Bearded Iris 2007 to 2009

[Ragged Robin]

Lesley, Jewellers Art is a fabulous combination of colours, really lovely 

[Lesley Cox]

in Portugal it starts early and continue to June-July. The Portuguese cultivars / sp (intermediates) are very early in February and even before the dwarfs. They are also very strongly scented.

Regarding colour and smell I would say that often the yellow coloured ones smell more but very far from any cat that I have smell. Either You have bad iris varieties down south or great cats . I hope for the later.

Thanks for the info Ross. I did think of North being warmer than south in "up-side-down" world but was not sure if it is so big difference that the early TBI and late dwarfs overlap. In Portugal they tend to be separated and even more so in Sweden. Maybe only my varieties.

June-July is December-January here and I'd say ours well well over by then so it seems your Portugese cultivars are quite late compared with the American/English/French/Australian vars which are grown here mostly. A lot are bred in New Zealand now too.

I don't think our cats smell so good as an iris but then the irises don't smell as bad as cat either. I think Paul's sense of smell is playing tricks on him.

[Paul T]

Lesley,

Well it is not just mine that does it then.... I know a few people who think that the yellows and some of the blues smell of cat urine.  I could also identify at one point (when I used to have my bigger collection) the colours with my eyes closed, so the colour of the flower became irrelevent.  You may not detect much difference, but to my nose there is a heck of a lot of difference between individual irises, and they definitely don't all smell the same.  I'm sort of glad that they don't, as some of them have the overtones that really aren't nice and I am so glad that they don't ALL have it.  I am also wondering whether the soil and/or climate here may bring out more in the perfume than where you are.  Certainly I know that differences in soil and climate (and form year to year) can greatly affect the colour of an iris, so I am wondering whether the perfume is also affected?

Who knows (and as I am sure some of you are saying... "who cares"?  )..... I'm glad I pick up the differences in perfume.  It just adds to their beauty (unless you have a car full of them on the way to a show..... then the mixture of all the different perfumes can verge on nauseating!! 

[Lesley Cox]

Once I took Arisaema sikokianum (or intended to) from Timaru to ChrIstchurch for a show (about 160 kms) and had to put it out of the car after about 30kms, it was so nauseating. I stashed it behind a tree on the side of the road and on the way home, in the dark, couldn't find the right tree for ages.

[Lesley Cox]

Seven more DBs. Tell me when you've had enough.

Be Happy


Tiny Titon


Lime Smoothy


Erin May


Hot Buttons

[Lesley Cox]

Wild Hair. This is identical to one from another nursery, and called Snickers. I like the antiquey look it has.


And Cherry Lavender to finish. Although this is a new plant, I had it for many years and it was always a favourite.

[Paul T]

Lesley,

I didn't realise sikokianum had a stench to it.  I would imagine there are some that do and some that don't as well.  I've not noticed it in the car when I've been transporting it to shows (and I do at times) so maybe the main one I have isn't quite so oderiferous!?  I know that the Helicodicerus muscivorus is supposed to be absolutely dreadful, but the clone I have here when it has flowered a couple of times hasn't seemed to smell, even up close.  Just lucky I guess.    Now the normal Dracunculus vulgaris (due to open here in a couple of days at most) is strong, the Typhonum brownii, Arum dioscoridis etc are all aweful..... sort of nice to have ONE that doesn't smell.    And no, I'd never take any of the stinky ones to a show. 

Iris-wise, I love the 'Lime Smoothy' and 'Wild Hair' that you posted.  All nice, but those are my favs of your latest postings.

[arilnut]

Hi all.  Here is the standard classification of bearded iris.
John

1. Miniature Dwarf Bearded (MDB) -- the tiniest of bearded irises, with height of up to 20 cm (8 inches). They are also the earliest to bloom. They are most effective in rock gardens or planted in drifts where they make a "carpet of color."

2. Standard Dwarf Bearded (SDB) -- some of the most useful garden plants, ranging in height from 20 cm (8 inches) to 41 cm (16 inches). They begin their bloom as the MDBs are ending, still quite early in the iris season. They are best displayed in clumps where they give the effect of a "cushion" of individual blooms. The colors are nearly unlimited since the SDBs show all the different "spot patterns" of the miniatures, as well as the plicatas and pinks seen in the TBs.

