Clarence Mahan
Recently the international median robin flew into my home, and I thought some of the comments might be of interest to readers of the Bulletin. From Lucy Burton in Massachusetts came some interesting views on intermediate bearded irises: " LEMON POP (Lauer 90) was my favorite IB this year.I really like Keppel's CANDY FLOSS (90) which has peach standards and cream ground falls edged pink.CARRIWITCHED (Innerst 93) is a purple on white plicata with almost solid colored standards. If you look closely at the standards they are very closely marked with tiny purple dots, but it looks solid from a distance. And it is VIGOROUS. Had to divide it this year to keep it from overrunning its neighbors. DARK WATERS (Aitken 92), a blue-violet, had a long bloom season this year, and bitone yellow BLESSED ASSURANCE (Zurbrigg 95) was interesting. It does rebloom farther south."
From Evelyn Jones in Oregon came this news: "Terry Aitken will introduce one IB for me next year [1997]. It is named COUNTRY GARDEN. It is a rosy pink with amber and lilac blends in the standards and a flush of lilac pink on the falls."
From New Zealand, came this interesting idea from Hilmary Catton: " A friend with a very small garden who grows Louisiana in big 10 gallon pots with very good potting soil well-laced with cow manure. She has a narrow trench, about 6" deep and just wide enough to hold the pots. They are put in the trench at the end of winter and kept well watered by flooding the trench every day. They flower very well and once the foliage fills the pots it hangs over and almost hides the pots. Once they finish flowering and start to look untidy she moves the pots out of sight. She repots them every year."
Lynette Black, also from New Zealand, told the robin that her miniature dwarf bearded iris season began on October 4th with EGRET SNOW (Sindt 85), but that iris performance in 1996 was a bit confused by erratic weather. Wendy Roller in upstate New York said New Yorkers who drove over to Massachusetts for the annual apogon iris auction thought they had "died and gone to heaven." The New Yorkers bought so many plants that Wendy expects to see some wonderful irises at Region 2 auctions in the next couple of years. Jean Peyrard was pleased to learn that his miniature dwarf bearded iris SOUEICH (R. 91) does well in New Zealand. Commenting on SOUEICH, Jean wrote: " I don't know if it is a true pumila species because it came from British Iris Society seeds, and in a garden a bee cross may always arrive."
Writing in January, Thelma Naylor, who is so fortunate as to live in Kent, sometimes called "the garden of England," gave us this report: "Prior to the snow, all the I. unguicularis were looking lovely but now are frosted and looking horrible" But she goes on to comment that "as soon as the snow and frost lifts, they start blooming again."
Last year those of us on the Iris-L list on the Internet were joined by Sally Guye in South Africa. It was a pleasure to be able to assist Sally in her desire to join AIS and the Historic Iris Preservation Society. Sally has provided me some information about the Iris Society of Southern Africa and a copy of its most recent Bulletin.
The Bulletin contained several interesting articles including a report on the Annual Iris Show held in Johannesburg. This article was written by Eugene Weeks, who was recently elected Chairman of the Iris Society of Southern Africa. Joe Ghio should be quite pleased with the show results because his smooth gold iris GOLD COUNTRY (87) took top honors. It won Best Iris on Show, Best Tall Bearded Iris, and Best Gold Tall Bearded Iris. It was shown by Alan Tait, an avid iris enthusiast and authority on South African members of the Iridaceae. Also were receiving honors was DURAL CHARM (J. Taylor 83), which won Best Louisiana Iris. Louisiana irises are very popular in South Africa.
Graeme Morgan, who some of us used to correspond with in an international iris robin (which has since "bitten the dust") wrote an article on plicata tall bearded irises and their history. The Bulletin also has an article on books on South African Iridaceae. The article mentions three books by Peter Goldblatt of the Missouri Botanical Garden: The Moraeas of Southern Africa, The Genus Watsonia, and The Woody Iridaceae. This article has a lovely photograph of Dietes grandiflora, a lovely species for growing outside in subtropical climates and indoors in harsher climes.
If you are interested in learning more about the Iris Society of Southern Africa, or in overseas membership, write to Secretary, Iris Society of Southern Africa, P. P. Box 2924, Edenvale, 1610 South Africa.
Last year at the International Species Iris Symposium in St. Louis there were many iris enthusiasts from around the world in attendance. One woman I was delighted to get to meet was Gwenda Harris from New Zealand, whom I had only known previously from correspondence and from reading the New Zealand Iris Society Bulletin which Gwenda edits. The growth and success of an iris society often owes more to a good editor as to any other person. I am certain that Gwenda's editorship of the Bulletin is a major contribution to the New Zealand Iris Society. It is always an interesting journal, and it always brings much pleasure when it arrives in the mail.
