SPARKLE AND SHINE (Paul Black 23)
TB Midseason-Late 31” (79cm)
Slight sweet fragrance What an impressive clump this one makes in the garden. Stark white standards dance above strongly flared warmer white falls that become wide mottled and washed mid violet bands. Fiery orange beards demand you come in for a closer look. The bloom keeps on going and going with 4 branches and 10-11 buds. Sdlg. AA63A: Color Wheel X Black Y126 caramel sib: (You Belong to Me x Black Y61B, Creature of the Night sib)

DEMURE PRINCESS (Paul Black 23)
SDB Early-Midseason 13” (33cm)
Pronounced spicy fragrance Absolutely beautiful in every way – form, color and plants. Round and gently ruffled falls of mid violet blue flowers have large darker violet blue spots with white darts over hafts. Soft pale blue beards are the perfect accent. Evenly distributed stalks throughout the clump. Sdlg. BB199F: Zaa Zaa Zing sib

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

PROCEEDING FORWARD (Paul Black 23)
Spec-X Midseason-Late 12” (30cm)
Slight sweet fragrance Work to further exploit the superb traits of I. junonia continue with this cross to incorporate pink color into the mix. This is a breeders iris more than a polished modern SDB. Mid slate garnet flowers have rusty orange hafts with white veins. Two branches and 4 buds is normal. Sdlg. BB208A: Weird Science X Sweet Pink

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

SPILT MILK (Paul Black 23)
AB OGB- Midseason-Late 28” (71cm)
Slight sweet fragrance Interestingly, this cross had about 1/3 broken colored seedlings. I don’t know where it comes from. Ecru standards have light old gold centers turning to lines and then heavier stitched borders. Random rosy wine splashes further decorate them. Crests of dark gold styles are striped red-brown. White falls are heavily washed and mottled dark brown. Random streaks and flecks of white make it a bit whimsical. Multi-layered dark brown and old gold beards terminate in small black aril signals. Two well-spaced branches have 5 buds. Sdlg. BB186B: Smokin’ Hot X Let’s Play Dress Up

GENTLE SIGH (Paul Black 23) MTB (tet) Midseason-Late 24” (61cm) slight sweet fragrance Through its softer colors and diminutive size, ‘Gentle Sigh’ conveys the feeling of peaceful serenity in your garden. Standards of white flowers have wide mid amethyst plicata bands and dotted centers. Falls have mid amethyst plicata stitched bands. White beards have interesting auburn tips over a light amethyst layer. Show stalks have 3 branches plus spur and 10-11 buds. A lovely refinement in tetraploid MTBs. Sdlg. AA276C: To the Contrary X Deep in the Heart

PRINCESS PRETTY PINK (Paul Black 23)
TB Midseason-Late 34” (86.5cm)
Slight musky fragrance This later blooming pink ground plicata avoids the winter damage that plagued so many earlier ones of this type. Ruffled standards are mid pink blending to mid apricot edges. Mid coral styles echo these warmer colors. Light pink falls have white luminata type patches lined mid plum. Narrow ruffled red-plum plicata bands encircle the expansive falls. Coral beards are the perfect accessory. Vigorous growth creates sumptuous clumps filled with show stalks having 3 branches and 8-10 buds. Sdlg. BB149G: Black Y135A: (All too Exciting x Fancy Ideas) X Z100G, Background Noise sib

NEW FALLEN SNOW (Paul Black 23)
TB Early-Midseason 39” (99cm)
Slight sweet fragrance This ruffled creation is as flawless as ‘New Fallen Snow’. Big full blousy white blooms standards have a slight violet tint. Big white beards overlaid vibrant orange give it distinction. Tall statuesque show stalks have 3 branches plus spur and 10-11 buds. Strong vigorous growth. Seedlings in this cross had overall superb quality and a wide range of colors. Should be a great parent. Sdlg. Y93C: Nostalgic Memory X Black U1U, Luxuriant sib

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)

