ROAD RAGE (T. Johnson ’23)
Early 13” (33cm)
Sweet fragrance. Brilliant gold standards. Falls have medium gold ground with a heavily dotted and stitched red violet plicata haft and narrow petal edge. Huge near red beards are intensely saturated. Fantastic wide, round, and ruffled form on nice stems carrying three buds. Sdlg. TL298B: Alaia X Twitter Bug.

SWEET BABY JANE (T. Johnson ’23)
SDB Early 11” (28cm)
Musky fragrance. Brilliant gold standards with maroon infusions in the centers. Falls have a canary yellow ground with a near solid wide deep wine plicata band and random dots and stripes below the orange beards. Sdlg. TL299B: Lava Burst sib.

CATCH PHRASE (T. Johnson ’23)
TB Early-midseason 36” (91.5cm)
Sweet fragrance. Icy blue white standards with green veins in the center. Falls are white with a lavender rim. Inside the rim are random violet dots. The hafts have deep violet lines and there is a center line of violet below the beard. Beards are white with orange hair tips. A beautiful take on a purple and white plicata. An easy grower with show stems and gorgeous form. We like! Sdlg. TL46A: High Desert X Mixed Feelings.

EVENING STROLL (T. Johnson ’23)
TB Midseason 37” (94cm)
Sweet fragrance. White ground standards are heavily overlaid deep blue purple with a deep plum to near black band. Falls are white with an inner band of deep blue purple dots and a more solid outer band of deep plum. The beard is an unusual blend with the hairs being blue purple at the base then white and finally yellow at the tips creating quite a complex treat. Evening Stroll has finally broken the link between shorter stature and lower bud count in the deep purple-black plicata lines. Seven to nine buds on tall well branched stalks are the norm. Sdlg. TJ145A: One That I Want X High Desert.

LOVELY LIVVY (T. Johnson ’23)
TB early-midseason 35” (89cm)
Lightly scented. LOVELY LIVVY (T. Johnson ’23) TB early-midseason 35” (89cm) Lightly scented. This gorgeous iris is named to honor the late great Olivia Newton-John. Olivia was not only a very talented celebrity but she was a gorgeous human being. Although I never met her, I certainly followed her career and life. Always a kind, warm and loving person, she never acted the celebrity, taking time to acknowledge all who came upon her. She courageously fought breast cancer in an out of remission for 20 years. Never one to complain she always looked on the positive side of things. The latter part of her life was dedicated to finding a cure for Cancer. She founded the Oliva Newton-John Cancer And Wellness Centre In Melbourne, Australia, the country she called home. Here she tirelessly raised money to support cancer research using plant-based treatments. Lovely Livvy was the pet name the media used throughout Olivia’s life to describe her. The iris we have chosen to honor her kind of named itself. Firstly, it is pink, the color of breast cancer awareness. On top of that, I made the cross in the garden of Barry and Lesley Blyth (using two of Barry’s seedlings), who live only miles from where Olivia grew up. Lovely Livvy is an extraordinary and unique creation in a color combination that has not yet been seen in iris until now. White standards are flushed pink. Falls are a deeper rose pink with a gorgeous ruffled white band. Olivia with her kind and generous heart inspired me to do my part, so I donated a portion of the proceeds of each plant sold in its introductory year (2023) to her Cancer research centre in Australia. Sdlg. TJ335B: X267-12 (U232-1: (S290-3: Raise the Curtain x Another Woman) x (S69-1: (02-185c: Restless Heart x Queen’s Circle) x (02-191B: Tour De France x Rippling River))) x Bashful Love. X Walk Right Back pod parent.

PROPENSITY (T. Johnson ’23)
TB Midseason-late 36” (91.5cm)
Light sweet fragrance. Milky white standards are flushed light lemon in the center and at the petal edges. Falls are a rich lavender violet overlaid with a deep red violet spot that blends out to a light flesh pink edge. I have a bit of a soft spot for this sort of pattern and the application of the color is so good on Propensity. It doesn’t hurt that it has beautiful wide ruffled form on nice stems either. Sdlg. TL40C: Espionage X Dressed To The Nines.

SECRET CHORD (T. Johnson ’23)
TB Midseason 35” (89cm)
Light fragrance. The color of Secret Chord is hard to describe but here we go. Standards have a brassy gold base then they are washed and dotted mulberry in the center finally forming a brass band. Falls are creamy white with deep violet on either side of, (and forming a dart just below), the beard. There is a deep mulberry red fall band with purple violet dots inside the band. All in all it makes for a very startling color combo. Combine all that with wide heavily ruffled form and you have a grand garden iris. We have used Secret Chord heavily in our breeding program. It has proven to be a great parent for form and deep patterned plicatas. Sdlg. TK211ZZ: Be Not Afraid sib

WEB OF LIES (T. Johnson ’23)
TB Early-midseason 38” (96.5cm)
Sweet fragrance. Standards are lavender with gold veining though out and a gold edge. Falls are white with a lilac and rose dotted band and a blue dart below the beard. This is a very fun patterned plicata. Web Of Lies is very tall and always with show stems. We also really love the form on this one. Sdlg. TK279ZZ: Unknown lost parentage.

WORDS OF WISDOM (T. Johnson ’23)
TB Midseason-late 37” (94cm)
Sweet perfume. Old gold standards with a light yellow edge. Falls are a rich deep mauve with a gold band. Tall large and stately come to mind with this one. It is a very fast clumper and very floriferous, covering itself in bloom. A very good iris. Sdlg. TK3YY: Suave and Sophisticated sib.