A couple of years ago Gwenda moved herself and many plants to new quarters. She owns Otepopo Garden Nursery in Herbert, North Otago. In response to communication from me, she recently described her garden to me. I was fascinated by the description of her garden, and thought I would share it with the readers of this column:
"The garden lies to the sun on the slopes of Mount Charles (really just a hill) and looks out to the beautiful Kakanui Hills to the south and west to the Southern Alps. It is difficult to characterize the garden. There are a few formal touches, but I suppose it is largely "country/cottagy." I did not establish the garden and as I find it a little busy I will concentrate on establishing some quieter areas when I find the time to impose my stamp on it. There is an old rose garden which I have already edged with irises, lots of bearded species, Iris pallida in various forms, I. florentina, I. albicans, KOCHII, etc., early hybrids like BRIDE, GRACCHUS, and an interesting form of I. variegata which I call 'the purple Gracchus.' There are also a few others to extend the season like I. typhifolia, I. kerneriana, 'Kirigamine,' a few Evansias, and my collection of MTBs. These edge the entrance path to the nursery so I try to keep it looking interesting.
"Elsewhere there are six formal iris beds for spurias, arils, Sibericae species, Siberian cultivars, water-loving iris, and what I call my Panayoti Moraine Mound for bulbs, Junos, etc. The main garden below the cottage (built 1870) has extensive rockeries, a rhododendron collection which I am underplanting with PCIs, a New Zealand corner, a rose bed (modern), a winter border, a summer border, a perennial border and the white garden. The central beds are mostly miniature roses - which are to go.
"This part of the garden is open to the public. Beyond this I have my secret garden which gets even less attention, but there are lots more irises! I have a small sales area known as 'the shop.' Every year I put out an old rose list and an autumn and spring catalogue. Most of the plants, including roses, I propagate myself. I always thought I wanted just a mail-order nursery, but so many interesting people have come into the garden since I have been here I have quite changed my mind.
"There is little time for anything else, although I do try to take my dog to the beach once a week. However, the South Canterbury Iris Group, which I belong to is hosting the Convention next year, and the NZIS celebrates its 50th Anniversary in 2000 so there are busy years ahead."
When I think about the fact that Gwenda's nursery is a one-woman operation, I feel ashamed of my own apparent sloth in comparison. But I know that if I ever get to New Zealand, I definitely want to visit that garden! All those historic and species irises, not to mention MTB's, arils, spurias, PCIs! And how about that 50th Anniversary of the New Zealand Iris Society in the year 2000! I sure hope someone organizes a tour to go there in 2000.
Mrs. Dianne Dalla Santa recently contacted us with information about the 50th Anniversary of the Iris Society of Australia in 1998. This notable event will be celebrated at the 1998 convention, to be held October 20 - October 27, 1998 in Sunraysia, hosted by the Victorian Region of the Iris Society of Australia.
Dianne Dalla Santa advises that Sunraysia is a geographic area surrounding the "Rural City of Mildura" in northwest Victoria, on the banks of the graceful Murray River. The river provides a source of water for irrigation in this area, which produces large quantities of sultanas, raisins and currents, as well as citrus fruit and wine. This area also attracts large numbers of tourists who visit to enjoy the beautiful river, gardens, national parks, wineries and extensive sports facilities. Plans for the 1998 convention include tours to many local gardens, historic attractions and national parks. There will also be tours to gardens in South Australia and New South Wales.
It is suggested that visitors to the 1998 convention might want to consider entering Australia via Sydney, New South Wales, and departing via Melbourne, Victoria. This will afford visitors the opportunity of attending annual iris shows in each of these two capital cities and visiting renowned hybridizers' gardens. Dianne promises to provide more information on the 1998 convention as details are put into final form. Sounds great, doesn't it?
In this column in the last Bulletin, we reported on the efforts underway to rebuild the Sarajevo Botanic Garden in Bosnia. Another great loss to the war in the Balkans, that area in which so many iris species are endemic, is the Locrum Botanic Garden on the Croatian coast near Dubrovnik. The plant collections and library were destroyed, and an effort is now underway to rebuild that institution also. Donations, including appropriate books to replace the library, have been requested. For more information, contact the Director, Sanja Kovanic, Locrum Botanic Garden, PO Box 39, HR-20001, Dubrovnik, Croatia.
The Royal Horticultural Society has granted the Award of Garden Merit to a number of Japanese iris cultivars. Those irises receiving this award are FRINGED CLOUD (Craig-Hager 60); HUE AND CRY (Maddocks 70); LASTING PLEASURE (Ackerman 85); MAGIC OPAL (Payne 69); OL' MAN RIVER (McEwen 87); RETURNING TIDE (McEwen 76); SUMMER STORM (Marx 55); THE GREAT MOGUL (Payne 58); VINTAGE FESTIVAL (Payne 69); WORLD'S DELIGHT (Marx 53); and two seedlings bred by T. A. Banco White with the garden names of 'Give-Me-Patience' and 'Mancunian.'
