AGM AGM IRIS SPURIA FINAL REPORT 2004-2006 (An RHS Long Term Trial) There were 40 entries in this long term trial of Iris spuria which were assessed by the Joint Iris Committee over three years; 14 of which were included in the display of previous AGM winners. Objectives: Judging: Record: To assess, compare and demonstrate a range of cultivars submitted by individuals and nurserymen, following preliminary assessment by the Joint Iris Committee. Members of the Joint Iris Committee inspected the trial on 13 and 19 June 2006, recommending the Award of Garden Merit (AGM) to the five entries listed below. Date of first and last flowering. The following entries received an Award of Garden Merit: - Falcons Crest AGM (H4) 2006 Raised by B C Jankins, sent by and available from Mr C Russell, The Iris Garden, Yard House, Pilsdon, Bridport, DT6 5PA A slowly, spreading plant of good vigour. Foliage 80 x 3cm erect and green. Flower stem 90cm, erect and straight, with up to 4 well-proportioned medium flowers per stem. Standards 6 x 3.5cm, cupped, erect, spathulate with a cleft at tip, yellow 9A, with very heavy, almost solid, dark brown veining 200A, radiating from haft up and out to margin. Haft yellow 9A heavily veined Brown 200C. Falls 7 x 5cm, drooping, circular, smooth, closest bright yellow 9A, margin dark brown 200A with brown 200B rays radiating into and stopping at center of fall. Haft yellow 9B, midrib slightly darker yellow 9A, pronounced yellow veining radiating to margin, becoming brown 200D at base of haft. Style branches broad and close on haft, greyed-orange 163B at margin, overlaid with a wash of brown 200D that becomes more pronounced toward fine midrib brown 200D. Flowering 15 June to 3 July. An eye-catching, well-spiked Iris, with dramatic chocolate brown standards and bright yellow falls with margins and heavy veining of chocolate brown, a good mid height for the garden.
Lucky Devil AGM (H4) 2006 Raised by J Ghio, sent by and available from Mr C Russell, The Iris Garden, Yard House, Pilsdon, Bridport, DT6 5PA Vigorous, spreading, sturdy, erect green foliage, 106 x 2.5cm. Flower stems erect, straight, 140cm, with 3 medium-large flowers per stem. Standards 6.5 x 3cm, cupped, erect, spathulate, velvety, closest violet 86A. Haft yellow 10A heavily veined violet 86A. Falls 7 x 4cm, flaring, circular, velvety with lightly creped margins, very dark violet-blue N92A, becoming yellow 12A heavily veined dark violet blue N92A, signal greyed-yellow 160A. Haft mid yellow 8A, midrib greyed-orange 175A, violet-blue N92A veins running parallel to midrib, with paler greyed-brown 199A veins radiating to margin. Style branches broad and close on haft, purple 77B at margin becoming closest violetblue N92A at midrib. Crest large, revolute, closest violet-blue N9A. Flowering 17 June to 6 July. Tall, beautiful, velvety, rich, deep blue-purple and bronze flowers held well above erect, dense green foliage, a truly stunning display. lasts well Missouri Orange AGM (H4) 2006 Raised by O D Niswonger, sent by and available from Mr C Russell, The Iris Garden, Yard House, Pilsdon, Bridport, DT6 5PA Very vigorous, spreading green foliage 100-120 x 3.3cm, top of foliage lax. Flower stems erect, straight, 140cm, with 3-4 medium-large, well-proportioned flowers per stem. Standards 6.5-2.5cm cupped, erect, oblong, smooth and lightly wrinkled at margin, yellow orange 17B. Haft yellow 12A. Falls 7.5 x 3.8cm, flaring, circular, smooth and lightly wrinkled at margin, yellow-orange 17A. Haft yellow 12A, becoming yellow-orange 17B at midrib. Style branches narrow, close on haft, yelloworange 17C at midrib, fading slightly toward margin. Crest small, revolute, yellow-orange 17C. Flowering 13 June to 3 July. A striking, rich orange-yellow Iris that puts on a super display, Philippa Baughen (entered as Sdg BB/Myst) AGM (H4) 2006 Raiser unknown, sent by and available from Mr B Baughen, Copper Beeches, North End Lane, Downe, Orpington, Kent, BR6 7HE. Vigorous, spreading foliage, 130 x 1.5-1.7cm, green and erect. lax at top. Flower stems erect, straight, 120-140cm, 4 well-proportioned medium flowers per stem. Standards 7 x 3.5cm, cupped, erect, spathulate, with a cleft at tip, smooth and lightly wrinkled at margin, ground yellow 9B, veining yellow 9A. Falls 7cm x 4cm, incurved, circular, smooth and slightly wavy at margin, yellow 9B, veins and signal yellow 9A
