SECRETIVE (T. Johnson ’24)
TB Early-midseason 36” (91cm)
Slight fragrance. Light lilac pink standards, flushed deeper pink in center, sit atop medium lavender falls with deeper violet texture veins and a lighter band. Large beards are a frosted deep violet, creating quite a dramatic effect. Well formed, ruffled, and lightly laced flowers are held on well branched and budded stems. Sdlg. TL160XX: Magic Trick X Que Sera Sera

ANKLE-BITER (Black ’24)
MDB Midseason-late 7” (18cm)
Musky fragrance. It’s the little ones you must look out for. Don’t let their size fool you; their dramatic coloring has great carrying power. Sdlg. BB212P: Black X224C: (Intoxicating x Black V322A: (Black T248C: (Black Q95A, My Cher sib x Black P168F, Total Denial sib) x Black T233A: (Black P188B: (Black M251A: (Black J392A: (Black F240A: (Sweet Bite x Black B281B: (Tweety Bird x Black 91216, Spin Again sib)) x Minidragon) x Black J282C, Amusing sib) x Tickety Boo) x Black R264: (Delayed Development x Black P189 T-beard purple, He's So Shy sib)))) X Black X233A: (Intoxicating x Spectator)

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)

DRAMATIC FINALE (T. Johnson ’25)
TB Late-very late 38” (96.5cm) Slight fragrance.
Standards have dark reddish violet centers with a wide blue violet area and then a lighter edge. Falls are the same with deep reddish violet hafts. The flowers on Dramatic Finale are extremely ruffled and a bit flared. Nice stems with good bud count are the norm. Dramatic Finale is very late and is not recommended in hot early climates such as Southern CA or Arizona where it may be susceptible to heat burn. It should be a great variety to close the season in the more northerly gardens.
Sdlg. TL6ZZ: Barbara Rider X Espionage

FALCON HEART (T. Johnson ’25)
TB Early-midseason 36” (91.5cm) Slight sweet fragrance.
Standards are light yellow with medium lemon yellow centers. Falls have a very deep maroon central spot that becomes a wash as it moves toward the edge. There is then a light violet blushed area before becoming a clear light yellow band. A very clean and dramatic pattern and another step in the ‘pansy face’ pattern.
Sdlg. TN50D: TH68C, Autumn Tease sib: (Seasons In The Sun x Risk Taker) X Truth Or Dare

CARAMEL CRAVING (T. Johnson ’25)
IB Early-midseason 23” (58.5cm) Slight fragrance.
Deep golden yellow standards have a maroon flush in the center. Falls are deep gold with a large deep maroon spot in the center. I love this iris, such a dramatic and eye-catching pattern on a really solid garden plant.
Sdlg. TN317F: Searing Embers X Mind Blowing

LEFT AN IMPRINT (T. Johnson ’25)
TB Midseason 37” (94cm) Sweet fragrance.
Clean lavender standards are lightly laced. Falls are a rich medium violet with slightly darker veins. What really sets Left An Imprint apart is the deep inky blue black hafts, creating quite a dramatic effect. Very distinctive!
Sdlg. TN6B: Elite X Imperial Guard

PISTOLS AT DAWN (L. Miller ’25)
TB SA Midseason-late 30” (76cm) Slight musky fragrance.
Golden yellow standards are reflected in the lighter yellow veined area around the beard on the rich red-black falls. Styles have dark maroon veining. Mustard beards have a reddish black-based horn. A favorite with garden visitors. Very dramatic and showy!
Sdlg. 5517: 8214F, Chiseled sib X 10714C: (7810: (10106C: (Panic Button x Fiery Temper) x Saturn) x Mist Arising)

BEATEN TO THE PUNCH (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Very early-midseason 38” (96.5cm) Sweet fragrance.
Very light lemon standards with a violet flush at the base sit atop a very complex patterned fall; its lavender base color is overlaid with a deep violet brindled wash, then bordered in a buff pink band. Beards are a very weird brown to black. The whole package is quite dramatic and intriguing; it always draws me in from across the garden for a closer look. Beaten To The Punch is one of the first to start to bloom, and is held on tall, well branched and budded stems. Beautiful. Sdlg. TN89YY: Stitches sibling X Hit The Bullseye sibling

WOVEN TAPESTRY (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Early-midseason 37” (94cm) Sweet fragrance.
Standards are the faintest of oyster blue with violet and pink washed centers. Falls are rich mauve, with a deep reddish purple washed central fall spot. Beards are burnt orange. We just love the colors of this iris, and it is illustrated so well, in a dramatic pattern. Nice stems with plenty of buds. Sdlg. TO238A: For The Ages X Suspicious Minds

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

BORN TO BE KINGS (Paul Black 26)
TB Midseason-late 32” (81.5cm) Slight sweet fragrance.
Regal and commanding, Born to Be Kings lives up to its royal presence. Crisp, luminous white standards rise in dramatic ruffles above rich, velvety falls of deep royal purple. The falls are boldly accented with a bright golden-yellow edge and glowing white center that radiates outward, drawing the eye straight to the marigold beard. Show stalks showcase these bold flowers. Sdlg. DD6A: Art Critic X Reticulated Ruby

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

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)

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

STRANGE BEAST (Paul Black 26)
TB Midseason-late 33” (84cm) Slight sweet fragrance.
Such a mix-up of color and pattern! No two flowers of this broken color sort are the same. Superbly formed flowers have light gold and light mauve broken color segments. More dramatically formed falls are a broken color medley of mid to dark gold and mid to dark burgundy, with a white dart at the end of light marigold beards. Don’t be surprised if you encounter an occasional variegated foliage plant. It intermittently decides to give one. It definitely does not have stable variegated foliage. Strong stalks normally have 2 branches and 7 buds. Sdlg. EE69F: Black Y87A: (Black V24C, Cockeyed Optimist sibling x Black W144C: (Black T46C: (Claim To Fame x Advantage) x Black T52CR: (Black N134AAR: (Island Coral x Black K113A: (Throb x Black I4A: (Blazing Sunrise x Black C17D, Vibrant sibling))) x Advantage))) X Hodgepodge

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

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))

THAT’S A GOOD ONE (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Midseason-late 38” (96.5cm) Sweet fragrance.
Crystalline white standards have a shiny gold edge matching the visible golden style crests peeking out from inside. Very white falls have a deep indigo blue to near black stitched and dotted band and belly stripe below a shocking orange beard. A very gorgeous and dramatic iris in the field, That’s A Good One is definitely an attention grabber. Sdlg. TO225A: Piece By Piece X Say It Right