HOT WIRED (L. Miller ’23)
TB Midseason 32” (81cm)
Light fragrance. Not just another plicata! Standards are mostly solid rich maroon with slight undertones of apricot in the center. The lacey edges of the very dark apricot styles are trimmed in maroon. Flaring falls have apricot-peach ground bordered by a solid maroon edge that turns to dots as it extends from the burnt dark orange beards. 9 to 10 buds on well branched stalks. Sdlg. 5217E Powder Keg X 9813A, lost cross.

PERKY LASS (L. Miller ’23)
TB Midseason-late 32” (81cm)
Slight sweet fragrance. As I work toward pink ground plicatas interesting combos are happening. The standards of Perky Lass are light pinkish salmon, lightly washed light violet. Falls are pinkish-salmon bordered with heavy maroon dotting, heaviest beside striking dark tangerine beards. 7 to 8 buds are held on show stalks. Sdlg. 5817C: 9813A, Lost cross X Powder Keg.

RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS (Paul Black 23)
TB Late-Very Late 35” (89cm)
Slight sweet fragrance Sparkling pristine white flowers have standards decorated with wide vibrant mid violet plicata bands and sparse sanded veins over their centers. Amount of center markings varies considerably from sparse to overall. Contrasting dark plum style crests peak out over white falls with narrow mid purple plic bands. Dark wine sanded darts cover the hafts then give way to closely spaced light yellow veins. Light marigold to white beards are the perfect complement. Clumps provide a light and bright spot in your garden. Two branches and spur have 5 buds. Sdlg. Z64E: All too Exciting X Black W143F, Wild Streak sib

UNIMAGINABLE (Paul Black 23)
TB Early-Midseason 35” (89cm)
Slight musky fragrance It is difficult to say which of the newer veined standards and falls creations I like best. Each is distinctive and has its own appeal. ‘Unimaginable’ is certainly toward the top of the list. Standards are pale lilac with one inch band of dark plum and solid rim. Circular white upper half of falls is covered with black veins progressing to solid black lower half with white dotted laced rims. It is an amazing look. Three branches produce 7-8 buds. Lots of plicata in the background. Sdlg. Z95G: Black V145A: (Etcetera x Spiced Lemon) X Laser Light Show

ABSOLUTE PERFECTION (Paul Black 23)
IB Early-Late 25” (63cm)
Pronounced musky fragrance I think without a doubt this is the finest of the black and white plicata IBs. Centers of iridescent purple-black standards reveal just a bit of white plic ground. White falls have wide black plic bands with purple interior markings. Show stalks have 2 branches plus spur and 7-8 buds. Vigorous growth and increase. Stunning clumps. It is fertile. Sdlg. AA277A: Midnight Velvet X Lap of Luxury

DROP DEAD GORGEOUS (Paul Black 23)
BB Late-Very Late 24” (61cm)
Slight musky fragrance You’ll return again and again to gaze upon this sultry siren. Full, classically formed flowers have smooth mid-dark garnet standards. Velvety black cherry falls are delicately edged in narrow paler ruffles. Glowing light yellow hafts are veined and sanded black cherry and adorned with smoldering burnt orange beards. Clean, vigorous growth produces show stalks with 3 branches and 7-9 buds. The IB, 'Morning Show' was used to provide a different genetic base in the quest for "the red iris". Sdlg. Z121A: Black V170A: (Morning Show x Black P248B, Hi Love pollen parent) X Black X59A, Radiant Garnet sib

SHEER MADNESS (B. Blyth ’23)
TB Early 38” (96.5cm)
Musky fragrance. Standards have lilac blue centers that are bordered in reddish violet plicata dotting. Falls have a light-yellow ground that is overlaid with light red around beard, then the ground color becomes a dark yellow that is overlaid with a dark red wash to the petal edge. A very complex color combination that is very pretty and unique. Sdlg. X213-AA:

FLIPPANT (Paul Black 23)
IB Midseason-Late 24” (61cm)
Pronounced sweet fragrance Who can get too serious with a clump filled with these wildly colored jokers? What one can take seriously are the superbly formed flowers carried in abundance on show stalks. Cream standards have wide maroon plicata bands and heavily marked centers. Light yellow falls have wide maroon plicata bands. Widely spaced dramatic dark maroon veins course downward. Vivid Marigold beards shout, “I don’t care!”. Show stalks have 2 branches plus spur and 8-9 buds. An exceptional garden variety. Sdlg. Z167A: Black U194G, Peppito sib X Cat Tales

GENTLE SIGH (Paul Black 23) MTB (tet) Midseason-Late 24” (61cm) slight sweet fragrance Through its softer colors and diminutive size, ‘Gentle Sigh’ conveys the feeling of peaceful serenity in your garden. Standards of white flowers have wide mid amethyst plicata bands and dotted centers. Falls have mid amethyst plicata stitched bands. White beards have interesting auburn tips over a light amethyst layer. Show stalks have 3 branches plus spur and 10-11 buds. A lovely refinement in tetraploid MTBs. Sdlg. AA276C: To the Contrary X Deep in the Heart

CARICATURE (T. Johnson ’24)
TB Early-midseason 36” (91cm)
Sweet fragrance. Golden yellow standards infused pink in the centers. Falls are lavender with a deep raspberry fall wash extending from the beard halfway down the petal. Beards are a brilliant tangerine. Lovely form, branching, and strong growth combined with a very eye-catching pattern makes Caricature a striking garden plant. Sdlg. TL195A: Bombshell X (Dream About You pod parent x Twilight Rhapsody)

EDGING AHEAD (T. Johnson ’24)
TB Early-midseason 36” (91cm)
Light fragrance. Light lavender to white standards with slightly darker lavender stitching and dotting. Falls are white with a violet dotted edge. There is a narrow violet belly stripe below the beard. The beard is quite intricate with a white base and then purple and finally orange hair tips. Exceptional form and branching complete the package. Sdlg. TM104C: Flirty Tease X Vintage Look