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).

FINAL ANSWER (T. Johnson ’23)
TB Late 36” (91.5cm)
Sweet fragrance. Medium flesh pink standards have lavender violet centers. Falls are a rich lavender violet with flesh pink touched hafts. Beards are tangerine, tipped lavender. Final Answer has been an absolute favorite since its maiden bloom. Gorgeous wide, ruffled, and heavily laced form, on Impeccably branched and budded show stems, ensures a long bloom season. This is an iris for the more northerly gardens with its lateness it is sure to avoid any damage from late freezes. It is an amazingly fertile parent, setting pods easily. An absolute must have! Sdlg. TJ119YY: Catch My Breath X Dancing Days.

FOLLOW MY LEAD (T. Johnson ’23)
TB Early-midseason 37” (94cm)
Sweet fragrance. Orange Standards are a bit lighter and with some gold influence at the edges. Falls are Yellow-orange with a white spot below the brilliant tangerine-red beard. A deep rose band edges the fall. Great buds and branching and a strong grower, Follow my Lead has also proven itself to be a good parent. Sdlg. TK32B: Sister to Just Curious.

LEARNING TO LOVE (T. Johnson ’23)
TB Midseason 36” (91.5cm)
Lightly scented. Light lavender blue standards with medium pink centers. Falls are creamy white with a pink blush throughout. Icy blue white beards add to the beauty. The overall look of Learning To Love is elegance, with such a pleasing combination of pastels. Nice form and ruffles complete the package. Sdlg. TK13A: Poem Of Love X Enjoyment.

LOVELY LIVVY (T. Johnson ’23)
TB early-midseason 35” (89cm)
Lightly scented. LOVELY LIVVY (T. Johnson ’23) TB early-midseason 35” (89cm) Lightly scented. This gorgeous iris is named to honor the late great Olivia Newton-John. Olivia was not only a very talented celebrity but she was a gorgeous human being. Although I never met her, I certainly followed her career and life. Always a kind, warm and loving person, she never acted the celebrity, taking time to acknowledge all who came upon her. She courageously fought breast cancer in an out of remission for 20 years. Never one to complain she always looked on the positive side of things. The latter part of her life was dedicated to finding a cure for Cancer. She founded the Oliva Newton-John Cancer And Wellness Centre In Melbourne, Australia, the country she called home. Here she tirelessly raised money to support cancer research using plant-based treatments. Lovely Livvy was the pet name the media used throughout Olivia’s life to describe her. The iris we have chosen to honor her kind of named itself. Firstly, it is pink, the color of breast cancer awareness. On top of that, I made the cross in the garden of Barry and Lesley Blyth (using two of Barry’s seedlings), who live only miles from where Olivia grew up. Lovely Livvy is an extraordinary and unique creation in a color combination that has not yet been seen in iris until now. White standards are flushed pink. Falls are a deeper rose pink with a gorgeous ruffled white band. Olivia with her kind and generous heart inspired me to do my part, so I donated a portion of the proceeds of each plant sold in its introductory year (2023) to her Cancer research centre in Australia. Sdlg. TJ335B: X267-12 (U232-1: (S290-3: Raise the Curtain x Another Woman) x (S69-1: (02-185c: Restless Heart x Queen’s Circle) x (02-191B: Tour De France x Rippling River))) x Bashful Love. X Walk Right Back pod parent.

POSITIVE THINKING (T. Johnson ’23)
TB Midseason-late 36” (91.5cm)
Light sweet fragrance. It is hard not to think positive when viewing this happy, cheerful iris. Standards are a brilliant canary yellow. Falls are creamy white with a canary yellow haft and band. There is also a touch of lilac on the shoulders and blushed below the beard. An interesting and beautiful application of color. Nicely ruffled, well-branched show stems are the norm. Sdlg. TL235C: Colour Bazaar X Catwalk Queen.

SECRET CHORD (T. Johnson ’23)
TB Midseason 35” (89cm)
Light fragrance. The color of Secret Chord is hard to describe but here we go. Standards have a brassy gold base then they are washed and dotted mulberry in the center finally forming a brass band. Falls are creamy white with deep violet on either side of, (and forming a dart just below), the beard. There is a deep mulberry red fall band with purple violet dots inside the band. All in all it makes for a very startling color combo. Combine all that with wide heavily ruffled form and you have a grand garden iris. We have used Secret Chord heavily in our breeding program. It has proven to be a great parent for form and deep patterned plicatas. Sdlg. TK211ZZ: Be Not Afraid sib

TROPICAL TEASE (T. Johnson ’23)
TB Midseason-late 35” (89cm)
Sweet fragrance. Cream standards with dark pink centers and golden orange edging. Falls are creamy white with deep orange hafts and edge. The flowers are heavily ruffled and ever so slightly laced. A very pretty iris for later in the season. Sdlg. TK107C: Stage Fright sib.