tinged yellow 14B. Haft tinged yellow-green 2B, strongly defined double midrib, yellow-green 145B veins radiating outwards. Style branches broad and erect, yellow 6C, slightly darker yellow 6B at midrib. Crest small, revolute, yellow 6C. Flowering 9 June to 30 June. A vigorous, very floriferous, lovely mid yellow Iris that flowers well above the foliage. The award recommended to the following entry cannot be published until the query on availability has been resolved. It is the responsibility of the sender to inform the Trials Office at Wisley that all queries have been resolved. Frigia Subject to availability Raised by Dr G Rodionenko, sent by Mrs A Blanco White. Erect, vigorous, spreading foliage, 120 x 2cm, green-glaucous. Flower stems erect, straight, 140cm, with 4-6 delicate, medium flowers per stem. Standards 6.5 x 2cm, cupped, erect, oblong-cuniate, smooth and lightly wrinkled at margin, white 155c. Haft yellow 13A at base becoming paler yellow 12B towards standard. Falls 8.5 x 2.7cm, drooping, ovate, smooth and lightly wrinkled at margin, white 155c, narrow pointed signal yellow 13A at base of fall originating from midrib, wash of yellow 7C around signal at mid base of fall. Haft white 155C heavily veined yellow 7C, midrib bolder yellow 13A. Narrow style branches close on haft, white 155C, slightly creamier white 155A at broad midrib. Crest small, revolute, creamy white 155A. Flowering 13 June to 30 June. A very elegant Iris, with many spikes, bearing up to six, slim, attractive and well-spaced white flowers. H4 = plants hardy throughout the British Isles Photographic records of the AGM winners were made and are kept at Wisley. The parts of a Beardless Iris Standard Style crest Style Arm Stigma & anther below style arm Haft of fall Spathe covering the ovary
Trial Notes: - Cultivation: The trial site was prepared by tractor rotovation, followed by the incorporation of double chopped mushroom compost. The Trial was planted in early September 2002 from either existing or submitted rhizomes at 50cm stations in rows 75cm apart; three plants of each entry for assessment were grown. In the AGM cultivar display, only one plant per entry was grown. Following soil analysis, in March ammonium sulphate (nitrogen fertiliser) was applied at a rate of 40 g/m 2 and sulphate of potash (potassium fertiliser) at a rate of 35g/m 2. Once the main threat of frost had passed in late March, any dead foliage was removed. Flower stems were staked to assist the reduction of wind damage. Findings: Despite an excellent year for AGMs and some wonderful blooms, it was noticeable that by mid June foliage was yellowing on a number of the I. spuria trial entries. The Joint Iris Committee considered that the plants may have been entering dormancy earlier due to stressful conditions as a result of a strange season in 2006; very little rain and a prolonged cold dry spring, followed by a hot dry summer. It was unanimously agreed by the Committee, that plants with yellowing foliage should have the foliage cut down so as not to stress the plant further and to minimise the trial looking unpleasant. One of the AGM entries, Norton Sunlight, was found to be the incorrect plant in comparison to its registration description. Subsequently this cultivar will have its AGM rescinded at the AGM review in 2012. Entries, Senders and Awards: Iris spuria Index 2002-2006 No AGM Cultivar Sender Gap Plant 1 'Blue Lassie' P G Wood AGM Entries 2 1998 'Clark Cosgrove' B Hager 3 1994 'Belise' V H Humphrey 4 1998 'Norton Sunlight' N.T.Sissinghurst 5 1994 'Destination' P G Wood 6 1998 'Driftwood' V H Humphrey 7 2002 'Monspur Cambridge Blue' N.T.Sissinghurst 8 2001 'Sunset Colours' The Iris Garden 9 2002 'Sonoran Senorita' The Iris Garden 10 2002 'Sunrise in Sonora' The Iris Garden 11 2002 'Wyoming Cowboys' The Iris Garden 12 2002 'Kitt Peak' The Iris Garden 13 2002 'Love for Leila' The Iris Garden 14 2002 'Sunny Day' V H Humphrey
Replants 15 resc '02 'Shelford Giant' N.T.Sissinghurst 16 2006 'Falcon's Crest' The Iris Garden 17 'Gold Mania' The Iris Garden 18 'Picacho Peak' The Iris Garden 19 'Kaibab Trail' The Iris Garden 20 2006 'Frigia' Mrs T A Blanco White New Entries 21 'Belissinado' A R J Bailey 22 'Lookingglass Eyes' The Iris Garden 23 'Evening Dress' The Iris Garden 24 'Missouri Iron Ore' The Iris Garden 25 'Cinnamon Stick' The Iris Garden 26 Wealden Sunshine Mrs O Wells ( entered as Sdg BC- 01-2) 27 Sdg BC-01-1 Mrs O Wells 28 'Missouri Rainbows' S Linnegar 29 2006 'Missouri Orange' The Iris Garden 30 'Rivulets of Pink' The Iris Garden 31 'Son of Sun' The Iris Garden 32 'Lilacina' C E C Bartlett 33 'Mary's Beau Brummel' A R J Bailey 34 'Barbara's Kiss' The Iris Garden 35 2006 'Lucky Devil' The Iris Garden 36 Sdg WE1 Mrs O Wells 37 2006 Philippa Baughen B C Baughen (entered as Sdg BB/Myst) 38 unknown hyb.(not 'Empathy') The Iris Garden 39 Sdg LG5054 Mrs T A Blanco White 40 'Hickory Leaves' The Iris Garden Senders List C/o The Trials Office: A R J Bailey, C Bartlett, B C Baughen, Mrs T A Blanco White, B R Hager, S Linnegar, Mrs O Wells Nurseries: V H Humphrey - No longer trading The Iris Garden, Yard House, Pilsdon, Bridport, DT6 5PA The National Trust, Sissinghurst Castle, Cranbrook, Kent, TN17 2AB. Further information can be obtained from The Trials Office, The Royal Horticultural Society Garden, Wisley, Woking, Surrey GU23 6QB Tel No. 01483479797 e-mail: trials@rhs.org.uk More information about RHS Trials and other illustrated final reports in colour can be found on the RHS Website at www.rhs.org.uk/plants/planttrials.asp