REST OF THE STORY (T. Johnson ’24)
TB Early-midseason 36” (91cm)
Slight fragrance. Deep lavender blue standards are touched pink at the top. Falls are a clean lavender white with a precise pink band and haft. A nice start towards a pink and blue reverse bicolor. Lovely form, good stems, and strong growth make this a garden favorite. Sdlg TL89YY: Highly Classified X Easy On The Eyes

WATCHING YOU (T. Johnson ’24)
TB Early-midseason 36” (91cm)
Light fragrance. Light flesh pink standards. Falls are lighter with a red violet stitched bar across the haft and a deep blue violet dart that extends below the beard to halfway down the petal. The beards are red, which in combination with the dart give a bit of a feeling like you are being watched. Totally unique and startling in the garden. Recommended! Sdlg. TM77ZZ: Final Answer sibling X Simple Magic sibling

AMETHYST STARBURST (Black ’24)
MTB Early-midseason 20” (51cm)
Slight spicy fragrance. Taking the I. variegata veined fall pattern to an extreme. Makes a startling clump. Parentage involves mostly tets., but Amethyst Starburst looks diploid. Sdlg. BB168A: Little White Tiger X Black Z159A: (Black W195I: (Black S233A: (Redrock Princess x Ah Yes) x Edinger "Mullinax Butterfly") x unknown)

MAKE UP YOUR MIND (Black ’24)
TB Early-midseason 33” (84cm)
Sweet fragrance. This is one of the first broken color plicatas. Subsequent generations indicate it is an inheritable trait, so let the breeding begin. Nothing in the parentage indicates the possibility of broken color. About 1/3 of the seedlings from this cross were plicatas, about 1/3 were selfs, and about 1/3 were broken color plicatas. Well-branched stalks have 2 branches and a spur producing 7-9 blooms. Vigorous growth provides quick clumps. Intriguing to see each flower marked differently. Sdlg. AA84T: Come And Dance X Starry Starry Night

PRETTY SIGHT (Black ’24)
TB Early-midseason 34” (86.5cm)
Sweet fragrance. This taller sibling of ‘Make Up Your Mind’ is a very handsome traditional plicata in a lovely cornflower blue shade. It adds one more branch and a complement of 9-10 buds on show stalks. It too is a strong clean grower. Standards are a near solid cornflower blue with a buff wire edge. Falls have a white ground with cornflower dotting inside a more solid band, and then a complementary buff band. Sdlg. AA84X: Come And Dance X Starry Starry Night

SURE TO TURN HEADS (Black ’24)
TB Midseason-late 33” (84cm)
Sweet fragrance. Put this iris at the top of your list. Its maiden bloom said, “I’m a star,” and so it is. It easily makes my top ten list. Tight compact form and heavy substance ensure it won’t fall apart in adverse weather. Exuberantly ruffled standards contrast with tightly pie crust ruffled fall edges so as to adorn but not obscure the stunning plicata patterning. Sturdy show stalks have 4 branches with 11-14 buds. Growth is robust and clean. Clumps are filled with stalks and bloom. You’re sure to turn your head as you walk by. Sdlg. BB106B: Crocodile Smile X Black Z100D, Background Noise sib

FIVE STAR (Black ’24)
TB Midseason-late 37” (94cm)
Sweet fragrance. Gorgeously formed, ruffled, and lightly laced blooms are adorned with big delicious beards. Light mid pink standards are blended buff at the edges. Falls have a creamy cantaloupe center with orange hafts and lighter edge. Supremely show-branched stalks have 3 branches and spur resulting in 10-12 blooms. Very strong, robust, and clean growth. A favorite since maiden bloom; everything about it is five stars!! Sdlg. BB78A: Black Y4A: (Fantasy In Pink x Bedroom Romance) X Black Y84A: (Black V22C: (Toast Of The Town x unknown) x Black W22A: (Clouds Go By x What A Beard!))

YUMMYLISCIOUS (Black ’24)
TB Early-midseason 34” (86.5cm)
No fragrance. This elegant lady is ready to step out on the town. She’ll be a big hit with admirers wanting to devour her. She’ll walk by with poise and grace, taking little notice of them. Softly colored flowers are carried on show stalks and produced by strong growth. Standards are a blended mid pink with a white margin. Falls are white with a pale pink band. Sdlg. BB159C: Black Y170C, Stardust Evening sib X Black Y165A: (V159K, Pleasure’s All Mine sib x Friendly Advice)

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)

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

SPICY SECRET (T. Johnson ’25)
TB Early-midseason 37” (94cm) Slight sweet fragrance.
Near solid mid raspberry standards have just a hint of white showing in the center. Falls are stark white with a wide raspberry band. A very nicely formed flower with a super clear pattern.
Sdlg. TM149YY: Raspberry Pie X Flash Mob

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)

