BAKER’S SECRET (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Early-midseason 36” (91cm) Sweet fragrance.
Standards have an interesting blend of yellow and violet that creates a very rich brownish confection. The color reminds me of a dark cinnamon bun dripping with sweet frosting. Falls are white with the faintest of lavender overlaid, then edged with a deep golden yellow haft and band. Baker’s Secret is absolutely amazing in a clump!! Sdlg. TN27QQ: Artificial Intelligence sibling

COSMIC (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Early-midseason 33” (84cm) Sweet fragrance.
Some iris have such a complex coloration that it is hard to describe. To make matters more difficult, the shade of purple in Cosmic can be different from day to day, and from year to year. We struggled to figure out which picture to use for the catalogue, and have included several shots on the website for you to see for yourself. No matter what the shade, Cosmic is a blooming fool, absolutely covering itself in bloom, and is intensely bright, with its very wide gold band in the standards, and yellow flash overlaying the white luminata patch on the falls. Sdlg. TO148A: Gone Viral X unknown

DEEP APPRECIATION (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Early-midseason 38” (96.5cm) Slight musky fragrance.
Deep black cherry to black standards show a slight bit of yellow ground in the center. Falls have a white ground with a lemon-yellow wash that is dotted deep black cherry, with a dark bar around the beard and line below the beard. The fall then has a wide black cherry band. It differs from its sister ‘Love In The Dark’ in that Deep Appreciation is near black, whereas the former is a very deep oxblood red. Very stunning! Sdlg. TM149QQ: Love In The Dark sibling

BORN TO BE KINGS (Paul Black 26)
TB Midseason-late 32” (81.5cm) Slight sweet fragrance.
Regal and commanding, Born to Be Kings lives up to its royal presence. Crisp, luminous white standards rise in dramatic ruffles above rich, velvety falls of deep royal purple. The falls are boldly accented with a bright golden-yellow edge and glowing white center that radiates outward, drawing the eye straight to the marigold beard. Show stalks showcase these bold flowers. Sdlg. DD6A: Art Critic X Reticulated Ruby

SCATTERSHOT DOTS (Paul Black 26)
TB Midseason-late 30” (76cm) Pronounced sweet fragrance.
Here’s another in the limited realm of the strange broken color plicatas. Each flower is patterned differently. Typically marked standards have a light buttercream ground with a dark charcoal-purple wide rib, heavily plicata-sanded center, and wide band. White falls have light yellow variably-sized hafts, irregular broken color segments of wine to purple dotting and sanding, and a narrow dark wine plicata band. Sdlg. EE25A: Black AA84W, Make Up Your Mind X Wild About You

SUMMER STROLL (Paul Black 26)
TB Midseason-late 30” (76cm) Pronounced sweet fragrance.
The setting summer sun casts a warm glow as you stroll about. The light clear pink standards of this glaciata blend to wide, light clear yellow bands. Ruffled white falls blend to light yellow margins. Mid tangerine beards rise from peachy orange hafts. Summer Stroll creates a very satisfying clump filled with show stalks. Stalks have 3 branches plus spur and 9-10 buds. So very pretty. Its later bloom assures it will escape the late frosts/freezes that so many other glaciatas are prone to damage by. Sdlg. EE75D: BB149D, Wild About You sibling X BB149B, Wild About You sibling

INDIGO BRIM (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Early-midseason 35” (89cm) Slight fragrance.
Icy blue white standards are slightly darker at the edge. Falls are icy blue white, with a deep indigo band and yellow haft. This has the classic ‘Emma Cook’ pattern, but with a much deeper band than usual, and an unusual yellow haft. The band appears near black to the eye from across the garden. Sdlg. TN210ZZ: Feed The Flame sibling X Super Sized sibling

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

INNOCENT AGE (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Midseason-late 35” (89cm) Slight fragrance.
Very light lemon-yellow standards are contrasted by the large deep lemon style crests that peek out from within. Falls are white with a nice rosy violet band. Beards are a pleasing lemon, with white at the end. The nicely ruffled flowers are almost laced. A very pretty iris for the lover of the softer tones. Sdlg. TO240E: Let Me Be There X Just Between Us