Several of the hybridizers of these irises are now dead. To Ben Hager, Bill Ackerman, Currier McEwen and T. A. Banco White, who fortunately are not, our sincere congratulations!
It was a struggle to devise a legitimate means of inserting this item the Bulletin. But it had me rolling in laughter, and so it seemed that advice on plants not to use as iris companion plants was perhaps appropriate. So, with some trepidation, the following item from the January 1997 issue of The Garden is repeated:
"Cambridge residents turned up their noses at roadside plantings of Santolina last summer. The warm weather contributed to a little-known feature of these plants as they exuded a smell reminiscent of public lavatories. The local council has now removed the plants."
The following item, written by Harald Mathes, first appeared in British Iris Society Newsletter, edited by Sue Pierce.
I have never been commercially interested, regarding my breeding work as a pure hobby. Perhaps for that very reason it has always been so thrilling to me. As is well known, the Clarence G. White Hybrids arose in the early '50s from crossing TBs and arils (oncos and regelias), and they are with few exceptions the basis of our modern advanced generation hybrids. Although their genetic potential is by no means yet exhausted, I wanted to leave the beaten track. I started with pure regeliabreds; I. hoogiana or I. stolonifera x TB. Some of these were quite beautiful and much more "gardenable" than the CGWs. They will cross with the CGWs but most of the seedlings were rather ugly and because I like the onco phenotype I soon lost interest in this line. Of late I'm playing with the idea of taking up pure regeliabred breeding again, as a few occasional seedlings look interesting.
In 1983, I pollinated an onco hybrid seedling (I. iberica x I. auranitica) with pollen from the dwarf bearded I. mellita. I germinated the few good embryos on sterile nutrient medium in test tubes and treated them with a colchicine solution. Onco x mellita hybrids are sterile at the diploid level and they must be converted to amphidiploid tets to be of any use in further breeding. Only two of the treated seedlings survived. One of them was fertile, its anthers loaded with good pollen. I crossed it with DRESDEN GOLD, a C. G. White type, in both directions and harvested lost of seeds. ANACRUSIS arose from these. Although it got an Honorable Mention for the AIS in 1995, I suppose that most American arilarians have not yet realized what it really is. Due to its I. mellita dereivation it is of medium height. It is fully fertile and the flower is very onco-like with a large black signal, unlike the customary aril-meds arising from crossing C. G. White types with SDBs.
In 1994, I introduced INVENTION (ANACRUSIS x sib) which is an improvement over ANACRUSIS. A new seedling from this line bloomed in 1995, with a spectacular large and sharp black signal, never seen before. Unfortunately all three [ANARCRUSIS, INVENTION and the new seedling] are of the same color. It is a vivid red similar to the color of the TB CAPTAIN GALLANT. Other colors are appearing now among my seedlings---pure yellows and peculiar blends which, together with the black signal, look very exotic.
Still smaller are the arilbred dwarfs from crossing tet oncogelias and I. pumila. Both parents are tetraploids, as has been proved, and the offspring should be fertile amphidiploids but in spite of this many have fertility problems. Most of them have fertile pollen but almost all are extremely difficult to pod. Only one of my aril-pum seedlings is pod fertile and I succeeded in getting a few seeds after selfing it. Oddly enough, the resulting seedlings are again very difficult to pod, which is inexplicable. Last year I crossed one of my oncos with I. pseudopumila, treating the germinating embryos with colchicine, and I have many healthy looking survivors growing in little pots. Successfully converted seedlings will have the same chromosomal composition as the aril-pums but should be of better fertility. I. pumila itself is very cold-hardy and the aril-pums take my winter conditions with ease. I introduced only the variety BARBARELLA in 1991. Some more of my seedlings are worthy of introduction but because of the fertility I am reluctant.
Arilbreds can be back-crossed to diploid oncos or oncogelias. The resulting seedlings are very onco-like but of much easier culture. They have two chromosome sets from arils (AA) plus one from TBs (B). such triploid AAB types are usually entirely sterile. Occasionally a seedling has been produced in the past by using a fully fertile C. G. White type arilbred as pollen parent, but the result was either another C. G. White type (AABB) or another triploid AAB type. In 1991, I treated such triploid embryos with colchicine and in 1995 I bloomed tow seedlings which were obviously chimeras, that is they consisted of triploid and hexaploid tissue. I found bloom containing one sterile anther without pollen, one fertile anther which was broader and loaded with good pollen, and one anther which was sterile on one side and fertile on the other. The vice-versa cross resulted in a moderate number of good, firm seeds, which germinated, of course in embryo culture, and these will bloom this spring. Most are vegetatively very strong with many increases. These should be the first hexaploid arilbreds. They have the genomal constitution AAAABB and I expect the flowers to be large, of heavy substance, very onco-like and fertile. This is the big news of 1997.