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

INTERJECT (Paul Black 23)
MTB dip Midseason-Late 20” (51cm)
No fragrance This cross again illustrates the unusual fertility between tetraploid and diploid MTBs that nobody seems to be able to adequately explain. The seedlings from my cross W195 proved to be sterile in crosses I made. A smart bee gave me one seed that is ‘Interject’. It is fertile with diploids and is being introduced to add more genes to the diploid MTB mix. Standards and styles are mid gold. Upper half of falls are white veined mid old gold and lower half is mid gold washed Dijon and rimmed in gold. Stalks have 2 branches and spur with 7-8 buds. Sdlg. Z159A: W195I: (S233A: (Redrock Princess x Ah Yes) x Mullinax Butterfly, unknown diploid) X Unkown bee

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

CAN’T BE DENIED (T. Johnson ’24)
TB Early-midseason 36” (91cm)
Sweet fragrance. Deep purple black standards sit atop black falls with a lighter rim and smoldering orange beards. This is a pattern we continue to work on for depth of color, ruffles, and lace. Can’t Be Denied is another step in that direction and is quite dramatic. The heavily ruffled and well-formed flowers are gorgeous. Sdlg. TM75A: Night Whispers X Own The Night

DRAW THE LINE (T. Johnson ’24)
TB Midseason 36” (91cm)
Sweet fragrance. Clean and clear medium pink standards. Falls are pink overlaid with violet lines ending just before the wide pink band. This iris is like a larger, more ruffled version of my variety called Center Line from a few years ago. Sdlg. TJ264A: Are We In Love X Center Line

FOUND A LOVE (T. Johnson ’24)
TB Midseason-late 37” (94cm Slight fragrance. I have literally been in love with this seedling for a number of years and now have enough to share. Once again proving the value of Slice Of Heaven as a parent. Deep pink standards and edge on white falls with beautiful coral pink beards with a frosted pink end. Wonderful form and branching on strong stems. Found A Love, like its sister, As You Wish, from last year, is a very prolific bloomer and strong grower. I can’t say enough good things about this iris. Sdlg. TL74YY: Slice Of Heaven X Strawberry Shake

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

MOMENT OF REFLECTION (T. Johnson ’24)
Midseason-late 38” (97cm)
Sweet fragrance. Ooh la la is what I say each year when this one starts to flower. Impeccable wide and ruffled form. Not really sure whether to call this a bicolor or a blend. Whatever it is, we like it very much, and we love to hybridize with it. Blended golden orange and salmon standards swirl elegantly above light rosy lavender falls with a peach wash, deeper at the hafts, and lighter as it moves down the petal. Oh, and did we mention it is ruffled? This was a very productive cross and has yielded many intros including last year’s Head Of The Class and Refined Elegance. Sdlg. TK131B: Sweet City Woman X Dressed To The Nines

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

PLOT THICKENS (T. Johnson ’24)
TB Midseason-late 38” (97cm)
Slight fragrance. Near solid deep black cherry to black standards. Falls are pristine white with a little lemon flush and black cherry dotting inside the solid red-black band. From a distance in the garden this iris comes across as black and white. Quite striking! Sdlg. TM149A, Home By Midnight sibling: Raspberry Pie X Flash Mob

SHINING BRIGHT (T. Johnson ’24)
TB Midseason-late 38” (97cm)
Sweet fragrance. The name on this iris describes it perfectly. The standards are yellow, and the falls are a light lilac with a lighter center and yellow hafts. It is a definite bright shining spot in the field. Nicely formed flowers are held proudly on well branched and budded stems. The result of crossing two great irises. Sdlg. TL7B: Barbara Rider X Hospitality

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

TOTAL SURPRISE (T. Johnson ’24)
TB Early-midseason. 37” (94cm)
Slight fragrance. Total surprise indeed is what happened when this one first bloomed. Certainly not what I was expecting, but happy for sure. White standards have a yellow blush to them. Falls are rust to red with a white spray pattern around the beard and a light lavender to white band. Total Surprise is the product of two great parents, who have both proven their worth over and over again. Sdlg. TL137ZZ: When Doves Cry X Dressed To The Nines

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

FINAL BOW (L. Miller ’24)
TB Flattie Late-very late 36” (91cm)
Slight sweet fragrance. This lady is hard to forget when she takes her “final bow” in the garden. She has been the last to open in our garden since her maiden bloom. This light pink flattie has a few deeper veins beside the deep pink beard. She is also lightly laced and has serrated edged styles. Sdlg. 6218B: (Air Time x Don’t Stop Believing) X (((Steeples x Swoosh) x ((Candy clouds x High Spirited) x Swoosh)))

WHEN I GROW UP (Black ’24)
BB Midseason-late 27” (68.5cm)
Sweet fragrance. This ruffled beauty comes with all the exceptional garden traits of its two exceptional parents. Such yummy citrus colors! Sdlg. BB162F: Luscious Lips X Boundless Berry

SUNNY NATURE (Black ’24)
SDB Midseason-late 14” (35.5cm)
Sweet fragrance. From blue and garnet parents comes this sunny yellow creation with complementary rose washed fall spot accented by luscious melon beards. Sdlg. BB229O: Black U112B: (Sky Of Blue x Crank It Up) X Black U114B, Blazing Garnet sib