I’M IN LOVE (Paul Black '22)
SDB Midseason-Late 15” (38cm)
Pronounced sweet fragrance. Yes, it was love a first sight and that hasn’t changed in its subsequent years of evaluation. It is at the top of my favorite SDBs. Bright, cheery and personable are good descriptors for it. White styles peer from inside bright yellow standards veined and toned slate violet in upper third. Bright yellow luminata patches give way to white shoulders blending to light lilac washed falls veined overall dark lilac. Two toned orange and marigold beards add fiery passion. Variable color and markings. Fabulous parent.
Sdlg. AA219A: Tourist Trap X Bazinga

IMPRESSIVE (Paul Black '22)
IB Midseason-Late 25” (63cm)
Pronounced spicy fragrance It is quite reminiscent of ‘Daughter of Stars’ but shares little in common ancestry. White veins trace through violet blue standards. Dark purple falls are brightened by white luminata patches and dart at the end of beards. Show stalks to be expected from the parentage have 2 branches plus spur and 7-9 buds. Clumps command your attention.
Sdlg. AA170A: Belle Fille X Black V385C: (First Lady of Spring x Silver Ice)

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

LITTLE PIGGY (Paul Black '22)
SDB Midseason-Late 14” (36cm)
Slight sweet fragrance. Fat, round, ruffled and pink, this ‘Little Piggy’ is ready to go to market. Peachy pink standards blend to butter margins. Wide mid pink falls are edged in gilt yellow and decorated with shrimp pink beards.
Sdlg. AA215A: Festive Bow X (Black Y261 sib: (Black V271A, Soft Blend pollen parent x Black V244A, Running Bare pollen parent)

LUCKY ROLL (Paul Black '22)
AB (OGB-) Midseason-Late 22” (56cm)
Slight sweet fragrance. Its colors and markings are variable. Whether it makes it a broken color, I don’t know. Slate mauve and violet standards are flecked amber as are dark old gold styles. Mid caramel falls have red-brown flecks and mid black cherry signals veined red-black.
Sdlg. AA146D: Smokin’ Hot X Black Y260A: (Black V271A: (Orange Obsession x Black T219C, Meticulous pod parent) x Black V244A, Running Bare pollen parent))

SLIGHTLY CONFUSED (P. Black '22)
SDB Late-Very Late 15” (38cm)
Slight sweet fragrance. What shall I be? This one is ‘Slightly Confused’. Icy blue-white standards sometimes have wide light pink segments and the same for the falls. Sometimes falls are icy blue-white washed light pink overall. Showy beards are always dark violet blue.
Sdlg. AA253A: Black X303B: (Black U165C: (Black R232D, Ambiguous pollen parent x Green Oasis) x Breathtaking) X Little Bit of Lace

BACKGROUND NOISE (Paul Black '22)
TB Late-Very Late 34” (86cm)
Pronounced sweet fragrance Two of this year’s introductions are from this cross that produced many delightful seedlings. ‘Me and My Shadow’ has proven to be a solid parent for quality later blooming hardy plicatas. Light blending to dark butterscotch standards have fine darker caramel veining. Styles are darker butterscotch with styles veined brown. Crisp white falls are decorated with wide dark burgundy plicata bands while near black irregular lines descend part way down their centers. Three well-spaced branches carry 7-8 buds. A vigorous and hardy plicata.
Sdlg. Z100I: Me and My Shadow X First Pick

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

ESSENCE OF BEAUTY (Paul Black '22)
TB Early-Midseason 33” (84cm)
No fragrance. Ooh la la, all those undulating ruffles and vivid apricot, orange and pink blending decorated with even darker bold orange beards. All this lusciousness is carried on strong stalks having 3 branches and 8-9 buds. For those breeding broken color sorts, this one has B/Cs on both sides of the parentage.
Sdlg. X113B: Big Break X Black U22B: ((Magical Glow x Impulsive) x Black R170C, Simply Coral sib)

LATER ALLIGATOR (Paul Black '22)
TB Early-Midseason 34” (86cm)
Pronounced sweet fragrance. Be careful this intriguing character doesn’t sneak up on you. Swirling mid to light slate blue standards are flushed darker gray violet up midribs. Ruffled mustard yellow falls have paler centers and are veined darker gold. Show stalks with 3 branches and spur have 8-10 buds which is characteristic of both parents. Robust growth ensures this gator will be back year after year.
Sdlg. Y46A: Black U10, Luxuriant sib X Black W130A: (Black T19B, Lost World sib x Secret Agenda

