spuria iris. For more information about growing spuria irises and/or becoming a member of the society please visit their website.