IRONIC TWIST (L. Miller ’25)
TB Midseason 38” (96.5cm) No fragrance.
Deep purple standards complement purple black falls highlighted by a lighter veined edge and area around the beard. Up to 10 buds on well branched stems.
Sdlg. 918C: Scattergram X She’s A Bimbo

STARE INTO MY EYES (P. Black '25)
AB (OGB-) Late-very late 23” (58.5cm) Slight sweet fragrance.
Stare Into My Eyes makes a significant advancement in the buds and branching of quarter arilbred irises. It is a big favorite. Strong stalks have two well-spaced branches plus spur and 7-8 buds. It is vigorous and as easy to grow as other bearded irises. White standards have light yellow centers blended to wide white bands shot with light yellow veins. Falls have big purple signals irregularly blended into wide light amethyst bands. Because of its later bloom, you’ll be able to take it to a show.
Sdlg. CC140A: Heart Of Hearts X Casual Attire

VERMILION CLIFFS (P. Black '25)
AB (OGB-) Midseason-late 23” (58.5cm) No fragrance.
Its name comes from the similarly colored Vermilion Cliffs of Arizona. Mid gold styles peek out from between light tan standards. Falls have light tan ground washed coppery tangerine over the lower half, and have mid coppery red sanded veins on the upper half. Light yellow beards end in small red-black signals.
Sdlg. DD087A: Smokin' Hot X Bottle Rocket

TROPICAL (P. Black '25)
SDB Midseason-late 13” (33cm) Pronounced sweet fragrance.
What an amazing color. Standards are mid rosy pink becoming paler toward edges and rimmed light tan-gold. Mid rosy pink falls have light peach hafts veined mid rosy brown and rimmed light tan-gold. Big coral beards are a great adornment.
Sdlg. DD134A: Little Band Of Gold X BB226D, Neon Flash sib

BLACKBERRY SLUSHY (P. Black '25)
SDB Early-midseason 14” (35.5cm) Pronounced spicy fragrance.
Rich dark black-purple standards with white heavily plicata marked centers. Light peach ground falls have mid maroon heavily plicata marked hafts becoming sanded veins then dark maroon lower third. Large vivid orange beards cry out for attention.
Sdlg. DD153B: AA220F: (W233B, See No Evil sib x Artist's Hand) X Artist's Hand

BUTTERFLY EYE (P. Black '25)
TB Early-midseason 33” (84cm) Pronounced spicy fragrance.
Butterfly Eye is an example of the recently emerging cascade patterns where the fall centers have various contrasting colors, from veins to solid cascades. Light slate violet standards blend to a wide pale violet-white band. Wide pale violet-blue falls help emphasize the cascade patterning. Large dark indigo blue hafts transition to widely spaced dark indigo veins and mottling. Fat beards are an interesting tobacco brown. Strong growth produces show stalks.
Sdlg. DD56A: AA8A: (Foreign Agent x Bedroom Romance) X Y18A: (Multnomah Falls x Bubbly Beauty)

RAZZLE DAZZLE ME (P. Black '25)
TB Late-very late 31” (78.5cm) Slight sweet fragrance.
Can one possibly get more color on an iris? Probably, but this one makes a good run at it. Mid gold standards and styles top wide falls having mid red-purple centers with light grape finely sanded veins. Warm white hafts on each side of beards are heavily sanded and lined dark brown blended to dark black-brown edges. Moderate brassy khaki bands decorate the edges. Its pod parent Hotsy Totsy is an interesting parent for me. Two branches plus spur carry 7 buds.
Sdlg. BB17O: Hotsy Totsy X Bright Within

PINK POODLE (P. Black '25)
TB Midseason-late 33” (84cm) Slight musky fragrance.
This Pink Poodle is all clipped, fluffed, and ready to compete. Its rich pink color will dazzle the judges. Mid clear pink standards are heavily laced. Styles are mid coral pink, and mid-dark pink falls have tan-pink incised texture veins and plenty of lace. Darker pink beards will capture your eye. Robust growth produces stalks with three branches and 7-8 buds.
Sdlg. BB86O: Bubbly Beauty X For Lovers Only

COME FLY WITH ME (P. Black '25)
TB Early-midseason 34” (86.5cm) Pronounced sweet fragrance.
Standards are mid blue veined darker blue. Here is where it gets interesting to describe. Falls are the same as standards except a bit grayed, but with contrasting rich walnut brown hafts. Gilt gold rims widen to narrow light gray bands. Its uniqueness draws one back again and again for a closer look. It is a strong grower, with 2 branches plus spur and 6-7 buds.
Sdlg. BB112N: Y69B: (Jungle Mist x W2A: (Beauty Becomes Her x U1B, Luxuriant sib)) X X135A: (U50A: (After The Rain x S110D: (Blue Trill x N193A, Blue Trill sib)) x U59A: (After The Rain x Black Is Black))

WITCHES STITCHES (P. Black '25)
TB Midseason-late 32” (81.5cm) Slight sweet fragrance.
Glinda the Good Witch put her magic to work and created this enchanted plicata that has only a stitched band around the falls. Usually there is another color, sanding, or plicata marks. Standards are white with light violet-blue stitched plicata bands, but with lighter violet-blue shading in between. Falls are white with wide dark violet stitched plicata bands. Widely spaced greenish texture veins traverse the center. Stalks have three branches and 9-11 buds.
Sdlg. BB113B: Y79A: (V6B: (Ink Patterns x S91A, Raindrops Keep Falling sib) x W215K, Meditation Garden pollen parent sib) X Bespoke

