Choosing the right iris varieties of an unfamiliar flower can be as much of a riddle for the experienced gardener as for the beginner.
Happily, so far as the spectacular tall bearded iris is concerned, the annual symposium of the 100 favorite iris constitutes an excellent guide for the would-be grower.
This popularity poll is conducted annually by the American Iris Society and represents the votes of a large proportion of its more than 4,000 members.
It reflects the opinions of people who grow iris in their gardens—not just the notions of a few experts whose chief concern is the newest and usually the most expensive varieties.
Before Selecting Varieties
The prospective purchaser should make up his mind about how and where he wants to use the iris.
They are at home in a mixed border, as specimen clumps, en masse, in a border devoted to the iris alone or merely as a collection.
That is, some of them will meet each of these needs, but iris colors should be chosen according to purpose and surroundings.
Blue Irises
Clear colors, particularly the blues, are in greatest demand. Among the first 10 iris of the symposium, five are blues.
The ‘whys’ are manifest: blues enhance and combine well with most other colors and give the effect of distance.
The yellows and rich purples are emphatic for a more startling or staccato effect, while the whites serve as a foil for strong color or relief from too much of it.
Red-toned Iris
In my opinion, red-toned iris have very little garden value except for close-range viewing. The same may be said of most of the blends, which are always fascinating when near enough for the individual flowers to show off.
The strong bicolors do not mix well with other shades, so they should be allotted an area to themselves, preferably against an evergreen background.
Color Of 100 Favorite Tall Bearded Iris
Companion clumps of different colors are fun to work out and charming to see.
We have been pleased with the following combinations:
- Delicate pink with a pale blue or a deep purple
- Light yellow and brown
- Maroon and light pink
- Blues and yellow with any of the blends
- White, purple, and blue
- Red, brown, and cream
The accompanying list by the color of the 100 favorite tall bearded iris should simplify the rendition of such garden duets or trios.
Award-Winning Irises
Thirteen of the iris listed in the 1953 symposium have been recipients of the Dykes Medal award, the highest honor an iris can win.
They are the following:
- Argus Pheasant
- Blue Rhythm
- Cherie
- Chivalry
- Great Lakes
- Helen McGregor
- Missouri
- Prairie Sunset
- Sierra Blue
- Spun Gold
- The Red Douglas
- Truly Yours
- Wabash
The fact that so many of this tall bearded iris have survived the vagaries of changing fashions and the competition of new varieties corroborates the decision of the judges who awarded them this high honor.
One of the baker’s dozen, Sierra Blue, was introduced twelve years ago, in 1932, and received the Dykes Medal in 1935.
Holding the esteem of the fickle public for a dozen years is doing very well, but many of the iris in this poll have maintained their high, though fluctuating, standing even longer, testimony to their continuing satisfactory performance in different geographical areas.
Twelve old reliables that have appeared among the 100 favorites for 14 years are:
- Amigo
- City of Lincoln
- China Maid
- Elsa Sass
- Fair Elaine
- Gloriole
- Golden Majesty
- Great Lakes
- Prairie Sunset
- Sable
- The Red Douglas
- Wabash
Chief Virtues of Symposium
One of the chief virtues of this symposium list is that the great majority of the varieties are inexpensive.
Most of them can be purchased for one dollar or less per rhizome; many run from one dollar to three dollars, and only about a dozen sell for higher prices.
Widely distributed among iris dealers and general nurserymen, they are easy to find anywhere in the country.
More complete tabulations of their fine characteristics may be found in the catalogs issued by the various iris dealers.
44659 by Fred W. Cassebeer