FRAME OF MIND (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Early-midseason 37” (94cm) Slight fragrance.
Standards are light icy lavender white, with a pink and light lavender infused center. Falls are eggshell to white, with a wide peach pink band and haft. Very nicely formed and ruffled flowers are carried on good show stems. A very pleasing and elegant iris. Sdlg. TN91ZZ: Paradise Sunset X TJ164A, Precious Thing sibling

FUTURE DREAMS (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Early-midseason 37” (94cm) Sweet fragrance.
For many years I have worked with plicatas that are the result of outcrosses to bicolors, to increase vigor and bring more diversity in color and pattern. Future Dreams is so named because of the wide-ranging breeding potential in this pattern. Standards are deep lavender purple with darker maroon veining. Falls are white with a deep maroon haft and band. If that weren’t enough, upon closer inspection, you will notice broken color within the band. A totally unique and distinctive color and pattern variation in plicatas. Flowers are well-formed, and carried on strong show stems with lots of buds. Future Dreams has a good pedigree, and once again shows the importance of ‘Tenacity’ as a parent, both for quality and diversity. Sdlg. TO236M: Running In Circles sibling X Tenacity

CLASSIC JEWEL (Thomas Johnson ’26)
SDB Early-midseason-late 13” (33cm) Slight fragrance.
The faintest of pink petals are a touch darker in the standards and the hafts. Beards are large and powder blue. From a distance, it looks white with a powder blue beard. Stunning! Sdlg. TO103B: My Sweetness X Five And Dime

HAVE A LOOK (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Early-midseason-late 40” (101.5cm) Slight sweet fragrance.
Steely blue white standards have a deep mustard central spot. Falls are icy white, with light lemon texture veins, and a deep mustard haft. Extremely wide and ruffled flowers bloom in profusion on tall, well branched and budded stems. A very different pattern that calls for closer inspection. Sdlg. TO224C: Mood For Love sibling X TI234B: (Blyth W84: (Dance A Dance sibling x unknown) x Bring Me Diamonds)

Oh HERE I AM (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Early-midseason-late 39” (99cm) Slight fragrance.
Oh Here I Am was planted at the end of a row this past season, and it put on an amazing show. Very light salmon pink standards are echoed in the hafts of the nearly white falls, and emphasize the nice white-tipped orange beard. Perfectly formed flowers are held on tall, well-branched show stems. This iris is an exhibitor’s dream; it will win on the show bench, and bloom for a long period in the garden. A really nice solid iris! Sdlg. TM81A: Loved One sibling

CASTLES IN THE SKY (Paul Black 26)
TB Late-very late 33” (84cm) Slight musky fragrance.
White standards have a wide luminous light cornflower blue plicata banding. Broad white falls are boldly framed with a narrow mid violet-blue plicata band and dramatic solid hafts. Mid blue beards are a subtle complement. Robust, winter-hardy plants produce strong show stalks, having 3 branches plus spur and 9-10 buds. Purple based blue-green foliage adds disease resistance. Stands out even from a distance. Sdlg. CC109A: Black Z100H, Background Noise sibling X Black AA45A: (Rumor Has It x Me And My Shadow)

HIGHLY RATED (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Early-midseason 37” (94cm) Slight fragrance.
Standards are deep shrimp pink with a lemon peach band. Falls are rich shrimp to flamingo pink, with a lighter area below the beard, and a narrow cream edge, yellow at the haft. Really a beautiful color, with lots of buds. One branch is a little tight on the stem, but still opens unobstructed. Stunning, once again showing the value of ‘Lovely Livvy’ as a parent! Sdlg. TM116ZZ: For Real sibling

SCATTERSHOT DOTS (Paul Black 26)
TB Midseason-late 30” (76cm) Pronounced sweet fragrance.
Here’s another in the limited realm of the strange broken color plicatas. Each flower is patterned differently. Typically marked standards have a light buttercream ground with a dark charcoal-purple wide rib, heavily plicata-sanded center, and wide band. White falls have light yellow variably-sized hafts, irregular broken color segments of wine to purple dotting and sanding, and a narrow dark wine plicata band. Sdlg. EE25A: Black AA84W, Make Up Your Mind X Wild About You

SUMMER STROLL (Paul Black 26)
TB Midseason-late 30” (76cm) Pronounced sweet fragrance.
The setting summer sun casts a warm glow as you stroll about. The light clear pink standards of this glaciata blend to wide, light clear yellow bands. Ruffled white falls blend to light yellow margins. Mid tangerine beards rise from peachy orange hafts. Summer Stroll creates a very satisfying clump filled with show stalks. Stalks have 3 branches plus spur and 9-10 buds. So very pretty. Its later bloom assures it will escape the late frosts/freezes that so many other glaciatas are prone to damage by. Sdlg. EE75D: BB149D, Wild About You sibling X BB149B, Wild About You sibling

AT LAST MY LOVE (Paul Black 26)
SDB Late-very late 14.5” (37cm) Pronounced sweet fragrance.
For those wanting a SDB to enter in a typical TB show, here is another one of my multiple branched and budded, late blooming SDBs that fits the bill. Light rose infuses up the midribs of the mid lilac standards. Falls are mid red-violet, blending lighter to their edge. Big orange beards are sandwiched between white hafts veined dark plum. Two basal branches have a spur on each, and the main stem has 2 branches, all adding up to an incredible 10-11 buds. Sdlg. DD131D: Y211A, I Dreamed A Dream sibling X Silence Please

