TOTAL SURPRISE (T. Johnson ’24)
TB Early-midseason. 37” (94cm)
Slight fragrance. Total surprise indeed is what happened when this one first bloomed. Certainly not what I was expecting, but happy for sure. White standards have a yellow blush to them. Falls are rust to red with a white spray pattern around the beard and a light lavender to white band. Total Surprise is the product of two great parents, who have both proven their worth over and over again. Sdlg. TL137ZZ: When Doves Cry X Dressed To The Nines

WIRED CRAZY (L. Miller ’24)
MTB Midseason 18” (46cm)
No fragrance. Well-formed standards are white. Falls white with showy violet lines and white rim. Flashy! Sdlg. 2019: Paw Prints sibling X Prison Stripes sibling

AMETHYST STARBURST (Black ’24)
MTB Early-midseason 20” (51cm)
Slight spicy fragrance. Taking the I. variegata veined fall pattern to an extreme. Makes a startling clump. Parentage involves mostly tets., but Amethyst Starburst looks diploid. Sdlg. BB168A: Little White Tiger X Black Z159A: (Black W195I: (Black S233A: (Redrock Princess x Ah Yes) x Edinger "Mullinax Butterfly") x unknown)

ENTHUSIASTIC (Black ’24)
TB Early-midseason 30” (76cm)
Sweet fragrance. Larger flowers have loads of color and carrying power. Expansive wide falls boost its garden presence. Mango to orange standards rise above falls that are light buff around the beard, with a red-plum haft and wash that transitions to a solid wide mango band. A very unique and colorful variety that will certainly brighten your garden. Exciting! Sdlg. AA274A: Black X89B, Paisley Print sib X Hey Look Me Over

SPECIAL AGENT MAN (Black ’24)
TB Midseason-late 35” (89cm)
Sweet fragrance. Another ‘Crocodile Smile’ child. It has an interesting combination of cool colored standards and warm falls. Falls show a slightly different expression of the plicata pattern. Also notice the interesting dotted plicata pattern on the back of the falls, characteristic of many ‘Crocodile Smile’ offspring. Near solid gray plum standards sit atop butter yellow ground falls with a nearly solid overlay of dark plum and marigold beards. Sdlg. BB108A: Black Y56B: (Hot Off The Press x All Too Exciting) X Crocodile Smile

GARDEN APPEAL (Black ’24)
TB Midseason-late 32” (81.5cm)
Sweet fragrance. This smaller flowered tall bearded beauty traces back to ‘Passionate Embrace’ and the unusually colored flowers it produces, particularly in the citrus colors. Its myriads of show stalks cover the clumps in bloom. The white fall bands make it pop. Contrasting style arms are characteristic of ‘Passionate Embrace’ offspring, as are unique colors and show branched stalks. Sdlg. BB116C: Black Y84C: (Black V22C: (Toast Of The Town x unknown) x Black W32A: (Clouds Go By x What A Beard!)) X Solar Sunrise

NEVER NEVER LAND (Black ’24)
TB Midseason-late 34” (86.5cm)
Sweet fragrance. ‘Me And My Shadow’ has been an excellent parent. I am excited about the possibilities of using Never Never Land in plicata breeding since it is half plicata. Its vivid red-orange beards will be a wonderful bold addition when transferred to plicatas. Superior garden traits make it a great garden subject. Standards are light blue with a tan wire rim. Falls are velvety purple black with a narrow purple band. A touch of light apricot in the center accentuates the bold red-orange beards. Sdlg. BB164D: Daffy Duck X Me And My Shadow

BOXING RING (T. Johnson ’25)
TB Early-midseason 38” (96.5cm) Sweet fragrance.
Standards are a medium yellow with a darker edge. Falls are a very light yellow with deep lemon yellow hafts. A wide ruffled deep maroon band frames the pattern. It is hard to capture the true grandeur of Boxing Ring in a photo. The flowers are very large and widely formed with great ruffles. It creates a very dramatic look in the garden. Much admired by garden visitors, it is a gorgeous iris that will not be overlooked.
Sdlg. TN118XX: Headshot X TI147B: (Hard To Resist x TE25A: (TY55B: (Starship Enterprise x Pursuit Of Happiness) x Brazilian Art)

CAUSING A COMMOTION (T. Johnson ’25)
TB Early-midseason 36” (91.5cm) Sweet fragrance.
Standards are very light yellow to white with a darker edge. Falls have a large yellow central sunburst area with a white flash below the beard. There is a very wide deep mahogany red band. The flowers are extremely wide and ruffled with a wild pattern.
Sdlg. TN208YY: TK95E: (TG21B: (Blueberry Parfait x Watercolor Print) x Disco Lights) X TK47A: (Arrivederci x Dressed To The Nines)

FEEL THE MAGIC (T. Johnson ’25)
TB Early-midseason 38” (96.5cm) Slight sweet fragrance.
Another child from the great Hard To Resist. Very light icy blue white standards have a slightly darker bluish rim. Falls are pristine white with a deep lavender blue band and shocking red beards. Very nice stems and buds on this well formed beauty.
Sdlg. TK78D: Hard To Resist X What A Feeling

