CLOSING CEREMONY (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Midseason late-very late 38” (96.5cm) Slight fragrance.
The name kind of tells you the story. It starts flowering with the midseason varieties, and continues through until the very end of the iris bloom season. Very rich pink standards repeat themselves in a soft band on white falls. Big showy powder blue beards certainly add a touch of class. Very nice form with good bud count and stems. A true delight to look at, it is a favorite for sure! Sdlg. TO160A: Somebody To Love X TK109ZZ: (TG52CC: (Uptown Lady x Don’t Stop Believing) x Slice Of Heaven)

CLASSIC JEWEL (Thomas Johnson ’26)
SDB Early-midseason-late 13” (33cm) Slight fragrance.
The faintest of pink petals are a touch darker in the standards and the hafts. Beards are large and powder blue. From a distance, it looks white with a powder blue beard. Stunning! Sdlg. TO103B: My Sweetness X Five And Dime

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

PURPLE PLEASURE (Paul Black 26)
BB Midseason-late 26” (66cm) Pronounced sweet fragrance.
An abundance of ruffles and frills on a classically formed flower ramp up its visual pleasure. The clean mid violet color of the standards is repeated in a wide band around the velvety dark purple falls, which also have dark plum hafts. Light grayed tan to pale blue beards are an interesting touch. Lovely show stalks have 3 branches and 9-10 buds. Note the blue and pink parentage. Sdlg. DD22C: Adrift At Sea X Black BB86E: (Bubbly Beauty x For Lovers Only)

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

LOVER’S TOUCH (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Early-midseason 39” (99cm) Sweet fragrance.
Standards have a medium blue pink center becoming lighter towards the edge. Falls are lavender white with a dotted blue lavender plicata edge with pink undertones. Beards are a mixture of orange, lavender and white, adding another dimension in this very pleasing and warm color combination. Really a very beautiful and elegant iris, that has lots of buds on nice show stems. Parentage is unknown.

PRETTY MUCH IT (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Midseason-late 38” (96.5cm) Sweet fragrance.
Plicatas are such an interesting and fun group because of the variability that you can get. In general terms, one would describe this as a purple plicata, but Pretty Much It is so much more than that! Standards are white with a green flush up the midrib. Falls are pristine white, with a narrow stitched violet edge, and then a deeper violet wire rim. Hafts are touched deep red violet, and there is a small violet dart below the beard. Even the beard is a strange blend of orange and white. Upon closer inspection and as the flower ages a bit, the standards open slightly to show the gorgeous contrasting deep gold style crests from inside. The flowers are large and extremely wide and ruffled. Stems are tall, well branched and balanced, and display the beauty of the pattern perfectly. Sdlg. TO163B: Say It Right X Castle On The Hill

READY FOR DESSERT (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Midseason-late 36” (91cm) Slight sweet fragrance.
Perhaps I think about food too much, but I certainly think of dessert when I see this iris! It is the most yummy combination of colors, accentuated by heavy ruffles and lace. Truly a stunning iris! Flesh pink standards are a deeper shade in the center. Falls are white, with a very wide, ruffled, and laced medium orchid band. A touch of pink at the hafts on either side of the soft coral and white beard add perfectly to the elegance. A perennial favorite every year since its maiden bloom. Sdlg. TO187L: Anti Hero sibling

WATCHFUL EYE (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Early-midseason 39” (99cm) Sweet fragrance.
Light lavender white standards have dark lemon centers and a light lemon touched edge. Falls are a light lavender white with a deep rust haft and a deep violet black flash below the beard. Quite a stunner of an iris, and one that has been much loved in the garden. Tall, well branched and budded stems make it a contender for best in show on the show bench. Sdlg. TN180F: Are You Kidding Me and Looking Like That sibling