PORTLAND PINK (P. Black ‘15)
SDB Late-Very Late 15” (38cm)
It was tagged for introduction from its maiden bloom. Saying it is unique is a vast understatement. It is the best formed of all the pink SDBs. Color has great depth and richness. Its one flaw is some flowers have a 4th standard. It is a big advancement in my project to create SDBs that bloom into TB season. It begins bloom in early TB season. How cool to have a SDB for a TB timed show. The cross that created it, an IB X IB, shouldn’t have been fertile but it did have viable seed. Even more amazing, ‘Portland Pink’ is fertile. It can be picky about its partner but can have anywhere from a few to normal numbers of seed and they germinate. Shorty, the pod parent, is from a pink tetraploid MTB seedling X my SDB, ‘Juicy Tidbit’. The pollen parent is a multi-branched & budded IB from a small flowered TB, ‘Inspired’ sib X my SDB, ‘Love Spell’. Growth is strong and increase rapid. Although it is from 2 IBs, it has never exceeded SDB height. What about using it in hybridizing? Go on, have your way with it. It is fertile with SDBs, IBs, tet MTBs, BBs and TBs. I haven’t tried MDBs. Expect wide variation in flower and plant size of seedlings.
Cook-Douglas Medal 2021
Sdlg. T234A: Shorty X (Inspired sib x Love Spell)

WONDER BEARD (P. Black '21)
MTB (tet) Midseason-Late 24” (61cm)
The complex heritage of ‘Portland Pink’ made this advancement in MTBs possible. Its form is compact and lightly ruffled. The clarity of subtle gradations of pink is stunning. Light baby ribbon pink standards encase warmer pink styles. Light warm salmon pink falls are adorned with heavily saturated mid coral pink beards. Definitely a top pick for those who love pink irises. Two branches and terminal normally have 6-7 buds.
Sdlg. X235C: (Portland Pink X Always Lovely).

MAKE MINE PINK (P. Black '25)
SDB Midseason-late 13” (33cm) Slight musky fragrance.
These flowers are pink, pink and more pink. The clear pink is made possible by a white ground completely washed mid-light pink. Very round and ruffled blooms give as much viewing surface as possible for, what else, pink color.
Sdlg. CC245E: Z203A: (Sweet Pink x V235C: (R262A, Blazing Garnet pollen parent x Eye Of The Tiger)) X Y230A: (Kisses x V245A: (R237F, Lovable Pink sib x Portland Pink))