I LIKE LACE (Paul Black 23)
TB Late-Very Late 30” (76cm)
Slight musky fragrance Prickly lace on lighter colored irises kicks their appeal up another notch. Heavily laced light violet standards dance above palest violet falls toned slightly darker toward their margins. Deeply sculpted texture veins add a three-dimensional quality. Light yellow beards are the perfect accessory. Two branches and 7 buds. Sdlg. AA270A: Soul Mate X Super Model
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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)

GABBY GAL (L. Miller ’23)
TB SA Midseason 32” (81cm)
Slight fragrance. This iris has fascinated me since its maiden bloom. The pattern is different especially for a horned variety. Standards and styles are a medium coral pink. Flaring falls are like a zebra. Is it medium orchid violet with pink veins or deep pink with medium orchid violet veins? The falls also have a defined narrow band of pink-orchid. Tangerine beards end with light violet horns that are always consistent. 6 to 7 buds. Sdlg. 5417: 3013B: (4211A, lost cross x Florentine Silk) X 7714, lost cross.

CRAZY CHAOS (L. Miller ’23)
MTB dip. Midseason-late 23” (58.5cm)
No fragrance. Standards are white, splashed deep violet. Falls are washed and veined violet-blue with deep violet splashes. Dark yellow beards. Up to 17 buds! Sdlg. 1118A: 2415B: (Emoji x Gesondheit) X Chocolate Fountain.

SPICY GAL (L. Miller ’23)
MTB dip. Midseason-late 16” (41cm)
No fragrance. Standards are old gold with darker sanded margins. Falls white bordered old gold with veins and dots of brownish-purple. Gold beards. 9-10 buds. Sdlg. 3918: 6814B: ((5610B: (Garden Imp x Survivor) x 2710A: (Garden Imp x persona)) X Pixel Packin’ Mama.

MAKE ME WANNA SHOUT (Paul Black 23)
TB Early-Midseason 29” (74cm)
Pronounced sweet fragrance Oh yes, that big billowy ruffled form is something to shout about. Mid red violet standards have ruffled light buff bands and subtle gray-white veins shot outward from their centers. Styles are light buff. Mid dark red violet blended falls have muted fine gray-white lines overall, narrow gray-white bands and white luminata patch. Beards progress from mid marigold ending in white. Blue-green foliage has limited purple base. Mid slate purple stalks have 3 branches plus spur and 8-10 buds. Lovely clumps. Sdlg. Z2C, Feast for the Eyes sib

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

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

OH SO DIFFERENT (Paul Black 23)
TB Midseason-Late 30” (76cm)
No fragrance It takes center stage with one of the most dramatically unique flowers. Standards and falls are both a study in color and pattern. Light buffy tan blended standards are widely banded with fine dark plum filigree. Old gold style crests striped dark brown emerge from between them. White falls are a puzzle of purple black veins and sanding overall becoming darker and more closely spaced toward edges. White stitching on reverses adds more distinction. Mid marigold beards help focus the eye. Of course, this has been a favorite since it first bloomed. Three branches have 8-9 buds. Easy and fast growth. Sdlg. AA73L, How Bizarre! Sib

RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS (Paul Black 23)
TB Late-Very Late 35” (89cm)
Slight sweet fragrance Sparkling pristine white flowers have standards decorated with wide vibrant mid violet plicata bands and sparse sanded veins over their centers. Amount of center markings varies considerably from sparse to overall. Contrasting dark plum style crests peak out over white falls with narrow mid purple plic bands. Dark wine sanded darts cover the hafts then give way to closely spaced light yellow veins. Light marigold to white beards are the perfect complement. Clumps provide a light and bright spot in your garden. Two branches and spur have 5 buds. Sdlg. Z64E: All too Exciting X Black W143F, Wild Streak sib

UNIMAGINABLE (Paul Black 23)
TB Early-Midseason 35” (89cm)
Slight musky fragrance It is difficult to say which of the newer veined standards and falls creations I like best. Each is distinctive and has its own appeal. ‘Unimaginable’ is certainly toward the top of the list. Standards are pale lilac with one inch band of dark plum and solid rim. Circular white upper half of falls is covered with black veins progressing to solid black lower half with white dotted laced rims. It is an amazing look. Three branches produce 7-8 buds. Lots of plicata in the background. Sdlg. Z95G: Black V145A: (Etcetera x Spiced Lemon) X Laser Light Show

CLEAR VIEW (Paul Black 23)
SDB Midseason-Late 13” (33cm)
No fragrance Chalky pale lilac standards have wide light mauve finely lined bands. Dark red purple falls have white veins over hafts and short light violet dart at end of light orange to white beards. Very pretty ruffled form. Sdlg. BB245B: Black Y270A: (involved) X By the Sea