FOR EMMA (Lynda Miller ’26)
TB Midseason-late 29” (73.5cm) No fragrance.
Named for our dearly departed friend Emma Cook, since the pattern of this iris was named after her. Standards are snow white; styles are tinted ice blue white, with yellow at the base of the standards. The snow white falls are banded medium purple, with a lighter watermark between the purple and the white. Beards are bright full yellow. Seven buds on strong stems. Sdlg. 4119K: 6415D: (She’s A Bimbo x Private Eye) X Edge Of Heaven

MEET IN THE MIDDLE (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Early-midseason 37” (94cm) Sweet fragrance.
White standards are infused medium yellow up the midrib. Falls are white with a wide lavender dotted plicata band. Hafts are a dark red violet. Every flower has a deep violet dotted center line that varies from one flower to the next. Beautiful wide and ruffled form with gorgeous stems. We have used Meet In The Middle a lot in hybridizing, with fantastic results. Sdlg. TO229B: Road Not Taken X Tenacity

NEXT CHAPTER (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Early-midseason-late 38” (96.5cm) Slight fragrance.
This iris is for the lovers of brown. Now if we could just make the standards a clean white, we could take it to the next level. At any rate, it is truly stunning as is. Standards are creamy white, with a heavy dose of deep lemon infused up through the center. Falls are a rich brown, with a lighter amber yellow edge. Strong growth and nice show stems add to the appeal. We like our Next Chapter very much! Sdlg. TN97UU: Autumn Tease sibling X Que Sera Sera

NO DENYING (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Early-midseason-late 38” (96.5cm) No fragrance.
Icy blue white standards have lemon bases and a gold halo. Falls are white with a blue band and lemon hafts. Beards are more yellow than orange, giving the flower brightness and light. Best of all are the plant habits. Vigorous plants cover themselves with an abundance of tall, well-branched stems, creating an amazing floral display. It got its name when I walked by a clump of it in full flower last year and commented to myself that there is certainly “no denying” you! Sdlg. TN70XX: So Excited sibling X Angelic Morn

SHOPPING SPREE (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Early-midseason 36” (91cm) Light fragrance.
Bright, bright, and more bright are the best words to describe Shopping Spree. Standards are creamy white, with medium orange centers that transition to yellow orange veins. Falls are the most intense and brilliant shade of orange, with matching beards. Not quite as ruffled as some of the rest, but certainly a garden standout. Sdlg. TM47YY: Heard A Rumor sibling

SMILING EMOJI (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Early-midseason 36” (91cm) Slight sweet fragrance.
Cream standards have a deep lemon center, and then lemon infusions throughout the edges. Falls are white with short violet lines and golden yellow hafts. Ruffled and lightly laced, it immediately made me think of the smiling emoji. A very happy flower that can have incredible show stems. Sdlg. TN111ZZ: Taboo sibling X Hour Of The Dawn

SOVEREIGNTY (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Early-midseason-late 37” (94cm) Sweet fragrance.
Creamy white standards have deep lemon-yellow centers. Falls are an extremely plush deep burgundy black, with a lavender purple band and yellow on the back of the falls, which shows especially where the petal ruffles. Sovereignty has gorgeous wide and ruffled form. Stems are nice and can easily compete for best in show. Sdlg. TN50YY: Puzzle Piece sibling

SPLENDIFEROUS (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Midseason-late 38” (96.5cm) Slight fragrance.
Standards are white with a lemon-yellow infusion up the midrib. Falls have a central lemon-yellow spot with a violet washed overlay, and then a very wide, precise, pristine white band. Nice form and stems help to showcase this beautiful pattern. Sdlg. TO172A: Honor Roll X Shadowboxer 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

TO TELL THE TRUTH (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Midseason-late 37” (94cm) Slight musky fragrance.
Clean lemon-yellow standards sit atop faint lavender white falls with a large red spot around the beard and light lemon-yellow washed edge. To Tell The Truth is very clean and bright, and makes a flashy clump. Sdlg. TN50SS: Puzzle Piece sibling

TOP PRIORITY (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Midseason-late 38” (96.5cm) Sweet fragrance.
White standards have a very light lemon-yellow center. Falls are rich blue purple to violet, with a pronounced lavender white band. A stunning garden performer with heavy bloom. Sdlg. TN163ZZ: Rule The Word sibling X Honor Roll