FINAL ANSWER (T. Johnson ’23)
TB Late 36” (91.5cm)
Sweet fragrance. Medium flesh pink standards have lavender violet centers. Falls are a rich lavender violet with flesh pink touched hafts. Beards are tangerine, tipped lavender. Final Answer has been an absolute favorite since its maiden bloom. Gorgeous wide, ruffled, and heavily laced form, on Impeccably branched and budded show stems, ensures a long bloom season. This is an iris for the more northerly gardens with its lateness it is sure to avoid any damage from late freezes. It is an amazingly fertile parent, setting pods easily. An absolute must have! Sdlg. TJ119YY: Catch My Breath X Dancing Days.

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.

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

SUPERHERO KISS (T. Johnson ’23)
TB Midseason 30” (76cm)
Slight sweet fragrance. Cream standards are widely and precisely edged in red veining with yellow tints. Falls are a very deep blue violet with a central white sunburst. Violet lines run through the sunburst from and around the beard. Finally, there is a wide deep lemon line that extends below the beard to the dark violet band. A very large full round and ruffled form adds to the drama. Shorter in stature but with strong stems. There is a lot going on here but guaranteed to not be missed in the garden. Sdlg. TK90A: Parentage unknown.

UNDER PRESSURE (T. Johnson ’23)
TB Midseason 36” (91.5cm)
Sweet fragrance. Under Pressure is another iris that was labeled as an intro from maiden bloom. It never ceases to perform and has good stems and buds as well. Bright yellow standards. The falls are a bit complicated. There is a yellow sunburst in the center that is bordered with a diffused wash of red violet. Then the violet transitions to lavender and finally a very light yellow rim with a violet wire edge. Sdlg. TK170C: Dare To Be Different and This Is Crazy sib.

EARTH AND SUN (Paul Black 23)
TB Early-Midseason 29” (74cm)
Pronounced sweet fragrance Vibrant sunny dark gold standards beam down on toasty mid to dark brown falls blended over a mid-gold base. Centers are washed light brown and etched with darker brown veins and finished with gilt gold rims. Mid marigold beards add warmth. Three branches produce 7 buds. Exciting bright clumps. Sdlg. Z89A: Black V143F, Heartfelt sib X Black U53B, Rise Like a Phoenix sib

MAKE ME WANNA SHOUT (Paul Black 23)
TB Early-Midseason 29” (74cm)
Pronounced sweet fragrance Oh yes, that big billowy ruffled form is something to shout about. Mid red violet standards have ruffled light buff bands and subtle gray-white veins shot outward from their centers. Styles are light buff. Mid dark red violet blended falls have muted fine gray-white lines overall, narrow gray-white bands and white luminata patch. Beards progress from mid marigold ending in white. Blue-green foliage has limited purple base. Mid slate purple stalks have 3 branches plus spur and 8-10 buds. Lovely clumps. Sdlg. Z2C, Feast for the Eyes sib

OH SO DIFFERENT (Paul Black 23)
TB Midseason-Late 30” (76cm)
No fragrance It takes center stage with one of the most dramatically unique flowers. Standards and falls are both a study in color and pattern. Light buffy tan blended standards are widely banded with fine dark plum filigree. Old gold style crests striped dark brown emerge from between them. White falls are a puzzle of purple black veins and sanding overall becoming darker and more closely spaced toward edges. White stitching on reverses adds more distinction. Mid marigold beards help focus the eye. Of course, this has been a favorite since it first bloomed. Three branches have 8-9 buds. Easy and fast growth. Sdlg. AA73L, How Bizarre! Sib

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

CLEAR VIEW (Paul Black 23)
SDB Midseason-Late 13” (33cm)
No fragrance Chalky pale lilac standards have wide light mauve finely lined bands. Dark red purple falls have white veins over hafts and short light violet dart at end of light orange to white beards. Very pretty ruffled form. Sdlg. BB245B: Black Y270A: (involved) X By the Sea

ROBUST CLARET (Paul Black 23)
SDB Early-Midseason 15” (38cm)
Pronounced sweet fragrance The accent here is on robust. Single plants rapidly transform into big clumps that cover with bloom. Glistening mid ruby standards dance above velvety dark ruby falls with a network of fine black lines overall. Beards are neat half auburn and half mid violet. You’ll have plenty to give your neighbors. Sdlg. BB246E, Cinemagic sib

