MODERN MAJESTY (Paul Black 23)
TB Midseason-Very Late 30” (76cm)
Pronounced spicy fragrance No dowdy queen here. Her ‘Modern Majesty’ is decked out in the latest fashion but still with classic tight form. Mid-dark purple standards centers blend lighter to wide mid mauve bands. Falls are light pinkish mauve with darker texture veins and darker rose mauve hafts veined white. Fat orange beards make a lively statement. Two branches and spur produce 7 buds. Sdlg. Z53B: Make My Heart Sing X Princess Grace

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

PRACTICAL JOKE (Paul Black 23)
TB Early-Late 31” (79cm)
Pronounced musky fragrance There seems to be no end to the variability of the ‘Action Packed’ type veined standards and falls. Standards have chalky light red-brown centers washed to mid red-brown and darker to cream band stitched and sanded light red-brown. Falls have narrow white patches sandwiched between light yellow hafts and mustard beards and decorated with dark red-brown veins and mottling. The cream ground of the lower fall disappears in a heavy overlay of red-black veins. Light yellow dotted rims and stitched reverse encircle them. Three well-spaced branches and spur have 7-8 buds. Unopened buds have unique patterning. Sdlg. Z95E, Unimaginable sib

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

SPARKLE AND SHINE (Paul Black 23)
TB Midseason-Late 31” (79cm)
Slight sweet fragrance What an impressive clump this one makes in the garden. Stark white standards dance above strongly flared warmer white falls that become wide mottled and washed mid violet bands. Fiery orange beards demand you come in for a closer look. The bloom keeps on going and going with 4 branches and 10-11 buds. Sdlg. AA63A: Color Wheel X Black Y126 caramel sib: (You Belong to Me x Black Y61B, Creature of the Night 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

BACON AND EGGS (Paul Black 23)
SDB Midseason-Late 13” (33cm)
Pronounced sweet fragrance Sunnyside up light yellow standards sit atop mid red-brown bacon falls with a little egg at hafts and around them. Clumps are filled with stalks and plenty of increase left for next year. Sdlg. BB195C: Before the Dawn X Mesa Sunrise

BOOM (Paul Black 23)
SDB Midseason-Late 15” (38cm)
Pronounced sweet fragrance It is spring’s explosion of color. Light peach standards are a soft foil for the raucous mid plum falls widely banded light rosy mauve. Bright dark orange beards go “Boom”! Clumps are filled with stalks. Robust growth. Sdlg. BB227A: Hey Look At Me X Yoda

CANDY TYCOON (Paul Black 23)
MTB (tet) Midseason-Late 25” (63cm)
No fragrance This tycoon has cornered the market on pink cotton candy blooms. Light peach pink standards and styles top falls with pale peach pink hafts lined and sanded mid rose-pink blending to wide rose band then narrowly edged light peach pink. Coral pink beards are the perfect accessory. Super show stalks have 4 branches and sometimes rebranch with 9-14 buds. Sdlg. AA166G: Black X201C: (Black T171E, Casual Attire pod parent x Black T171D, sib) X Black Y179A, Bright Victory sib

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

DIFFERENT PATH (Paul Black 23)
BB Early-Midseason 26” (66cm)
Slight sweet fragrance In addition to using the species I. junonia in my SDB breeding, I’ve also used it in TB breeding to bring new genes into plicatas. In only two generations, form is modern and show stalks have been the norm. Gently ruffled standards are mid tan-gold rouged light rose over centers. White blended to butter ground falls have rosy plum plic hafts and 1” bands. Mid-marigold beards echo the standards. Easy growth produces quick clumps filled with stalks having 4 branches and 8-9 buds. Sdlg. Z149A: Black X220A: (Barbara May x I. junonia) X House of Cards

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:

KEPT SECRET (B. Blyth ’23)
TB Midseason-late 36” (91cm)
Slight fragrance. Yellow standards. Falls are deep orchid purple with a yellow zone on either side of the orange beard. Very wide and overlapping falls are nicely ruffled. Nicely formed flowers are held on tall well branched and budded stems. A favorite. Sdlg. Z29-A: In Grand Style sib.

STORM TROOPER (B. Blyth ’23)
TB Midseason 36” (91cm)
Slight sweet fragrance. Rich purple standards over deep maroon black falls with smoldering orange beards. Nicely branched and budded show stems. A real rich and plush bicolor that stands out well in the fields. Sdlg. Z40-B: Dash Of Burgundy X Devil By Night.

POETIC HARMONY (B. Blyth ’23)
TB Early-midseason 35” (89cm)
Sweet fragrance. Dusty rose standards over rich maroon purple falls with a lighter edge and orange beards. A nice smooth clean color. Plants are robust with nice stems. Sdlg. Z143-1: Blyth 350-2: (S261-E: Another Woman x (O228-4: (L133-7: I’m Dreaming sib) x (L304-1: Platinum Class sib))) X (S118-1: Oxford Countess x Upper Hand) X Drop of Burgundy

SHE’S BEAUTIFUL (Paul Black 23)
TB Midseason-Late 36” (91cm)
Slight sweet fragrance Another project breeders have pursued for many years is putting a pink beard on a blue or purple iris. It seems loads of baby steps still haven’t gotten us there. These icy blue-white blooms coral pink beards. I probably don’t have enough years left to make it to the goal on this one. I’ll have to be content with it in my dreams. Sdlg. Z136A: Black W152A: (Black T80A: Fantasy in Pink x Black Q6A: (Dearie x Drifting Bubbles)) X Fire and Ice

FEELING PRETTY (Paul Black 23)
SDB Late-Very Late 15” (38cm)
Pronounced spicy fragrance These clear, soft pastel colors will provide a calming presence for your garden. The light peach to greenish cream glaciata flowers are a perfect foil for taller, more colorful companions. Flowers are a bit larger than usual for the class. Can be used to breed quality plicatas, luminatas and more glaciatas. Sdlg. Z178A: Black V296B, Cool Dude sib X House of Cards

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

HYBRIDIZERS TAKE NOTE
FUTURISTIC (Paul Black 23)
SDB Midseason-Late 12” (30cm)
Slight sweet fragrance As far as I know, this is the first variegated foliage SDB to be introduced. I’ve bloomed others but none good enough to introduce. ‘Futuristic’ had an interesting beginning. Bloom the first year was a mix of gray-white flowers, grayed pink flowers and some broken colored of gray and pink. Since then, most have transitioned to light gray with a light tan haft veined darker slate tan and narrowly bordered slate violet. There are very subtle light tan broken color segments. Mid old gold beards give a little life to these more somber colors. ‘Futuristic’ is fertile and can produce variegated foliage and broken color flowers but progress is slow. Sdlg. Y262A: Black V277B: (Black S283B: (Black O335B, Burlesque Cutie pod parent x Worry Wart) x Eye of the Tiger) X Black V324A, Egghead sib