3. Intermediate Bearded (IB) -- stand from 41 cm (16 inches) to 70 cm (27 1/2 inches) high, with their bloom season overlapping the SBDs and the TBs. Although the IBs show their dwarf ancestry in early bloom season and very interesting color patterns, they are large enough that their individual stalks may be nicely branched, forming an elegant bouquet. Some varieties are nicest in clumps, where they present a large amount of color (like the SDBs), while others are showiest in specimen plantings, where the stalks and individual blooms may be seen to best advantage.

4. Border Bearded (BB) -- essentially small versions of the TBs in the same height range and bloom size as the intermediates, but blooming with the tall beardeds. Good BBs have round, ruffled petals that complement their small size.

5. Miniature Tall Bearded (MTB) -- this class is distinguished by daintiness and delicacy. Height from 41 cm (16 inches) to 70 cm (27 1/2 inches). The blooms are smaller than on a BB and the stems are thin and wiry. An MTB clump looks like a cloud of butterflies. They are often called "Table Irises" because they are so well suited for arrangements.

6. Tall Bearded (TB) -- have stalks with a height of 70 cm (27 1/2 inches) and above, with branching and many buds. Each stalk, in itself, makes a stately arrangement in the garden or in a vase. In addition to a wide variety of colors and patterns, the TBs display other qualities (such as ruffling and lacing) more frequently than do the other classes

Incidentally, the word "median" refers to all the bearded irises except the miniature dwarfs and the tall beardeds; that is to say the SDBs, IBs, BBs and the MTBs. Strictly speaking, the word "dwarf" means only the MDBs.

[Paul T]

So in other words the classifications have been made so hard that they can't be used by the general public?  I much preferred when it used to be in general terms Dwarf, Median and Tall beardeds, which was the usual usage when I was collecting them 10 to 15 years ago.  Obviously they needed more show categories or sections they could be sold as. I'd never heard the term Miniature Tall Bearded until Lesley mentioned it recently  They really are out to confuse, aren't they?  So what happens to those that are on the borderline of all of these?  I can think of a few points where they intersect that could make it a complete nightmare trying to work out what something is...... and the heights etc vary SO much depending on climate and soil conditions (as do the colours).  

I must admit I was thinking of getting back into collecting them, but if the classifications are like that now I am just going to go for the pretty colours and ignore the categories.    The class MTB reminds me of some turf I was sowing recently..... Miniature Tall Fescue..... doesn't that just make it "Average" Fescue? 

[Lesley Cox]

Thanks for that Pat. I have it somewhere but the piles of paper around here have buried anything at all useful.

Paul, I can sympathise with you regarding strict classifications but I guess wherever there are many varieties and a society to bring them all together, there are bound to be some "rules" whether we like it or not, especially when there are shows around the world for that genus alone, whether it is Iris, auricula, Narcissus, roses or whatever.

While I mentally put each into its right place, it's their colours and characters that I look for in an iris and I'm not too bothered about M, I, B or T, but when someone asks, it's handy to know. I don't think we should get hung up on classifications. Just enjoy the irises.

[Luc Gilgemyn]

Seven more DBs. Tell me when you've had enough.

I will never have enough Lesley - they're all cute !

Cherry lavender and Be happy are my favourites !

[Joakim B]

Thanks for the definitions John
Lesley I meant to say that the Portuguese cultivars are early and based on the wild ones like subbiflora and albicans purple and white respectively, while the TBI are coming much later. The TBI are the international ones from France and the States and some that has been a round for a while. June-July is an estimation of the last ones. They might have been grown suboptimal last year to be this late but I will keep better track of flowering times this year. I do not think we will get bored of the plants for quite a while so keep them coming.
Kind regards
Joakim

[David Nicholson]

Now, come on Lesley, name your top six dwarf beardies from the stock you have

[arillady]

Lesley I am arillady and John is arilnut

[Arykana]

Now, come on Lesley, name your top six dwarf beardies from the stock you have

I would be curious about this list too I think it is a big job