PAMPERED PRINCESS (T. Johnson ’25)
SDB Midseason-late 13” (33cm) Slight fragrance.
Bisque pink with a deep peach pink center in the falls. A wide white line extends from the blue tipped beard down to the edge of the petal. Classically formed and ruffled, creating an exquisite look.
Sdlg. TO44A: Pet Project X Believe

POWER (T. Johnson ’25)
TB Early-midseason 36” (91.5cm) Sweetly scented.
Deep old gold standards are held over rich violet blue falls with reddish tones blended towards the edge. The flowers are large and extremely wide petalled creating a very full form. The lightly ruffled petals really help to show off the clean and sharp bicolor pattern. Nice stems, buds and growth make Power a really solid addition to the garden.
Sdlg. TM130WW: Arrivederci X Cranberry Spritzer

ACCENT ON COLOR (P. Black '25)
TB Midseason-late 33” (84cm) Slight sweet fragrance.
Flowers are a riot of colors and patterning from near red to maroon to indigo, in various overlays and blendings. All of this is further accented with large marigold beards. Well branched stalks have 3 branches plus spur and 9-10 buds. Unique!
Sdlg. Z127E: W60A: (Go For Broke x S116A: (Name Game x P228A: (Palace Symphony x Blyth N197-2: (Devil's Own x Fiery Temper)))) X Watercolor Print

FIRST CLASS (Sutton '22)
TB Midseason-late 35" (89 cm)
Slight sweet fragrance Cream standards with deep apricot pink center. Falls have a light red violet wash with a light apricot center and band. Magical X Strawberry Sorbet

AMERICAN ADVENTURE (Paul Black 26)
TB Late-very late 33” (84cm) No fragrance.
Rich, dramatic, and luxuriously ruffled, American Adventure makes a bold statement in the spring garden. The deep inky purple plicata markings over the muted white center of the standards contrast with the chalky white falls, which have a light purple fancy plicata wash that deepens to near black edges. Blooms are heavily textured and graced with artful rippling. Vigorous growth produces show stalks with 3 branches plus spur and branch spur, giving a superb 10-11 buds. Dark stalks and mid purple spathes add an artistic touch. Sdlg. DD20A: Y14E, Bespoke sibling X Awash In Purple

CAROUSEL RIDE (Paul Black 26)
TB Midseason-late 33” (84cm) Slight musky fragrance.
This ride gives striking, high-contrast colors with exceptional pattern and texture. Standards rise in softly ruffled layers of warm rosy mauve delicately plicata-stitched mid grayed mauve. Broad falls open creamy white, dramatically etched and feathered in deep grape-purple, concentrating along the margins and radiating inward in fine lines for a bold, artistic effect. Bright orange beards add a vivid spark. Vigorous plants produce show stalks having 4 branches plus spur and a branch spur giving 11-12 buds. Sdlg. DD51A: Girls Wanna Have Fun X BB149C, Princess Pretty Pink sibling

DIAMONDS ON VELVET (Paul Black 26)
TB Early-midseason 36” (91.5cm) No fragrance.
A tall show-stopping iris with persuasive garden presence. Broad, ruffled, mid navy-blue standards rise above dramatic, expansive, darkest navy falls, etched with fine veining centered around a brooding golden sienna beard that adds striking contrast. Strong upright stems carry the blooms well above purple-based blue-green foliage. Sdlg. DD60B: How Bizarre! X Dot Dash Dot

FORTUNE AND GLORY (Paul Black 26)
BB Midseason-late 26” (66cm) Slight spicy fragrance.
This stable of smaller flowered parents helped create a near perfect border bearded of mouthwatering mid golden apricot blooms with hazy plum-brown veins descending from vivid orange beards. Moderate ruffling is perfect for its size. Superb parent for BBs, IBs and TBs. Two branches and spur carry 8-9 buds. Sdlg. EE60A: Black BB109A: (Black Y59C: (Hot Off The Press x All Too Exciting) x Hot Off The Press) X Black CC4A: (Hot Off The Press x Z145I: (Black V385B: (First Lady Of Spring x Silver Ice) x Black V168A: (Coral Splendor x Simply Coral)))

INTENSIFIER (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Early-midseason 37” (94cm) Slight fragrance.
I literally took a step back when this bloomed for the first time. What makes Intensifier so dramatic is the clarity and separation of the color. The standards are pure pristine white. Falls are a plush deep violet to near black, with a light lavender band thinly etched in violet. Beards are orange with red tips. Really dramatic in the fields. Sdlg. TN125A: Headline News X Smashing Sensation

ATHENA (Lynda Miller ’26)
TB Late 31” (78.5cm) Slight sweet fragrance.
The Greek goddess of war and wisdom is represented by the dramatic contrast in this bicolor. Caramel standards are infused light burgundy red violet; caramel styles are accented red-violet. Falls are deep smoky red, with a flash of violet below the dark burnt tangerine beards. Seven to nine buds on nicely branched stems. Sdlg. 6418: Fruit Slices X 8714: (1912C: (Rustle Of Spring x Trial By Fire) x 8410: (Original Cast x Standing Alone))