BEATEN TO THE PUNCH (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Very early-midseason 38” (96.5cm) Sweet fragrance.
Very light lemon standards with a violet flush at the base sit atop a very complex patterned fall; its lavender base color is overlaid with a deep violet brindled wash, then bordered in a buff pink band. Beards are a very weird brown to black. The whole package is quite dramatic and intriguing; it always draws me in from across the garden for a closer look. Beaten To The Punch is one of the first to start to bloom, and is held on tall, well branched and budded stems. Beautiful. Sdlg. TN89YY: Stitches sibling X Hit The Bullseye sibling

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)

DANCE FESTIVAL (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Early-midseason-late 38” (96.5cm) Slight fragrance.
Lines, lines, and more lines! I have been working with this pattern for a number of years and have gotten some very interesting things. If I were to choose just one word to describe this, it would be floriferous! It completely covers itself in tall, well branched and budded stems, and blooms for a long time. It is not the first to start blooming, but about midway through the early season it starts, and goes and goes. The picture kind of speaks for itself. Check out the additional pictures of it, including clump shots. Sdlg. TN171ZZ Open Heart X Leave Me Breathless

DREAM BELIEVER (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Early-midseason-late 36” (91cm) Sweet fragrance.
Standards are a very complex color; deep rosy lavender centers blend to medium lavender, edged with a yellow buff band. Falls are a rich mustard yellow, with a lighter wash from below the beard to the deep mustard edge. Dream Believer is a super strong grower, and is very floriferous, completely covering itself in bloom, to create an eye-popping display. Sdlg. TN27FF: Artificial Intelligence sibling

EYE SEE YOU (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Midseason-late 34” (86cm) Musky fragrance.
One of the shorter TBs this year. Brilliant canary yellow standards rise above medium lavender-mauve falls with a large deep burgundy haft and light yellow band. The extremely wide falls help to enhance the deep haft pattern. Another totally distinctive iris that literally makes me stop and stare when it is in bloom. The color and pattern are shockingly bright!! Sdlg. TO235A: Plot Twist X Open Flame

CANARY CRUSH (Thomas Johnson ’26)
SDB Early-midseason 14” (35.5cm). Sweet fragrance.
Deep canary to mustard yellow petals have an almost brown beard with a blue tip. Very wide and ruffled, creating quite a pleasing effect. Sdlg. TO76A: TK278A: (TG332: (TD227A: (Wit x It’s Amazing) x TD247B, Jewels sib) x Keppel 09-16A) X Cheers To You

GOING CONCERN (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Early-midseason 38” (96.5cm) Sweet fragrance.
Another iris with a distinctive and complicated color scheme. Standards are very light yellow, with deeper lemon and pink blended centers, and lighter edge with lemon veins. Falls have a large yellow sunburst pattern in the center, becoming a very pronounced deep burgundy, and then bordered with a precise wide lavender blue band. A very striking and unique flower, it makes a startling clump. Sdlg. TN232YY: Beautiful Mind sibling

HAVE A LOOK (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Early-midseason-late 40” (101.5cm) Slight sweet fragrance.
Steely blue white standards have a deep mustard central spot. Falls are icy white, with light lemon texture veins, and a deep mustard haft. Extremely wide and ruffled flowers bloom in profusion on tall, well branched and budded stems. A very different pattern that calls for closer inspection. Sdlg. TO224C: Mood For Love sibling X TI234B: (Blyth W84: (Dance A Dance sibling x unknown) x Bring Me Diamonds)

RIDING THE SURF (Paul Black 26)
TB Early-midseason 40” (101.5cm) No fragrance.
Clear skies above and pounding surf below, it’s time to break out the surfboard. Pristine white standards tower above white falls irregularly washed and blended mid to dark blue. Pale blue blended bands add some foam. Strong, elegantly tall stalks have 4 branches and a branch spur, giving 11-12 buds. Coming from a stable of robust parents gives it staying power in your garden. Sdlg. CC76B: Black Z40B: (Black V67A: (Black R72A: (Fancy Dog x Black M80CC: (Black J140B, First Page sibling x Man About Town)) x Blueberry Parfait) x V191A: (Black R174B: (Frontline x Bluebird Of Happiness) x Dancing Star)) X Black X1A: (Adriatic Waves x All Ashore)