STARRY STARRY NIGHT (P. Black '22)
TB Midseason-Very Late 36” (91cm)
Slight musky fragrance It is a night you’ll long remember. Classically formed, ruffled and lightly laced purple black flowers have standards with white sanded veins over their centers that show their plicata heritage. White fall hafts have closely spaced purple black lines and sanded veins transitioning to velvety purple black falls. Butterscotch beards turn to white climaxing in a white shooting star dart for a dramatic accent. It has a stunning presence even before opening. Bud reverses have chartreuse haft centers streaking into white center bands then white veins streaking into dark purple outer bands. It is an awesome look. Sturdy growth produces 4 well-spaced branches but only 7 buds. As if this wasn’t enough, it has been a mystery progenitor of many broken color plicatas. There is nothing in the parentage to suggest this trait. I’m still exploring its potential. In one cross, about a third of the seedlings looked like it, a third were standard plicata types and a third were broken color plicatas. There is much to be explored!
Sdlg. Y161A: Me and My Shadow X Black V159B, Pleasure’s All Mine sib

TO TOO TWO (P. Black '22)
TB Midseason-Late 33” (84cm)
Slight sweet fragrance. Unlike the English language, these alluring uncomplicated flowers need no explanation; they are simply beautiful. Raspberry rose standards color is repeated in a blended band around cream to light peach falls. Orange beards provide a pointed accent. Makes a more subtle statement in the landscape.
Sdlg. Z119C: Black V160G (Black S158A, Like a Breeze pod parent x Enough is Enough) X Time Out

CAPTIVATING ONE (T. Johnson ’23)
SDB Midseason 13” (33cm)
Slight fragrance. A very dramatic and striking flower with large showy orange beards. Medium blue violet standards and band on deep rich magenta falls. Sdlg. TM72A: Perfect Look X TM185A: (Galaxy Quest x Woody Woodpecker pollen parent).

DETAIL ORIENTED (T. Johnson ’23)
SDB Midseason-Late 13” (33cm)
Slight fragrance. Peach to orange standards and narrow band on light mauve pink falls. There is a violet plicata overlay around the beard & inside the narrow band. We are using this one heavily in breeding to intensify the unique contrasting band on the falls. Nicely ruffled, flashy and charming. Sdlg. TL304A: (Sib to Alaia pod parent x (Pirate Baby x Raspberry Crisp)) X Alaia

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.

HASHTAG (T. Johnson ’23)
SDB Early 12” (30.5cm)
Slight fragrance. Very light yellow-orange standards. Falls have a white ground that is completely lined with deep maroon red lines and veins. The hafts are touched yellow. Beards are white with tangerine hair tips. Very striking and the first lined SDB in this color that we know of. The parents of this one are the two iris named after our two little dogs. Sdlg. TM175A: Alaia X Tula.

JEWEL HEIST (T. Johnson ’23)
SDB Midseason 11” (28cm)
Musky fragrance. Yet again another introduction from the fabulous parent Alaia. These colors are in neon. Standards and styles have pink centers with light orange edges. Falls have a pink ground with violet dots at haft and below beard. Fall edges blend from pink to orange. Enormous bushy red-orange beards. Incredible! Sdlg. TK293E: Alaia X Sweet Devotion.

SCORCHING HOT (T. Johnson ’23)
SDB Midseason 12” (30.5cm)
Sweet fragrance. Golden yellow standards with a rust-red infusion at the midrib. Falls are near solid mahogany-red with a little bit of gold showing through and a pencil thin gold petal edge. Vigorous and showy with three buds. Beautiful clumps! Sdlg. TL303C: Alaia sib X (My Little Friend pod parent x (Brash And Sassy x Galaxy Quest)).

COSMIC MYSTERY (T. Johnson ’23)
TB Midseason 35” (89cm)
Sweet fragrance. White ground standards are almost completely overlaid gold. The midrib is flushed violet. Falls are white with a deep velvet red band. There is medium red violet dotted band inside the darker band. Nicely ruffled flowers on a very bright and pleasing color combination. A nice classically ruffled form completes the look. Sdlg. TL213G: (Say It Right x Marry The Night sib) X (Marry The Night sib x pod parent of Be Not Afraid).

DISTANT SHORES (T. Johnson ’23)
TB Midseason-late 36” (91.5cm)
Sweet fragrance. Icy white standards are infused light violet and pink at the midrib. Falls are lavender-blue violet with a lighter lavender edge. What brings life to Distant Shores is the pink in the base of the standards. It draws your eye in for a closer inspection of the frosted blue violet beard. Nicely ruffled flowers are held on well branched stalks. A good quality iris, a solid performer, and an easy doer. Sdlg. TJ308A: pod parent of Rolling In The Deep X Secret Status.