Iris and some Irids 2006-2007

[Lesley Cox]

I have a Bulletin from the Japanese Iris Soc which includes some lovely pictures. I may be able to take one of a whole page.

[Paul T]

Lesley,

I would definitely be interested in seeing it.  So in NZ do you have any of the pseudacorus selections there then?  Things like 'Roy Davidson', 'Phil Edinger', 'Come in Spinner' (which I assume is an Australian selection?) and hybrids like 'Holden Clough'?

[mark smyth]

All these Iris are fantastic.

David the Dutch and English Iris always show leaves at this time of year. I might go out and buy some later. I used to have them all

[Lesley Cox]

Paul, we certainly have both `Roy Davidson' and `Holden Clough.' I don't know the other two. Your `Phil Edinger' I said was probably a selection but the more I look at it and compare it with the "Eye Shadow" varieties, I think you're right and it's a hybrid.

Here are the "Eye Shadow" hybrids mentioned on the previous page.

I don't belong to the Japan Iris Society. Nor do I have permission from anyone to show these pictures. They are photographed (last night) from the publication called "Hanashobu" which is the journal of the Japan Iris Society, and this issue, marking the Society's 70th anniversary, was sent to me as a gift. The writer of most of the journal and the photographer is Hiroshi Shimizu. Much of it is in Japanese characters but enough in English to make it very well worth while for English speakers. It is beautifully produced with outstanding photographs and this whole issue centres around first, the native species of Japan then for the rest of the journal, aspects of modern forms/hybrids of Iris ensata (what you called I. kaempferi Paul).

It's extremely interesting to see how the Japanese grow and show their irises. As we could expect, each plant is a work of art, whether in a garden setting, or in an exquisite ceramic pot, with pot, stem and foliage, flowers all in perfect proportion and in perfect condition. For showing, the plants are grown as a single fan or small group of fans with a single straight and strong stem showing a single flower.

If anyone is interested I'd be happy to photocopy any part of it and post.

Some pictures now

[mark smyth]

oooo-weeee. Another addition!

[Lesley Cox]

I've not cropped any of these pictures as the notes, numbers and characters seem to set them in a particular context which is appropriate to their origins.

















Mr Shimizu mixed native iris pollen with Iris pdeudacorus and selected a seedling which he called `Gubijin' which has proved to be an exceptionally fertile pod parent so that even though the seedlings as pictured here are sterile, he can continue along these lines. As he remarks, Japanese irises have so many colours and patterns in their flowers that many new and different plants can be created.

The last picture is from the front cover of "Hanashobu." It and many others have a very fine line of deeper colour taken from the main body of the flower and this line defines each flower beautifully.

[mark smyth]

http://www.japan-iris.org/English/eye_shadow.html
http://www.japan-iris.org/English/eyeshadow_02.html

[Lesley Cox]

Thanks Mark. After all this time (years), it still doesn't occur to me to go looking for things on the Internet

[Paul T]

Lesley,

Oh Wow!! (to put it mildly).  Beautiful just doesn't do them justice.

[fermi de Sousa]

Lesley,
thanks for telling us about these wonderful iris. I'd never heard about this line of breeding before!
cheers
fermi

[mark smyth]

... and they dont send seeds out of the country

[mark smyth]

http://www.japan-iris.org/English/nagai_type_01.html
http://www.japan-iris.org/English/Nagai_type_02.html

[Lesley Cox]

Here's a thoroughly odd (read nasty) iris, an arilbred obviously, which came to me as I. reichenbachiana. I wish...

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Thanks very much for introducing us in the (Iris)mysteries of the far East Lesley ! 
Totally new to me and wonderful (understatement) flowers....

[Maggi Young]

These Janaese Iris are exquisite... mouth-watering.

Lesley, dig that last  arilbred virussed monster up and burn it, quick!