1999 Iris List

This wallow in Iris nostalgia was inspired when MayDreams Carol mentioned her dwarf bearded iris. Her post sent me to the old diaries from our last Illinois garden, the one I left behind in Summer of 1999.


The diaries had lists of names and bloom records. Some iris were ordered from catalogs, some picked up at Northern Illinois Iris Society sales, many were passalongs from friends. I don't remember ever seeing dwarf bearded iris for sale at a nursery.

I loved those dwarf bearded iris! They bloomed with Brunnera and Dicentra/Bleeding Heart, when the coral bells and lilies were waking up. Their small rhizomes didn't attract Iris borers like the flashy big hybrids and they fit so well into a small bed designed for close-up viewing.


Some of the dwarf bearded iris had registered names:

'Bright & White'

'Little Imp'

"Pixie Pastel'

'Beau'

'Lillipinkput'

'Eyeshadow'

'Irish Sea'

'Gingerbread Man'

'Bright Eyes'

'Orchid Raye'

'Enchanted Blue'

'Mr Roberts'

'Daisy'

'Hammered Copper'

'Indian Jewel'


Some dwarf bearded iris were named for the friend who shared the plant:

'Ruth's Kansas Prairie Purple'

'Vi's Minister's Yellow'

'Ellen's Yellow & Maroon'

'Vi's Purple w/white beard'

'Vi's Bright Yellow'

'Ruth's white with Blue beard'

'Carol's off white'

'Bernice's yellow & mahogany'

'Vi's Light Pink'


Some tall bearded iris had official names, too:

'Tangerine Sky'

'Orange Parade'

'Cozy Calico'

'Schiaparelli'

'Dundee'

'Stunning'

'Debby Rairdon'

'Carnival Time'

'Superstition'

'Fire & Ice'

'Lacy Snowflake'

'Victoria Falls'

'Lemon Brocade'


And names unofficial:

'Ruth's lilac'

'Bernice's Yellow'

'Sophie's Purple Velvet'

'Lilacia Garden Club Pink'

'Vi's Tall Purple & White'


Siberians were called:

'Sea Shadows'

'Gull's Wings'

'Cabernet'

'Illini Encore'

'Maranatha'


Passalong Siberians had names of people attached:

'Dad's Dark Blue'

'Vi's Dark Purple'

'Vi's Lilac'

Two species Iris came to me from Lorraine:

Iris graminea and Iris pseudocoris.


It's nearly a decade since I left - think any of them still bloom at the old house?