SHE’S A BEAUTY (Paul Black 23)
SDB Midseason-Late 13” (33cm)
Pronounced sweet fragrance This beauty is another project that has taken more than a few generations to get achieve, and it still isn’t finished. The goal is a clear pink amoena and blue/pink bicolor. Both are possible given enough generations. Cool white standards have light green veins up midribs. Light peach falls blend to buttery yellow. White stripes at ends of half and half mid-orange and white beards add a unique touch. Sdlg. BB215A: Black X265C: involved X Burlesque Cutie

CHILLY MORN (T. Johnson ’24)
SDB Early 12” (31cm)
Slight fragrance. A very different blend of lilac, cream, and green. I find myself making several passes by it to take another look when it is in flower. A very intriguing color combo. Sdlg. TM70ZZ: Get Ready X Very Berry Shake

MOMENT OF REFLECTION (T. Johnson ’24)
Midseason-late 38” (97cm)
Sweet fragrance. Ooh la la is what I say each year when this one starts to flower. Impeccable wide and ruffled form. Not really sure whether to call this a bicolor or a blend. Whatever it is, we like it very much, and we love to hybridize with it. Blended golden orange and salmon standards swirl elegantly above light rosy lavender falls with a peach wash, deeper at the hafts, and lighter as it moves down the petal. Oh, and did we mention it is ruffled? This was a very productive cross and has yielded many intros including last year’s Head Of The Class and Refined Elegance. Sdlg. TK131B: Sweet City Woman X Dressed To The Nines

CLEAR AND CRISP (T. Johnson ’25)
TB Early-midseason 38” (96.5cm) Slight sweet fragrance.
Deep golden yellow standards have a fine reddish veined edge. Falls are a stark clean and crisp white with a precise deep rust-red dotted plicata band. Its absolutely stunning clean and clear pattern is very noticeable from across the garden. The nicely ruffled flowers held high on well budded and branched stems add to the beauty.
Sdlg. TM25A: What A View X Raspberry Pie

DRAMATIC FINALE (T. Johnson ’25)
TB Late-very late 38” (96.5cm) Slight fragrance.
Standards have dark reddish violet centers with a wide blue violet area and then a lighter edge. Falls are the same with deep reddish violet hafts. The flowers on Dramatic Finale are extremely ruffled and a bit flared. Nice stems with good bud count are the norm. Dramatic Finale is very late and is not recommended in hot early climates such as Southern CA or Arizona where it may be susceptible to heat burn. It should be a great variety to close the season in the more northerly gardens.
Sdlg. TL6ZZ: Barbara Rider X Espionage

LOVED ONE (T. Johnson ’25)
TB Midseason-late 37” (94cm) Slight sweet fragrance.
One could call this a reverse pink amoena. Medium pink standards rise above cream falls with medium pink hafts. Loved One has lots of bubbly ruffles with good buds and branching. It is a very prolific grower and bloomer as well. A really nice eye-catching and clear pink.
Sdlg. TM81XX: TJ128B: (Hold Me Now x Soul Mate) X TJ119B, Final Answer sib: (Catch My Breath x Dancing Days)

SHEMOZZLE (T. Johnson ’25)
TB Early-midseason 36” (91.5cm) Sweet fragrance.
Lemon yellow standards rise above very complex patterned falls. There is a yellow flash around the beard, then a reddish band at the haft that becomes a blue violet wash. The pattern then transitions to a lavender band, and finally a lemon band. Quite a busy little thing, but also very showy. Gorgeous ruffled form and nice stems are the norm.
Sdlg. TN231C: Coat Of Many Colors X Honor Roll

TIME BOMB (L. Miller ’25)
TB Early-midseason 37” (94cm) No fragrance.
Peach pink standards rise above white ground falls blushed light yellow in the center, transitioning to red-violet dotting. Finally we finish with a wide dark red-violet band! Quite a striking bicolor plicata, with good garden presence and up to 11 buds!
Sdlg. 918D: Scattergram X She’s A Bimbo

ARABIAN DESERT (P. Black '25)
AB (OGB) Early-midseason 21” (53.5cm) No fragrance.
Large, oncocyclus type blooms have white standards with fine amethyst lined filigree overall. Mid maroon falls are finely filigreed with darker lines. Bold black signals compel you to have a close-up look. Stunning!
Sdlg. CC144A: Smokin' Hot X Beautiful Brown Eyes