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

ROBUST CLARET (Paul Black 23)
SDB Early-Midseason 15” (38cm)
Pronounced sweet fragrance The accent here is on robust. Single plants rapidly transform into big clumps that cover with bloom. Glistening mid ruby standards dance above velvety dark ruby falls with a network of fine black lines overall. Beards are neat half auburn and half mid violet. You’ll have plenty to give your neighbors. Sdlg. BB246E, Cinemagic sib

GENTLE SIGH (Paul Black 23) MTB (tet) Midseason-Late 24” (61cm) slight sweet fragrance Through its softer colors and diminutive size, ‘Gentle Sigh’ conveys the feeling of peaceful serenity in your garden. Standards of white flowers have wide mid amethyst plicata bands and dotted centers. Falls have mid amethyst plicata stitched bands. White beards have interesting auburn tips over a light amethyst layer. Show stalks have 3 branches plus spur and 10-11 buds. A lovely refinement in tetraploid MTBs. Sdlg. AA276C: To the Contrary X Deep in the Heart

PAY THE PIPER (Black 23)
BB Midseason-Late 26” (66cm)
Slight spicy fragrance Once you’ve paid the piper, he’ll give you this spectacular creation. It makes one of the finest clumps with masses of classically formed flowers that last for days from iron like substance. Standards are light buffy pink and styles mid buffy pink. Mid buffy pink falls are washed old rose becoming darker toward edges. Hafts are veined dark old rose as are lines overall. Flaming dark orange beards complete the piper’s act. Exceptionally well-proportioned flowers are carried on show stalks with 3-4 branches and 9-12 buds. Sdlg. BB162E: Luscious Lips X Black Y171B: Luscious Lips sib

MOMENT OF REFLECTION (T. Johnson ’24)
Midseason-late 38” (97cm)
Sweet fragrance. Ooh la la is what I say each year when this one starts to flower. Impeccable wide and ruffled form. Not really sure whether to call this a bicolor or a blend. Whatever it is, we like it very much, and we love to hybridize with it. Blended golden orange and salmon standards swirl elegantly above light rosy lavender falls with a peach wash, deeper at the hafts, and lighter as it moves down the petal. Oh, and did we mention it is ruffled? This was a very productive cross and has yielded many intros including last year’s Head Of The Class and Refined Elegance. Sdlg. TK131B: Sweet City Woman X Dressed To The Nines

SIMPLY SAID (T. Johnson ’24)
TB Midseason-late 38” (97cm)
Slight fragrance. Very clean and clear medium baby ribbon pink standards. Falls are near white in the center then gradually becoming a medium pink at fall edge. Beards are red with a lavender end. Simple, elegant, ruffled flowers are carried on tall, well branched and budded stems. Stunning in a clump. Such a clean and simple elegant beauty. Sdlg. TL141ZZ: Simply Fabulous sibling X ((Fine Romance x Rite Of Passage) x Friendly Advice sibling)

LEMONY SWEETS (Black ’24)
MDB Early-midseason 7” (18cm)
Sweet fragrance. One of the sweetest and most refined MDBs. Crisp white and yellow flowers accented with marigold beards make an impressive sight. Sdlg. BB244N: Black Y273B: (Black V309A: (Black T238A: (Energizer Bunny x My Cher) x Black T271H, Spring Is Here sib) x W258C: (Black S320D, Mister Mistoffelees sib x Black T271B, Spring Is Here sib)) X Kisses

CLEAR AND CRISP (T. Johnson ’25)
TB Early-midseason 38” (96.5cm) Slight sweet fragrance.
Deep golden yellow standards have a fine reddish veined edge. Falls are a stark clean and crisp white with a precise deep rust-red dotted plicata band. Its absolutely stunning clean and clear pattern is very noticeable from across the garden. The nicely ruffled flowers held high on well budded and branched stems add to the beauty.
Sdlg. TM25A: What A View X Raspberry Pie

