Fortunate breaks in hybridizing irises rarely occur. But, at some time during experimentation, if the breeder keeps growing irises at it diligently enough, a mutation or break comes up, which adds something distinctly new and exciting to the floral pattern.
Such an event took place 12 years ago in the tiny iris garden of Mrs. Jean Stevens, far down in the Antipodes below Capricorn in Wanganui, New Zealand.
At that time, the first white and yellow bicolor flowered. This started an entirely new color pattern in the iris which is now ready for circulation.
The story of the development of this brilliant group of the iris is the story of Mrs. Stevens. More than 5,000 miles from her nearest contemporary breeder, she carried on her 14-year program alone until she finally won over her shrub-growing husband.
For Parent Material
For parent material, Mrs. Stevens used early iris imports from England, including the iris varieties put on the market by W. R. Dykes of Cambridge.
These were obtained in the early 1920s, about the same time American growers began importing improved strains from England and France to our gardens here.
Pinnacle
This first white and yellow bicolor, PINNACLE, which suggested a new color pattern, resulted from crossing Moonlight, a seedling from W. R. Dykes, and the Dominion family created by A. J. Bliss, also of England.
Pure yellow iris would have been nothing new, nor would pure white, but the combination of pure white standards and yellow falls proved exciting.
At first, Mrs. Stevens had difficulty in getting her crosses to set seed and in getting the seed to germinate. Finally, after three generations of work spanning nine years, Pinnacle appeared in all its glory.
This justified Mrs. Stevens’ efforts, for here was an iris with pure white standards and yellow primrose falls.
Pinnacle was praised in the American Iris Society Bulletin and the Yearbook of the Iris Society of England. Harold Knowlton, Massachusetts attorney and an authority on the iris, declared it to be outstanding in value over all iris viewed during a 5000-mile trip over the United States.
Moonlight Sonata
But this was only one; other exciting mutations were developed in the New Zealand garden. For example, Mrs. Stevens’ MOONLIGHT SONATA is a delicate lime yellow, a register limited in the flower world.
Polynesia
Perfection of a series of blends in which several colors appear was accomplished in WATCHFIRE, CLEOPATRA, and CARIBBEAN TREASURE, all new blooms from south of Capricorn. Another fine family of iris blends stems from her early variety POLYNESIA.
Airy Grace
CHALLENGE, in the rose shades, and PARAGON in the light mallow pink register are also representative of Mrs. Stevens’ persistence.
If the grower enjoys deeper colors, she offers ITALIAN Joy, a rich claret, and the new BLACK BELLE, rally indigo. In contrast to these dark tones, she developed the lovely soft cream-colored AIRY GRACE.
New Strain of Iris
Her latest promise is growing a new strain of iris with pure white standards and light blue falls—the same depth of blue as the Great Lakes. Thus, various coloring is being added to the iris family in the tiny garden at Wanganui.
Transporting plants from one hemisphere to another is always heightened with anxiety, for it is like plunging a plant from June weather to December weather.
Generally, it takes 18 months for the plants to become oriented and adjust their iris blooming to our seasons.
44659 by Robert Schreiner