SHOCKING SECRET (T. Johnson ’22)
TB Late 37” (94cm)
Sweet fragrance. Shocking Secret was selected for introduction when I first laid eyes on it. It was in flower in the middle of a 20 row seedling patch. The patch was in full flower and still Shocking Secret stood out among the sea of color, staring at me with its deep signal as if to say “pick me”. Medium orchid to lavender self with pink tones infused in the standards. Falls are the same, only with a large dark black cherry signal that surrounds the orange beards. Nicely branched and budded with good form. Yet another introduction from When Doves Cry, proving to be an excellent parent. To say it is dramatic is an understatement.
Sdlg TJ246ZZ: Medal Of Honor X When Doves Cry.

BEAUTIFUL ESSENCE (Black ’24)
TB Midseason-late 34” (86.5cm)
Sweet fragrance. Yes, another ‘Crocodile Smile’ offspring. To say its plicata markings are subtle is an understatement. Some might question it being a plicata, but both parents are plicatas. It isn’t a glaciata because there are some subtle anthocyanin markings. A beautifully elegant flower, with all good garden traits, it should be an excellent parent. Standards are warm white with a pale stitched edge. Falls are warm white with minimum buff plicata hafts and edge. Sdlg. BB105D: Crocodile Smile X Z62C: (All Too Exciting x Black U53X, Rise Like A Phoenix sib)

UNDERSTATEMENT (Thomas Johnson ’26)
TB Midseason-late 40” (101.5cm) Slight sweet fragrance.
Solid pink standards have a gold edge. Falls are complex for sure. The ground color is a medium lavender with a creamy white area below the beard. The ground is then overlaid with a deep violet wash that clears and becomes a soft lavender pink band with a violet wire rim. Really a unique and stunning color confection. Tall and stately stems with lots of buds make it take center stage for the second half of the bloom season. Sdlg. TN223ZZ: sibling to Most Unusual and Blizzard Warning