HOW BIZARRE! (Paul Black 23)
TB Midseason-Very Late 36” (91cm)
Slight musky fragrance My ‘Action Packed’ has given rise to many other excitingly patterned standards and falls like ‘How Bizarre!”. Pale chalky grayed violet elliptical standards centers give way to wide mid tan-gold bands heavily veined and rimmed mid red brown. Velvety purple black falls have white centers heavily veined and sanded dark purple. Old gold beards echo standards color. An easy late show winner with 3 branches and 7 buds. Strong growth and clean disease resistant foliage. Sdlg. AA73A: Laser Light Show X Black X141E: (Black U53D, Rise Like a Phoenix sib x Black U38B, Jungle Mist sib)

CORAL JEWEL (L. Miller ’23)
TB Midseason-late 31” (79cm)
Lightly fragrant. More coral than pink, this self reminds me of the coral jewelry you can obtain in Hawaii. The color always stops me in the garden because of its intensity. The coral-pink is a little creamy around the beards. Beards are coral, lightening to peach at the upturned tip. Flowers are ruffled with slightly crimped edges. Produces 7 to 12 large flowers per stalk. Sdlg. 7316B For Lovers Only X 9013B: (7211: In Love Again x Super Model) x Fiesta Orange))

MEGA RUFFLES (Paul Black 23)
TB Early-Midseason 30” (76cm)
Slight spicy fragrance If ruffles are your delight, then you’ll be on max overload with this exuberantly ruffled beauty. Light rosy peach standards blend to wide buttery yellow bands. Velvety dark red-grape falls have darker veins and lines overall and are encased in precise, closely packed light rose-pink bands. Tan-gold beards echo the standards color. With so many ruffles, these larger flowers open easily and completely. There are two branches and only 5 buds. Buds open one at a time so each can be fully appreciated and not shorten the bloom time. Fat super ruffled buds are quite fun. Sdlg. AA145A: Autumn Jewel X My Passion

NETIZEN (Keppel ’22)
Early 40” (102cm)
Violet standards with pink band. Falls violet washed over cream with a pink edge. Creamy white luminata patch around beard.

MODERN MAJESTY (Paul Black 23)
TB Midseason-Very Late 30” (76cm)
Pronounced spicy fragrance No dowdy queen here. Her ‘Modern Majesty’ is decked out in the latest fashion but still with classic tight form. Mid-dark purple standards centers blend lighter to wide mid mauve bands. Falls are light pinkish mauve with darker texture veins and darker rose mauve hafts veined white. Fat orange beards make a lively statement. Two branches and spur produce 7 buds. Sdlg. Z53B: Make My Heart Sing X Princess Grace

SHE’S BEAUTIFUL (Paul Black 23)
TB Midseason-Late 36” (91cm)
Slight sweet fragrance Another project breeders have pursued for many years is putting a pink beard on a blue or purple iris. It seems loads of baby steps still haven’t gotten us there. These icy blue-white blooms coral pink beards. I probably don’t have enough years left to make it to the goal on this one. I’ll have to be content with it in my dreams. Sdlg. Z136A: Black W152A: (Black T80A: Fantasy in Pink x Black Q6A: (Dearie x Drifting Bubbles)) X Fire and Ice

SPICED APPLES (Black 23)
BB Midseason-Late 27” (68.5cm)
Slight sweet fragrance You’ll love the warm yummy colors of these ‘Spiced Apples’. Standards are light copper peach styles mid copper. White fall hafts are mottled light wine then solid to edge. Light rosy peach centers blend to light then mid rosy-copper to edges and are circled with gilt gold rims and adorned with bright orange beards. Show stalks have 4 branches plus spur and 11-14 buds. Superb parent. Sdlg. Z148B: Delectable Treat X Black W182D: (Black U78C:(Black R168C, Three Part Harmony sib x Grace and Charm) x Long And Winding Road pollen parent)

SHIFTING GEARS (Keppel '23)
TB Early-Midseason 36" (91cm)
Bright canary yellow standards. Falls are a blended reddish grape, deeper at the hafts, and washed lavender purple in the center. A narrow yellow edge completes the picture. (Mystery Man sib X (Red Skies x Gypsy Lord))

SNOW KISS (Keppel '23)
TB Midseason-Late
35" (85cm)
Palest pink standards; Falls are creamy white blushed pink becoming tinted lavender towards the edge. Beards are tipped powder blue at the end. (Arrivederci X Marital Bliss)

WHAT'S UP (Keppel '23)
TB Midseason 38" (97cm)
Standards are an interesting blend of rosy tan and violet. Falls are a brassy yellow with a copper to orange beard. ((Nouveau Riche x (Mysterious Ways sib x Safari Sunset)) X Mysterious Ways sib x Safari Sunset) x (Mysterious Ways sib x (Summer Fashion x Coming Up Roses) x Lotus Land))))

GALA GLOW (Keppel '23)
TB Midseason-Late 35" (85cm)
Medium peach-orange with a lighter creamy area below tangerine beards. (Idle Rich X Sunset Boulevard)