WISE GUY (P. Black '22)
SDB Midseason-Late 12” (30cm)
Pronounced sweet fragrance. Wait for the punchline. There it is, the big searing orange beards. Pale yellow standards surround mid yellow styles. Light yellow falls have shaded darker yellow spots with darker widely spaced light brown veins and narrow tan-yellow band around them. Very pretty and unique.
Sdlg. Kisses X Lottery

BACKGROUND NOISE (Paul Black '22)
TB Late-Very Late 34” (86cm)
Pronounced sweet fragrance Two of this year’s introductions are from this cross that produced many delightful seedlings. ‘Me and My Shadow’ has proven to be a solid parent for quality later blooming hardy plicatas. Light blending to dark butterscotch standards have fine darker caramel veining. Styles are darker butterscotch with styles veined brown. Crisp white falls are decorated with wide dark burgundy plicata bands while near black irregular lines descend part way down their centers. Three well-spaced branches carry 7-8 buds. A vigorous and hardy plicata.
Sdlg. Z100I: Me and My Shadow X First Pick

CAST A TALL SHADOW (Paul Black 22)
TB Late-Very Late 36” (91cm)
No fragrance SHOW STALKS are borne in abundance on husky, hardy and disease resistant plants. It’s a win all round! Ruffled round and expansive flowers have mid violet blue standards. White half-moon fall centers are closely veined purple black transitioning to solid purple black lower half. Sturdy stalks have 4 branches plus spur and 10-12 buds. Gorgeous clumps filled with stalks. Husky disease resistant plants
Sdlg. Y10G: Haunted Heart X Clotho’s Web

CATERPILLAR BLUES (Paul Black '22)
TB Midseason-Late 32” (81cm)
No fragrance Breeding for a pure white with dark blue beard TBs has been the pursuit of many hybridizers and one that has yet to be accomplished. The link between beard saturation and petal color has been near impossible to break. The darker the beard, the bluer the petals. The whiter the petals, the lighter the beard becomes. ‘Caterpillar Blues’ is a very light reverse blue amoena with a darker blue beard. Disease resistant foliage and durable plants produce plenty of bloom stalks with 3 branches and 6-7 buds.
Sdlg. Y96A: Black V59C: (After the Rain x Black is Black) X U50A: (After the Rain x S110D: (N193A, Blue Trill sib x Blue Trill))

CROCODILE SMILE (Paul Black '22)
TB Late-Very Late 35” (89cm)
Pronounced sweet fragrance If I could have only one of my plicatas to breed with, it would be this one. Its genetic diversity, including several instances of ‘Dolce’ plus SDBs, IBs, tet MTBs, BBs and TBs, has given rise to unique colors and patterns in addition to solid growth. White ground standards are washed pale mustard becoming darker toward edges then embellished with darker mustard fine veining overall and white edges. Yellow styles are held within strongly held standards. Expansive white ground falls are widely plicata banded dark olive gold with more olive random dotting and line down centers, over centers and haft. Unique olive gold beards complete this unusual creature. Three branches have 7-8 buds.
Sdlg. Y55A: Black U14A, Drag Race pod parent X Black W191A, Black Label pollen parent

GIRLS WANNA HAVE FUN (Paul Black '22)
TB Midseason-Very Late 35” (89cm)
Pronounced sweet fragrance. Combinations of the plicata pattern with other patterns have created a seemingly never ending universe of new and unique patterns and colors. One of those is a butterfly type design where a luminata patch would be. There will be many variations of these to come. This one has mid pink standards with subtle darker rose lines and outer edge. Velvety dark purple-black falls have white darted chevon haft patches overlaid with near black lines sandwiched between purple sanded veins in a modified butterfly pattern. Coral beards enhance its uniqueness. Clumps are gloriously filled with an abundance of stalks having 3 branches and 8-9 buds.
Sdlg. Z88W: Dearest X Black U53X, Rise Like a Phoenix sib

GOAT RODEO (Paul Black '22)
TB Midseason-Very Late 35” (89cm)
Slight sweet fragrance. Many early blooming plicatas were a disaster in colder climates because of their related early growth. ‘Goat Rodeo’ is another from my lines to produce later blooming, cold hardy and vigorous plicatas. Dark wine standards show a small central patch of white ground. Pale yellow ground falls are widely banded dark brownish wine with hafts more heavily sanded dark brown. Marigold beards are just the right pop of accent color. Strong growth produces stalks with 3 branches and 8-10 buds.
Sdlg. Z74F: Black V127H, Plum Frost sib X Steal Your Heart

LACE AND PROMISES (Paul Black '22)
TB Midseason-Very Late 37” (94cm)
No fragrance. Large voluptuous blooms are breathtakingly presented on statuesque stalks that will draw comments of admiration in your garden. Pale violet blue standards color is repeated in lighter beards set on white falls. Each bloom is precisely edged in lace and their heavy substance promises they’ll be a lasting presence for you to enjoy.
Sdlg. Y45C: Black U10, Luxuriant sib X Black U51B, When Angels Sing sib

STARRY STARRY NIGHT (P. Black '22)
TB Midseason-Very Late 36” (91cm)
Slight musky fragrance It is a night you’ll long remember. Classically formed, ruffled and lightly laced purple black flowers have standards with white sanded veins over their centers that show their plicata heritage. White fall hafts have closely spaced purple black lines and sanded veins transitioning to velvety purple black falls. Butterscotch beards turn to white climaxing in a white shooting star dart for a dramatic accent. It has a stunning presence even before opening. Bud reverses have chartreuse haft centers streaking into white center bands then white veins streaking into dark purple outer bands. It is an awesome look. Sturdy growth produces 4 well-spaced branches but only 7 buds. As if this wasn’t enough, it has been a mystery progenitor of many broken color plicatas. There is nothing in the parentage to suggest this trait. I’m still exploring its potential. In one cross, about a third of the seedlings looked like it, a third were standard plicata types and a third were broken color plicatas. There is much to be explored!
Sdlg. Y161A: Me and My Shadow X Black V159B, Pleasure’s All Mine sib