STARE INTO MY EYES (P. Black '25)
AB (OGB-) Late-very late 23” (58.5cm) Slight sweet fragrance.
Stare Into My Eyes makes a significant advancement in the buds and branching of quarter arilbred irises. It is a big favorite. Strong stalks have two well-spaced branches plus spur and 7-8 buds. It is vigorous and as easy to grow as other bearded irises. White standards have light yellow centers blended to wide white bands shot with light yellow veins. Falls have big purple signals irregularly blended into wide light amethyst bands. Because of its later bloom, you’ll be able to take it to a show.
Sdlg. CC140A: Heart Of Hearts X Casual Attire

RUM AND RAISIN (P. Black '25)
SDB Early-midseason 13” (33cm) Pronounced sweet fragrance.
If you like earth tones, Rum And Raisin is for you. Standards are mid-light caramel tan. Multiple rings of color in the falls start with mid gold hafts with light tan plicata marks, then to a wide mid raisin band blended to mid gold bands. Muted mid marigold beards are a subtle contrast. YUM!
Sdlg. DD153D: AA220F: (W233B, See No Evil sib x Artist's Hand) X Artist's Hand

DARK EYED LASS (P. Black '25)
SDB Early-midseason 10” (25.5cm) Pronounced sweet fragrance.
Here it is, the one many of you have been asking about since I first posted its picture on FB. I’m also in love with it. It is one of those irises where everything works together to make a stunning creation. Light yellow standard centers blend to wide stark white bands. Irregularly edged big brown-black fall spots transition to wide white bands, including a white dart up their distal center. A nest of white darts encircles white beards. OH MY!
Sdlg. DD163A: BB248A, Touch Of Turquoise sib X Zaa Zaa Zing

PLAY WITH ZEBRAS (P. Black '25)
TB Midseason-late 34” (86.5cm) Pronounced musky fragrance.
Talk about a zebra of a different stripe. This is one of the few broken color plicatas, and one with sterling plant habits and superbly formed flowers. White standards have a wide dark purple plicata band and closely spaced dotting over the center. Wide and ruffled falls are white with dark purple broken color segments, streaks, dotting, and sanding. Show stalks have three branches and 7-8 buds. I’m working on zebras in other colors now. What a fun project this is!
Sdlg. AA84N: Come And Dance X Starry Starry Night

MEGASTAR (P. Black '25)
TB Midseason-late 35” (89cm) No fragrance.
This was my favorite seedling out of all of the BB year seedlings. I returned repeatedly to have another look. There is such an overwhelming amount of color and patterning that one viewing isn’t enough to take it in. It is another Crocodile Smile child, which shows its importance as a parent. Warm white standards have a wide light violet plicata outer band and a wide light khaki tan sanded and lined plicata band. Style arms are contrasting dark gold. White falls have wide dark violet to dark plum lined and sanded plicata bands. Rich brown beards are the perfect accent. Three branches produce 8-9 buds.
Sdlg. BB105P: Crocodile Smile X Z62C: (All Too Exciting x U53X, Rise Like A Phoenix sib)

VARIATION ON A THEME (P. Black '25)
TB Midseason-late 33” (84cm) Slight musky fragrance.
This theme includes several medians and I. aphylla in the parentage. I’m excited when I can add more diversity in a cross. As I like to say, “More is more.” The blending, shades, and patterning of blue bring to mind the ever-changing skies. Standards are mid-dark blue blending to mid-light blue toward edges. Inky dark blue falls blend to wide light blue bands. Two-toned beards are a fun accent. Moderately sized flowers are carried on three branches having 9-10 buds.
Sdlg. BB161E: Y170C, Stardust Evening sib X Z145H: (V385B: (First Lady Of Spring x Silver Ice) x V168A: (Coral Splendor x Simply Coral))

TYRANNOSIRIS REX (P. Black '25)
TB Midseason-late 33” (84cm) Slight sweet fragrance.
Well, maybe it isn’t quite as large as Tyrannosaurus Rex, but it is big and exuberantly ruffled. The standards have a small grayed light-yellow center that blends to light pewter, then to a wide light grayed brown band. Expansive falls are mid grayed yellow with mahogany hafts blended lighter to their edge. Mid old gold beards end in a short, wide, slate violet stripe. Unique it is! Excellent plant habits help create memorable clumps filled with show stalks.
Sdlg. CC71A: Stardust Evening X Espionage

BOUNCING BLUE BETTY (P. Black '25)
TB Midseason-late 34” (86.5cm) Slight spicy fragrance.
I’ll leave it to you to figure out which Betty and where the bounce is. Is it in her footsteps? She is elegantly appealing. Ruffled icy white standards echo the interesting white falls that are delicately washed pale blue to several shades darker toward their edges. Statuesque stalks can have 4 branches with 11-12 buds. Put some bounce in your garden.
Sdlg. CC76A: Z40B: (V67A: (R72A: (Fancy Dog x M80CC: (First Page x Man About Town)) x Blueberry Parfait) x V191D: (R174B: (Frontline x Bluebird Of Happiness) x Dancing Star)) X X1A: (Adriatic Waves x All Ashore)