GLOWING WITHIN (T. Johnson ’24)
TB Early-midseason 37” (94cm)
Slight fragrance. White standards are heavily infused lemon yellow in the centers. Falls are a light lavender with random segments of deep violet washed throughout the center. Hafts are lemon yellow and the fall edge is clean light lavender. Glowing Within is such a fitting name for this iris, as it does just that. A unique color combo will assure it won’t go unrecognized. Sdlg. TM117B: Fields Of Gold X Under Pressure

ON MY WAY (T. Johnson ’24)
TB Midseason-late 36” (91cm)
Sweet fragrance. Very pretty shade of mauve to lavender standards, deeper in color at the base. Pretty buff pink style arms add a bit of subtle contrast. Falls are very light mauve to near white. Beards are a true lavender with white hair tips. This iris is from blue bearded pink breeding. I can visualize someday having a white with a large lavender beard. Sdlg. TK155ZZ: Simply Fabulous X unknown, illegible tag

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

TAKE MY HAND (T. Johnson ’24)
TB Early-midseason 37” (94cm)
Light fragrance. Icy white standards are flushed and veined pink in the center. Falls are orange with an overall wash of salmon-rose and slightly deeper veins. Nicely formed and branched stems move us another step forward in this color pattern. Sdlg. TL219ZZ, Power And Prestige sibling: (Barbara Rider x Arrivederci) X Shockaholic

WEDDING PLANNER (T. Johnson ’24)
TB Early-midseason 37” (94cm)
Sweet fragrance. Icy blue standards are heavily flushed cameo pink. Falls are very light lavender white with medium salmon hafts that transition to a light wash and a deep pink edge. The name Wedding Planner was inspired by our friend Nancy Solano who sells cut iris stems for weddings. She liked this variety as a seedling and it is a color range that is quite popular with her clients. Nice stems and form. Sdlg. TM14ZZ: Trending X Precious Thing sibling

GARDEN APPEAL (Black ’24)
TB Midseason-late 32” (81.5cm)
Sweet fragrance. This smaller flowered tall bearded beauty traces back to ‘Passionate Embrace’ and the unusually colored flowers it produces, particularly in the citrus colors. Its myriads of show stalks cover the clumps in bloom. The white fall bands make it pop. Contrasting style arms are characteristic of ‘Passionate Embrace’ offspring, as are unique colors and show branched stalks. Sdlg. BB116C: Black Y84C: (Black V22C: (Toast Of The Town x unknown) x Black W32A: (Clouds Go By x What A Beard!)) X Solar Sunrise

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)

WHAT! (Black ’24)
TB Midseason-late 36” (91.5cm)
Musky fragrance. Its markings aren’t dramatic but nonetheless it is a broken color. A very refreshing and spring-like creation in sparkling white and light blue. Three well-spaced branches provide 8-10 flowers. Near white standards hover above falls washed light violet-blue with random darker violet-blue mottling. Sldg. BB21B: Flash Of Brilliance X Foreign Agent

HODGEPODGE (Black ’24)
TB Midseason-late 33” (84cm)
Sweet fragrance. A very pleasing pastel broken color with strong growth and 8-9 buds. Standards are mid lilac in the center with irregular streaks of peach and a cream band. Falls have a pale violet center blending into a wide pale pink band. Hafts are light peach, veined white and there is irregular light to dark random streaks of violet overall. Ruffled! Sdlg. AA11M: Big Break X You’re A Mess

COLORING BOOK (Black ’24)
TB Early-midseason 32” (81.5cm) Sweet fragrance. Could you possibly put more color on an iris? I’ve been looking forward to introducing this spectacular iris since its maiden bloom. You won’t mistake it for an
y other, and that uniqueness will attract the judges when show stalks are exhibited. Apricot standards over white falls with a wide mottled lilac inner band, then widely banded cinnamon apricot. Gorgeous! Sdlg. AA63D: Color Wheel X Black Y126 caramel sib: (You Belong To Me x V61B, Creature Of The Night sib)