DROP DEAD GORGEOUS (Paul Black 23)
BB Late-Very Late 24” (61cm)
Slight musky fragrance You’ll return again and again to gaze upon this sultry siren. Full, classically formed flowers have smooth mid-dark garnet standards. Velvety black cherry falls are delicately edged in narrow paler ruffles. Glowing light yellow hafts are veined and sanded black cherry and adorned with smoldering burnt orange beards. Clean, vigorous growth produces show stalks with 3 branches and 7-9 buds. The IB, 'Morning Show' was used to provide a different genetic base in the quest for "the red iris". Sdlg. Z121A: Black V170A: (Morning Show x Black P248B, Hi Love pollen parent) X Black X59A, Radiant Garnet sib

FLIPPANT (Paul Black 23)
IB Midseason-Late 24” (61cm)
Pronounced sweet fragrance Who can get too serious with a clump filled with these wildly colored jokers? What one can take seriously are the superbly formed flowers carried in abundance on show stalks. Cream standards have wide maroon plicata bands and heavily marked centers. Light yellow falls have wide maroon plicata bands. Widely spaced dramatic dark maroon veins course downward. Vivid Marigold beards shout, “I don’t care!”. Show stalks have 2 branches plus spur and 8-9 buds. An exceptional garden variety. Sdlg. Z167A: Black U194G, Peppito sib X Cat Tales

HYBRIDIZERS TAKE NOTE
FUTURISTIC (Paul Black 23)
SDB Midseason-Late 12” (30cm)
Slight sweet fragrance As far as I know, this is the first variegated foliage SDB to be introduced. I’ve bloomed others but none good enough to introduce. ‘Futuristic’ had an interesting beginning. Bloom the first year was a mix of gray-white flowers, grayed pink flowers and some broken colored of gray and pink. Since then, most have transitioned to light gray with a light tan haft veined darker slate tan and narrowly bordered slate violet. There are very subtle light tan broken color segments. Mid old gold beards give a little life to these more somber colors. ‘Futuristic’ is fertile and can produce variegated foliage and broken color flowers but progress is slow. Sdlg. Y262A: Black V277B: (Black S283B: (Black O335B, Burlesque Cutie pod parent x Worry Wart) x Eye of the Tiger) X Black V324A, Egghead sib

SHE’S A BEAUTY (Paul Black 23)
SDB Midseason-Late 13” (33cm)
Pronounced sweet fragrance This beauty is another project that has taken more than a few generations to get achieve, and it still isn’t finished. The goal is a clear pink amoena and blue/pink bicolor. Both are possible given enough generations. Cool white standards have light green veins up midribs. Light peach falls blend to buttery yellow. White stripes at ends of half and half mid-orange and white beards add a unique touch. Sdlg. BB215A: Black X265C: involved X Burlesque Cutie

YOWZA (Paul Black 23)
MTB (tet) Late-Very Late 22” (56cm)
Slight sweet fragrance Considerable breeding has taken place to create fuller and more ruffled MTBs. After years of refining, the goal has been achieved. These classically formed and ruffled blooms create an elegant presence. Mid lilac standards base blends upward to light mauve pink with gilt tan-gold rims. Mid mauve pink styles peer out over very round light buff-pink falls etched with plum veins over their hafts. Fluffy tangerine beards top it all off. Strong growth creates clumps filled with show stalks having 3 branches plus 2 spurs with 9-12 buds. Exceptionally nice in every respect. Sdlg. AA161B: Black X185C, Queen Mum sib X Black Y196B, involved

ZAA ZAA ZING (Paul Black 23)
SDB Early-Midseason 15” (38cm)
Pronounced sweet fragrance Some seedlings are destined for introduction from the moment they open. This is one. It remains a favorite. White standards have light yellow centers changing to veining moving outward. Mid yellow styles echo the standards. Upper two-thirds of white falls are covered with heavy closely spaced dark red-brown veins and mottling. A white stripe bisects them. Neat half and half beards are mid gold ending in white. Makes a stunning and memorable clump you won’t forget. Sdlg. BB199A: (Open Your Eyes X Cheery Blush)

PAY THE PIPER (Black 23)
BB Midseason-Late 26” (66cm)
Slight spicy fragrance Once you’ve paid the piper, he’ll give you this spectacular creation. It makes one of the finest clumps with masses of classically formed flowers that last for days from iron like substance. Standards are light buffy pink and styles mid buffy pink. Mid buffy pink falls are washed old rose becoming darker toward edges. Hafts are veined dark old rose as are lines overall. Flaming dark orange beards complete the piper’s act. Exceptionally well-proportioned flowers are carried on show stalks with 3-4 branches and 9-12 buds. Sdlg. BB162E: Luscious Lips X Black Y171B: Luscious Lips sib

GONZO (Paul Black 23)
BB Midseason-Late 25” (63.5cm)
Slight spicy fragrance Descendants of ‘Delectable Treat’ have great substance. This is one of them. It takes 4 or 5 days for the flowers to open and expand. This cross gave a wide range of unique colors and patterns and most having superior branching and buds. Standards and styles are mid greenish yellow. Hafts of greenish cream falls are veined mid rosy brown changing to solid edgings along upper half. Dark pumpkin beards add a bit of warmth. Superbly proportioned flowers are carried on show stalks with 3-4 branches and 9-11 buds. No mistaking this for any other. Sdlg. BB162B: Luscious Lips X Black Y171B, Luscious Lips sib