PORTLAND PINK (P. Black ‘15)
SDB Late-Very Late 15” (38cm)
It was tagged for introduction from its maiden bloom. Saying it is unique is a vast understatement. It is the best formed of all the pink SDBs. Color has great depth and richness. Its one flaw is some flowers have a 4th standard. It is a big advancement in my project to create SDBs that bloom into TB season. It begins bloom in early TB season. How cool to have a SDB for a TB timed show. The cross that created it, an IB X IB, shouldn’t have been fertile but it did have viable seed. Even more amazing, ‘Portland Pink’ is fertile. It can be picky about its partner but can have anywhere from a few to normal numbers of seed and they germinate. Shorty, the pod parent, is from a pink tetraploid MTB seedling X my SDB, ‘Juicy Tidbit’. The pollen parent is a multi-branched & budded IB from a small flowered TB, ‘Inspired’ sib X my SDB, ‘Love Spell’. Growth is strong and increase rapid. Although it is from 2 IBs, it has never exceeded SDB height. What about using it in hybridizing? Go on, have your way with it. It is fertile with SDBs, IBs, tet MTBs, BBs and TBs. I haven’t tried MDBs. Expect wide variation in flower and plant size of seedlings.
Cook-Douglas Medal 2021
Sdlg. T234A: Shorty X (Inspired sib x Love Spell)

RIBBIT (T. Johnson ’20)
MDB Early 7.5” (19cm)
Super wide and round form with light lime green Standards. Slightly lighter green falls with medium green spot and narrow fall edge. Beards are tipped powder blue. Very showy, vigorous and extremely floriferous Nice!!
Sdlg TJ1C DEDICATED X TG247A:(OPEN YOUR EYES x THUMP)

SMOOTH JAZZ (P. Black ‘19)
BB Midseason-Late 25” (63cm)
Here’s a full formed and ruffled reverse bicolor. Mid slate violet standards blend to mauve and then to smoky peach. Mid buff peach falls are decorated with big orange beards. Three branches have 8-10 buds.
Sdlg. X143G, Merry Mulberry sib

SO MUCH MORE (P. Black '21)
TB Midseason-Very Late 32” (81cm)
Oh my, there is ‘So Much More’ lace but look between the styles and there are what appear to be little floating islands of partial styles. It is very unique and rarely occurs. It is a stable and consistent trait. Mid pink standards are banded butter cream. Mid peach styles have lacy butter cream crests. White falls have peach hafts and butter cream laced edges. Stalks have 3 branches with 6-7 buds.
Sdlg. X69A: S122MM: (O101XX: (L2A, Beauty Becomes Her pollen parent x M56A, Advanced Degree pollen parent) x N131A: (J159B: (Prince of Pirates x Romantic Evening) x Dressed to Kill)) X T80B: (P56B, Bubblicious x Q6A: (Dearie x Drifting Bubbles))

WONDER BEARD (P. Black '21)
MTB (tet) Midseason-Late 24” (61cm)
The complex heritage of ‘Portland Pink’ made this advancement in MTBs possible. Its form is compact and lightly ruffled. The clarity of subtle gradations of pink is stunning. Light baby ribbon pink standards encase warmer pink styles. Light warm salmon pink falls are adorned with heavily saturated mid coral pink beards. Definitely a top pick for those who love pink irises. Two branches and terminal normally have 6-7 buds.
Sdlg. X235C: (Portland Pink X Always Lovely).

COURAGEOUS ONE (Thomas Johnson ’22)
BB Midseason 27” (69cm)
Light sweet fragrance. Canary yellow standards lightening towards the edge. Falls are a very light yellow base washed slightly darker to the edge. A large rust red signal radiates out from around the beards and extends half way down the fall. Nicely proportioned BB and very showy and unique.
Sdlg TK130O: Truth or Dare X Autumn Tease sib.

REALM OF RUFFLES (Blyth ‘22)
TB Early-Midseason-Late 37” (94cm)
Sweet fragrance. White standards with pinkish salmon hue at the base. Style arms match and the falls are white in the center, shading to lilac and deepening at the edges. Plenty of buds give a long bloom season. The name says it all
Sdlg X131-BB: Magical X Ghio 05-22A2: (Center Ice pod parent sib x unknown)

LAST OF THE WINE (Paul Black '22)
BB Midseason-Late 26” (66cm)
Slight spicy fragrance. Here is another stop along the way to redder TBs. ‘Morning Show’ has shown in median breeding the ability produce quite red offspring and so I incorporated it into the TBs. ‘Last of the Wine’ is a mid and dark garnet bi-tone that leans well into red. Nicely branched and budded stalks.
Sdlg. Z58B: Hi Love X Black V170A: (Morning Show x Black P24B, Hi Love pollen parent

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

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.

FLYING FREE (T. Johnson ’23)
TB Midseason 35” (89cm)
Sweet fragrance. Standards are an off white with medium violet veins and shades of lemon blending throughout the petal. The lemon is more concentrated in the center and the edge. Falls are a rich lavender violet deepening at the hafts and lightening at the petal edge. Put all this together with fantastic wide bubble ruffles and you have a very showy creation indeed. Sdlg. TK27B: Dream About You X Espionage.

BREAK THE RULES (Paul Black 23)
TB Early-Midseason 34” (86cm)
Pronounced musky fragrance Marrying an IB and TB, both having exceptional branching and buds, created this wildly floriferous smaller flowered garden standout. Standards of white blossoms are widely plic marked violet blue with similar narrower band around falls. Mid gold beards are a subtle accent. Show stalks have 4 branches and rebranch creating 12-15 buds. It creates an unmistakable garden presence. Can be used to breed TBs, BBs, tet MTBs, IBs and even SDBs. Sdlg. BB169B: Silver Ice X Cat Tales

I BELIEVE (T. Johnson ’23)
BB Late 26” (66cm)
Slight sweet fragrance. Pure white with a large blue signal around the beard. Orange beards. A totally unique breakthrough color and pattern in this class. It is from TB breeding but exhibits all the good traits of a BB with smaller foliage and more refined well branched stems. Beautiful!! Sdlg. TG130G: Sib to Courageous One and Simple Magic

GABBY GAL (L. Miller ’23)
TB SA Midseason 32” (81cm)
Slight fragrance. This iris has fascinated me since its maiden bloom. The pattern is different especially for a horned variety. Standards and styles are a medium coral pink. Flaring falls are like a zebra. Is it medium orchid violet with pink veins or deep pink with medium orchid violet veins? The falls also have a defined narrow band of pink-orchid. Tangerine beards end with light violet horns that are always consistent. 6 to 7 buds. Sdlg. 5417: 3013B: (4211A, lost cross x Florentine Silk) X 7714, lost cross.

MYSTIC SIREN (Black ’19)
BB Early 23” (58cm) Clear medium pink standards and haft on light pink to white falls.

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

BLAZING ORANGE (Paul Black 23)
BB Midseason-Late 26” (66cm)
Pronounced sweet fragrance This fiery apricot orange will instantly command your attention when you walk into your garden. Bright it is. Dark plum hafts showcase vivid red-orange beards. Show stalks have 3 branches and 8-9 buds. Makes quick clumps. Sdlg. Z125A: Time Out X Shivaree

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

CINEMAGIC (Paul Black 23)
SDB Early 13” (33Ccm)
Pronounced sweet fragrance Mid gold standards and styles glow above wide mid ruby falls blended lighter toward edges. Light violet beards tipped black-brown terminate in wide black cherry center stripes. Nice breeding for broken color SDBs. Sdlg. BB246D: Black Y278B: (Black V316F, Circus Act sib x Don’t Fix It) X Yoda

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