IT’S A WRAP (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Midseason-late 37” (94cm) Slight fragrance.
This gorgeous pink iris was named It’s A Wrap because we always know that when it starts to bloom we are heading towards the end of the bloom season. Marked for introduction from its maiden bloom, we have been patiently building stock and are excited to finally offer it. This gorgeous pink self is slightly lighter below the beards, which are a wonderful shade of shrimp pink. This glorious color is displayed on perfectly formed flowers that are wide, ruffled, and lightly laced. Good stems and high bud count make this a long bloomer and a good candidate for best specimen at the late shows. Sdlg. TL51ZZ: Strawberry Shake X Slice Of Heaven

KICK START (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Early-midseason 39” (99cm) Slight fragrance.
Kick Start is very early; it starts the iris bloom season. Amber to orange standards are held perfectly over amber yellow falls, lighter in the center, with a wide deep rose band. Beards are brilliant tangerine to near red. If you want a stunning floral display with lots of bloom and buds, this iris is for you. Smashing! Sdlg. TO184B: Date Night sibling

NOTORIETY (Thomas Johnson ‘26)
TB Midseason-late 35” (89cm) Slight fragrance.
Lacy lavender standards are flushed pink in the centers. Lavender pink falls have a deep violet haft and a lighter flush below the beard. Beards are large, starting out deep purple with orange hair tips, then becoming purple with lavender hair tips as it moves toward the end. The beards really stand out on Notoriety. The flowers are lacy, and carried on strong, well-branched stems. Sdlg. TN77ZZ: Dream With Me sibling

PERFECT IN EVERY WAY (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Early-midseason-late 38” (96.5cm) Sweet fragrance.
Ooh la la, this one is a stunner. I am not usually overtaken by yellow and white, as the pattern has been done before, but... I simply cannot get enough of this. The form is impeccable, the stems and bud count are first rate, and the clumps are like heaven! The color is so clean and clear, and applied in such a way, that it makes me want to just pull up a chair and sit and stare at it all day long. Is it a glaciata? If you look deep in the heart, you will see the smallest of short purple lines. Whatever the classification, it is certainly gorgeous and highly recommended. Sdlg. TO150C: Gone Viral X Feast For The Eyes

PUZZLE PIECE (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Early-midseason-late 37” (94cm) Slight fragrance.
Iris have become such complex beings when it comes to patterns and application of color. The standards are pretty straight forward, being a brilliant golden yellow, but the falls are a bit more complex. There is a large and plush mahogany red signal spot in the center, but things get complicated in the band. There is a large wide band that circles the signal, but instead of it being one consistent color, it starts out as a light lavender and lemon blend at the haft, about half way down transitions to lemon, and finally shows deep gold at the distal end. The standard color reflecting itself at the distal end of the fall draws the eye across the whole flower and creates a very pleasing presentation. Tall, well branched and budded stems help it to compete on the show bench as well. Shockingly bright and beautiful. Sdlg. TN50ZZ: Autumn Tease sibling X Truth Or Dare

REWRITE THE STARS (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Midseason-late 37” (94cm) Slight fragrance.
Standards are light buffy tan, with a violet flush and dotting in the center. Falls are pristine white, with a wide deep mulberry dotted band and center belly stripe. Beards are white with orange hair tips. Very wide and looping ruffles set the pattern off perfectly. A clean and clear pattern creates a stunning garden presence. Sdlg. TO236O: Future Dreams sibling

STAR PLAYER (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Early-midseason 40” (101.5cm) Slight sweet fragrance.
Light lavender standards have a gold pencil edge. White falls have a deep violet purple to near black band, with a wide center stripe below the bright yellow-orange beard. Tall, wide, and ruffled flowers are striking and showy. Sdlg. TM152WW: Mark My Words sibling