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

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

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

PULSATING (Paul Black 23)
MDB Midseason-Late 7.5” (19cm)
Pronounced sweet fragrance It is all about color for this little guy. Vivid mid yellow standards and styles beam above light buff falls with hafts heavily plic lined and sanded mid wine as well as narrow plic bands and darts at ends of bright orange beards. You can’t miss it in the forward border. Sdlg. AA264B: Black X332C, Jolly sib X Jolly

RED HOT BLUES (Paul Black 23)
SDB Early 12” (30cm)
Pronounced sweet fragrance The layers of color in the falls is entrancing. Standards and styles are mid gold. Black cherry hafts of falls blend to mid rose and then are banded bronzy brown. Half burnt orange and mid lavender beards end with a darker violet flash at their end. Sdlg. BB246A: Black Y278B: (Black V316F, Circus Act x Don’t Fix It) X Yoda

SATIN BABY (Paul Black 23)
SDB Early-Midseason 11” (28cm)
Slight musky fragrance Everything about this baby is beautiful. Nicely ruffled standards are light-mid buffy pink as are styles. Wonderfully round ecru falls have light tan to pink blended hafts and light buffy pink ruffled band. Beards are half tangerine and half white. What a subtle beauty! Sdlg. AA181B: Breathtaking X Nutmeg Mambo

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

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

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)

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

EASTER DRESS (Keppel '23)
TB Late 36" (91cm)
Yellow standards; White falls have a blended lavender border and dark canary yellow hafts. Beards are bright orange with yellow at the end. (((Bollywood sib x sib) x (Mild Manner x Paris Fashion)) X Rio sib x Gypsy Lord))

SHIFTING GEARS (Keppel '23)
TB Early-Midseason 36" (91cm)
Bright canary yellow standards. Falls are a blended reddish grape, deeper at the hafts, and washed lavender purple in the center. A narrow yellow edge completes the picture. (Mystery Man sib X (Red Skies x Gypsy Lord))

AT LARGE (T. Johnson ’24)
TB Midseason-late 38” (97cm)
Slight fragrance. White ground standards are sanded all over with light golden yellow dotting. Falls are white with a light lilac dotted band. There is a red violet haft that spreads across the falls on either side of the burnt orange beards. At Large is so named because the flowers are immense and carried on strong wide candelabra branched stems. Quite impressive! Sdlg. TL166YY: Beautician sibling X (Marry The Night sibling x TD314ZZ: (Blyth O211-A: (L94-1: (Ostentatious x G48-5: (Burst x Epicenter)) x L266-1: (G48-5 x Zestful Miss)) x Blyth R41-6, Stay Stylish pollen parent sibling))

CELEBRITY DREAM (T. Johnson ’24)
TB Midseason-late 36” (91cm)
Light fragrance. Standards have a white ground that is washed pink, with a deeper pink stitched band. Falls are pristine white with a wide raspberry to purple dotted band across the haft and precise dotted fall edge. Burnt orange beards are tipped purple and then white. A stunning iris! Very good growth and excellent form. The flowers are heavily ruffled and carried on well branched stems with lots of buds. Sdlg. TM25ZZ: What A View X Raspberry Pie

COMPETITIVE SPIRIT (T. Johnson ’24)
TB Early-midseason 40” (102cm)
Slight fragrance. Creamy white standards. Falls are white with a stitched and dotted blue violet haft and blue band. Beards are burnt orange. Was admired by many at the regional tour this past spring. Tall and strong stems with nicely ruffled flowers. Sdlg. TL45YY: High Desert X Beautician

DANCING SHOES (T. Johnson ’24)
TB Midseason-late 36” (91cm)
Sweet fragrance. Standards are a deep golden yellow at the base lightening to a very light yellow at the edge. Falls are a clean mid lavender with a slight yellow blush at the hafts. The flowers are very ruffled and held proudly on well branched stems. Very beautiful in person. Amazing form! Sdlg. TK3ZZ: Barbara Rider X Espionage

DECEPTIVE HEART (T. Johnson ’24)
TB Midseason-late 36” (91cm)
Slight fragrance. Peach pink standards. Cream falls have a deep rosy pink haft bar and a light pink edge. Sdlg. TM162C: Absolute Truth X Fields Of Gold

ETERNAL HOPE (T. Johnson ’24)
TB Midseason-late 37” (94cm)
Sweet fragrance. Clean and crisp medium yellow standards. Falls are a very interesting blend of violet and yellow. The hafts are touched more solid yellow and there is a more concentrated yellow-tan blend forming a band. The center of the fall is flushed violet. Very nice form and ruffling, carried on nicely branched stems. Beautiful and bright! Sdlg. TL34A: Barbara Rider X ((Tango Express sibling x Danger Money) x Hooked On A Feeling)

FREE AT LAST (T. Johnson ’24)
TB Midseason-late 40” (102cm)
Sweet fragrance. The photo says it all with this iris. The gorgeous wide, ruffled and impeccable form of the flowers first comes to mind. The ruffled medium yellow standards have a slight pink flush in the centers. Falls are cream with deeper yellow hafts and a lacy yellow edge. Sdlg. TL70ZZ: Slice Of Heaven X Painted Shadows

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