HIDDEN SMILE (T. Johnson ’25)
TB Midseason-late 38” (96.5cm) Lightly scented.
Pink standards have darker pink centers. Falls are a rich medium rosy lavender with a lighter center and pink hafts. Hidden Smile is a really fine iris with classic blocky form and nice stems. Coming from two very good and classically formed irises.
Sdlg. TL1C: Arrivederci X Hospitality

FINELY FINISHED (T. Johnson ’25)
SDB Early-midseason 12” (30.5cm) Slight fragrance.
Some of the color combinations that are appearing in the SDBs are amazing. Gold-edged pink standards rise above pink falls with a cherry pink plicata overlay and a showy gold edge. Then add large tangerine beards and orange style arms. Amazing form, color, and garden presence!
Sdlg. TO87D: Zig Zag sib X Catch My Eye

RARE GEM (T. Johnson ’25)
TB Early-midseason 36” (91.5cm) Slight sweet fragrance.
Mauve pink standards rise above mauve and lavender pink blended falls with lighter centers. There is texture veining that juts out from around the deep lavender purple beard. Gorgeous ruffled and wide form showcases the pattern. Nice stems and buds as well. Quite a striking iris.
Sdlg. TJ149ZZ: TF6E: (Secret Affair x Haunted Heart) X TD70C, Poem Of Love sib: (Fine Romance x Rite Of Passage)

ARABIAN DESERT (P. Black '25)
AB (OGB) Early-midseason 21” (53.5cm) No fragrance.
Large, oncocyclus type blooms have white standards with fine amethyst lined filigree overall. Mid maroon falls are finely filigreed with darker lines. Bold black signals compel you to have a close-up look. Stunning!
Sdlg. CC144A: Smokin' Hot X Beautiful Brown Eyes

MAGIC IS HAPPENING (P. Black '25)
TB Midseason-late 35” (89cm) Pronounced sweet fragrance.
The bubbly personality of Magic is Happening is like a fine bottle of champagne. Its presence just makes you happy. It has a great combination of light blue on white plicata standards and narrow red-violet plicata banded falls. Falls are expansive, nicely flared, and have a perfect amount of ruffling. You need some time to take in this exceptional creation. Three well-spaced branches have 8-9 buds.
Sdlg. AA88D: Cloud Gate X Black Y140A: (Awash In Purple x All Too Exciting)

RAZZLE DAZZLE ME (P. Black '25)
TB Late-very late 31” (78.5cm) Slight sweet fragrance.
Can one possibly get more color on an iris? Probably, but this one makes a good run at it. Mid gold standards and styles top wide falls having mid red-purple centers with light grape finely sanded veins. Warm white hafts on each side of beards are heavily sanded and lined dark brown blended to dark black-brown edges. Moderate brassy khaki bands decorate the edges. Its pod parent Hotsy Totsy is an interesting parent for me. Two branches plus spur carry 7 buds.
Sdlg. BB17O: Hotsy Totsy X Bright Within

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

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

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

PERFECTLY STAGED (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Early-midseason-late 39” (99cm) Sweet fragrance.
Light golden yellow standards have a slight violet flush in the center. Falls are a rich and plush deep burgundy to near black, with a defined wide lavender purple band and a thin gold pencil edge. Beards are orange with red tips. The form and stems are very good on this stunning iris, earning it a high recommendation. Sdlg. TO253A: Influencer sibling

YOU’RE BEAUTIFUL (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Early-midseason 37” (94cm) Light fragrance.
Light lavender standards have a lighter area with lilac dotting in the center. Deep salmon pink style arms peek out from inside the standards, adding great contrast. Falls are white, with a deep plum purple band and light lavender edge. A deep plum center stripe extends from just below the red-orange beard to the plum band. Another iris that makes a very fine clump and is an easy grower. Sdlg. TO246B: Tenacity X Salmon Springs