INDIGO BRIM (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Early-midseason 35” (89cm) Slight fragrance.
Icy blue white standards are slightly darker at the edge. Falls are icy blue white, with a deep indigo band and yellow haft. This has the classic ‘Emma Cook’ pattern, but with a much deeper band than usual, and an unusual yellow haft. The band appears near black to the eye from across the garden. Sdlg. TN210ZZ: Feed The Flame sibling X Super Sized sibling

HONOR STUDENT (Paul Black 26)
SDB Midseason-late 12” (30.5cm) Slight spicy fragrance.
Of course this student gets top marks. Rampant growth ensures a clump filled with perfectly formed blooms. The color of the light violet-blue standards is repeated in a wire rim around the mid to dark violet-blue shaded falls. Large light lavender beards with frosted white tips are showcased in a nest of white haft darts. Sdlg. EE132A: La La Palooza sibling

PINK EXPLOSION (Paul Black 26)
MTB Midseason-late 22” (56cm) Slight sweet fragrance.
Refined flowers are pink. Mid pink standards encase a bit darker styles. Light pink falls have darker hafts and margins. Glowing tangerine beards finish it all. Two to three branches produce 7-9 buds. An exciting parent for all median classes. Sdlg. EE108A: Sassy Senorita X Dream Of Dreams

PURPLE PLEASURE (Paul Black 26)
BB Midseason-late 26” (66cm) Pronounced sweet fragrance.
An abundance of ruffles and frills on a classically formed flower ramp up its visual pleasure. The clean mid violet color of the standards is repeated in a wide band around the velvety dark purple falls, which also have dark plum hafts. Light grayed tan to pale blue beards are an interesting touch. Lovely show stalks have 3 branches and 9-10 buds. Note the blue and pink parentage. Sdlg. DD22C: Adrift At Sea X Black BB86E: (Bubbly Beauty x For Lovers Only)

TWINKLING EYES (Paul Black 26)
SDB Midseason-late 11” (28cm) Slight sweet fragrance.
This sibling of ‘Dark Eyed Lass’ is similar, but adds warming light gold hafts and indigo shadings around the big near-black spots on widely banded white falls. White standards dance above its dramatically colored falls. Big fluffy yellow to white bi-color beards are a joyful accent. Sdlg. DD163B: BB248B, Touch Of Turquoise sibling X Zaa Zaa Zing

ON THE PROWL (Thomas Johnson ’26)
SDB Midseason-late 13” (33cm) Sweet fragrance.
White ground petals have a lavender lilac plicata dotted band and a belly stripe. Hafts are touched with deep red wine rays. Large, fuzzy beards are yellow-orange. This little iris really stands out in a crowd. Sdlg. TN281A: Penny For Your Thoughts sibling X Talking Back

SANDY CLAWS (Lynda Miller ’26)
TB Midseason-late 30” (76cm) Slight sweet fragrance.
Yes, it is consistent, and it’s been a favorite with visitors!! Standards are full lemon yellow, and styles are yellow. Falls are lemon yellow, with a cream center, and an old gold border. Yellow hafts are brushed brown-purple. Orange-yellow beards extend into huge pom-pom appendages of yellow, brushed brown-purple. Nice stems carry 7-10 buds. EC ’24 and ’25. Sdlg. 2120A: 4817C: (7614C: (3410A: (12099B: (Winning Ticket x Rock-N-Roll) x Act Surprised) x 7611A: (Picture Book x 209BR, lost cross)) x 3112F: (Steeples x Airtime)) X Cabbage Patch

SING SOFTLY (Thomas Johnson ’26)
SDB Midseason-late 13” (33cm) Sweet fragrance.
Light pink standards rise above white falls with a heavy stitched and dotted red violet haft and wide dotted edge. Coral orange beards draw you in. A very distinctive and different plicata. Sdlg. TP289A: Catch My Eye X Tula

MEET IN THE MIDDLE (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Early-midseason 37” (94cm) Sweet fragrance.
White standards are infused medium yellow up the midrib. Falls are white with a wide lavender dotted plicata band. Hafts are a dark red violet. Every flower has a deep violet dotted center line that varies from one flower to the next. Beautiful wide and ruffled form with gorgeous stems. We have used Meet In The Middle a lot in hybridizing, with fantastic results. Sdlg. TO229B: Road Not Taken X Tenacity

NO DENYING (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Early-midseason-late 38” (96.5cm) No fragrance.
Icy blue white standards have lemon bases and a gold halo. Falls are white with a blue band and lemon hafts. Beards are more yellow than orange, giving the flower brightness and light. Best of all are the plant habits. Vigorous plants cover themselves with an abundance of tall, well-branched stems, creating an amazing floral display. It got its name when I walked by a clump of it in full flower last year and commented to myself that there is certainly “no denying” you! Sdlg. TN70XX: So Excited sibling X Angelic Morn