SUN PEEKING OUT (P. Black 22)
TB Midseason-Very Late 37” (94cm)
Moderate sweet fragrance. This classically formed and ruffled beauty has silvery cream based standards blending upward to pale yellow with sunny yellow styles peering out from between them. Warm white ground falls have mid ochre plicata marked hafts and one inch light yellow bands subtly marked tan. Seven to eight buds are elegantly presented on stalks with 3 branches.
Sdlg. Y53B: Black U14A, Drag Race pod parent X All too Excited

TIME CAPSULE (P. Black '22)
TB Midseason-Very Late 33” (84cm)
Slight sweet fragrance I’ve thought for a while it was time for an update of the older, ‘Sand and Sea’. My ideal goal is yellow standards and band on blue falls. ‘Time Capsule’ is a notable step toward that goal. Dark red-violet standards base blend to gray then brassy gold then to tan margins. Pale blue falls are narrowly banded light yellow. Distinctive mid blue beards are tipped from tan throats to white ends. Compact flowers are lightly ruffled and laced. Three branches present 7-8 flowers.
Sdlg. Z50C: Black V110B: (Fred and Ginger x Go for Broke) X Black V118A, Only the Shadow Knows sib

TOO MIXED UP (P. Black '22)
TB Midseason-Late 30” (76cm)
Pronounced spicy fragrance. If broken colored sorts are your proclivity, ‘Too Mixed Up’ should be on your must have list. Flowers are the ultimate in ruffled form but buds are bit lacking at 6-7. Standards are silvery white with random dashes, segments and slashes of violet to red violet. Falls are the same except rosy peach hafts. Two colored beards have tangerine throats ending in light lavender. Vigorous growth.
Sdlg. X115B: Big Break X Break In

WHAT A LOOKER (P. Black '22)
TB Midseason-Late 33” (84cm)
Pronounced sweet fragrance. Pink, pink and nothing but pink including the beards. The pink pigment is overlaid on a warm white ground that prevents contamination from any other color. The pink beards approaching red will make anyone stop and turn with admiring glances. It is a garden favorite that catches most everyone’s eyes. Eight to nine more simply formed flowers are presented on three perfectly spaced branches. Robust blue-green foliage is a big plus for pink TBs that can have less than stellar foliage.
Sdlg. Z14A: Strawberry Shake X Black V186A: involved

APPLE OF MY EYE (Paul Black 23)
TB Late-Very Late 35” (89cm)
Pronounced sweet fragrance Oh YES, I really like this one. Be sure to take in the lovely, nuanced colors. Tight classically formed flowers have waxen substance and sheen. Lightly laced red brown standards blend to wide dark mulberry bands, a very interesting color transition. Narrow crinkle laced black cherry falls are touched with white dotting. The white chevron around the multi-layered beard is heavily mottled mid black cherry. Three layered beards are white to dark purple and tipped old gold. Strong, disease resistant foliage. Show branched stalks have 3 branches plus spur and 9- 10 buds. Sdlg. AA268A: Ruby Tracery X Black Y54A, Drag Race sib

MAGIC IN THE AIR (T. Johnson ’23)
SDB Rebloom Early-Midseason 11” (28cm)
Sweet fragrance. Medium violet blue standards and rim on deep violet falls. Beards are orange, then becoming violet blue with orange hair tips. Strong rebloom tendencies having rebloomed for me both in later spring and fall. A very showy and strong grower. Sdlg TK264A: Prego X Oh Canada

CANDLELIT EVENING (T. Johnson ’23)
SDB Early 11” (28cm)
Slight fragrance. Very light yellow to cream standards with a slight pink infusion in the center. Falls have a large violet signal with a wide cream band and yellow area around orange beards. A very striking iris and is a standout in clump. Sdlg. TM209C: Perfect Look X Bug Zoo

CAPTIVATING ONE (T. Johnson ’23)
SDB Midseason 13” (33cm)
Slight fragrance. A very dramatic and striking flower with large showy orange beards. Medium blue violet standards and band on deep rich magenta falls. Sdlg. TM72A: Perfect Look X TM185A: (Galaxy Quest x Woody Woodpecker pollen parent).

ENDORA (T. Johnson ’23)
IB Early-Midseason 26” (66cm)
Slight fragrance. Creamy white standards are heavily overlaid with light plum in the centers with a flesh pink band. White ground falls have a wide dramatic purple to near black band and center stripe. Vivid tangerine beards complete this dramatic look. Super strong grower that is a very prolific bloomer. Show stems! Sdlg. TM187A: Tasty Treat X Law And Order.

HAPPY PLACE (T. Johnson ’23)
SDB Early 14” (36cm)
Slight fragrance. Happy Place got its name based on its cheery nature. It is just such a happy iris that makes me smile. Brilliant canary yellow self with a white line extending below the large bushy white beards. The falls are slightly darker yellow in the center. Very bright and a favorite. Sdlg. TK283A: Hit The Jackpot pod parent X Ribbit pollen parent.

HASHTAG (T. Johnson ’23)
SDB Early 12” (30.5cm)
Slight fragrance. Very light yellow-orange standards. Falls have a white ground that is completely lined with deep maroon red lines and veins. The hafts are touched yellow. Beards are white with tangerine hair tips. Very striking and the first lined SDB in this color that we know of. The parents of this one are the two iris named after our two little dogs. Sdlg. TM175A: Alaia X Tula.