BROWN NOSE (P. Black '25)
TB Midseason-late 34” (86.5cm) Pronounced sweet fragrance.
It is all about the big ochre beard with the cute stubby slate brown horn. As for the rest of the flower, standards are light khaki tan and falls are a mid-dark charcoal red-violet blend becoming lighter to a narrow tan band. Darker veining over falls provides more interest. Three well-spaced branches plus spur produce 9-10 buds.
Sdlg. BB120N: Y93B, New Fallen Snow sib X Z11A: (Seasons In The Sun x V118A, Only The Shadow Knows sib)

BLUEPRINT FOR SPRING (P. Black '25)
TB Midseason-late 36” (91.5cm) Slight sweet fragrance.
What makes this light blue bitone with falls veined darker mid-blue special? I think it is the best attempt so far to put a pink beard on a blue iris. It has been a challenge for many hybridizers. Its other special feature is the clumps filled with bloom stalks creating an overpowering display of color in the garden. To say it is floriferous is an understatement, and yet, there is plenty of increase left.
Sdlg. BB157O: Y168A: (V159M, Pleasure's All Mine sib x W113A: (S157I, Reflections Of Love sib x Multnomah Falls)) X Z114B: (V159Q, Pleasure’s All Mine sib x V159O, Pleasure’s All Mine sib)

ATLANTIC BLUE (P. Black '25)
TB Midseason-late 34” (86.5cm) Slight sweet fragrance.
This mid-dark violet-blue bitone has the impact of powerful Atlantic waves. Mid plum veins are drawn over the large white fall patch surrounding large marigold beards. Strong, well-branched stalks have 3 branches and 8-9 buds.
Sdlg. CC115D: Z114B: (V159Q, Pleasure's All Mine sib x V159O, Pleasure's All Mine sib) X Z115A: (V160B: (S158A, Like A Breeze pod parent x VO148A, Enough Is Enough sib) x Celebration)

GETTING SOME SUN (P. Black '25)
TB Midseason-late 30” (76cm) Slight musky fragrance.
Moderately sized flowers and shorter stalks help keep this sunny creation upright when the weather turns cloudy and rainy. Mid-dark yellow standards are echoed in the color of the hafts, band and texture veins of the white falls. Big mid marigold beards demand you come closer. Two widely spaced branches carry 7 buds.
Sdlg. CC124H: Z137A: (W152B: (T80A: (Fantasy In Pink x Q6A: (Dearie x Drifting Bubbles)) x Multnomah Falls) x Shivaree) X Z115A: (V160B: (S158A, Like A Breeze pod parent x Enough Is Enough) x Celebration)

HEART SO TRUE (P. Black '25)
TB Late-very late 31” (78.5cm) Slight sweet fragrance.
If you want a BIG robust pink iris for your garden, here it is. Large flowers have mid pink standards. White falls have light pink washed hafts, band, center stripe, and widely spaced texture veins. Zingy pink beards enliven this more subtle creation. Super strong stalks have three branches plus spur and 7-8 buds.
Sdlg. Z124C: Time Out X Pink Poodle

HIGH ON LIFE (P. Black '25)
TB Midseason-late 33” (84cm) Pronounced sweet fragrance.
Not only does High On Life have gorgeous flowers, but its hallmark is the super strong show branched stalks. Dark lilac standards blend to light silvery lilac margins with neat mauve pink styles peering out. White ground falls are washed light pink overlaid with mid pink texture veins. Coral beards jazz things up. Three to four branches plus spur have 9-11 buds.
Sdlg. BB143N: Gay Romance X Z52D: (V110B: (Fred And Ginger x Go For Broke) x V159I, Pleasure's All Mine sib)

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Early-midseason 36” (91cm) Sweet fragrance.
Standards have centers that are a deep purple graduating deeper towards the heart of the flower. A wide buff yellow band with subtle deeper gold veins rim the standards. White falls have wide, overlapping form, with a deep golden yellow band. A stunning reverse bicolor with large, wide, and ruffled flowers. Sdlg. TN27C: Mood Ring X Easy On The Eyes

AUTUMN RICHES (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Early-midseason 35” (89cm) Slight fragrance.
Light lemony buff standards are heavily shot pink in the centers, becoming veining towards the edge. Falls are a rich pumpkin orange. Nicely ruffled flowers that have amazing garden impact with color that radiates across the garden. Sdlg. TN128ZZ: TI225ZZ, Untamed Glory sibling X Come To Life

BLIZZARD WARNING (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Early-midseason 37” (94cm) Slight fragrance.
When faced with the daunting task of naming irises each year, I often put the photos up on the computer screen to help inspire me. When I saw all of the photos for this one, I instantaneously said “Blizzard Warning”, because it just has a wintery blizzard sort of look. White standards sit atop white falls that are veined then washed bluish purple, with a light lavender edge. A very pretty color and pattern that certainly gets a lot of notice in the field. Sdlg. TN223C: This Is Crazy sibling X Just Between Us sibling

FUTURE DREAMS (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Early-midseason 37” (94cm) Sweet fragrance.
For many years I have worked with plicatas that are the result of outcrosses to bicolors, to increase vigor and bring more diversity in color and pattern. Future Dreams is so named because of the wide-ranging breeding potential in this pattern. Standards are deep lavender purple with darker maroon veining. Falls are white with a deep maroon haft and band. If that weren’t enough, upon closer inspection, you will notice broken color within the band. A totally unique and distinctive color and pattern variation in plicatas. Flowers are well-formed, and carried on strong show stems with lots of buds. Future Dreams has a good pedigree, and once again shows the importance of ‘Tenacity’ as a parent, both for quality and diversity. Sdlg. TO236M: Running In Circles sibling X Tenacity