I've been looking at a lot of historics recently. There's something to love about the old fashioned look for me. I'm looking to grab me some more historics! What are your favourite historics? Which ones do really well? What would you recommend?


I have several historics, but none of them have an ID. My list will be all noids, but I'll show the named varieties that most resemble my noids.

Helen Collingwood:


Sandalwood OR Quaker Lady



Sherwin-Wright:


Indian Chief:



Not as good growers:
Gay Paree (I have an ID for this one!):


Cherie:


I do have some ID historics!:

Gay Pal:


Jean Cayeux:


Easter Bonnet:


Acoma:


I'm probably missing more..

Our program today was on iris gardens in MA of the late 40s-early 50s. Very interesting. The slides were in color-film must have been early post WW II.

These are some of my best growers.

Kent Pride is virtually indestructible and grows well here. It has the added bonus of very pronounced PBF:



Other historics that have grown well for me are:

Tall Bearded Iris (Iris 'Alta California')


Is always nice.

I love the oldies!
That smooth tailored form is so archetypal of 'iris' in my mind from childhood--it was always such a thing on 'decoration day' to cut the stalks and adorn the graves with coincidentally timed beauty and fragrance of garden iris back in the day, that's what is ingrained in my psyche as representational of iris.

I have many. Here are two faves:

My indestructible dirty yellow

will always have a place here, because it came with the house and survives all the challenges of the crappy real estate I let it have, and more importantly, it has divine fragrance!

and

early and fragile, but so exquisite in its simple perfection--it's just not spring without a blast from the past

Dirt ~ Last year was the first year for me for Florentina. I really enjoy its subtle beauty. It is almost multidimensional in regards to its color. I look forward to its increases and prolific bloom this year. It bloomed a long time for a first year bloom. I think it is my favorite historic.

My second favorite historic, so far, is Samurai Warrior. It bloomed shortly after Florentina, and it also had a very long bloom period.



You have to click on it to enlarge this photo to really see the detail of this awesome color!

I even set a pod on this and it still kept on blooming! Another iris wasn't so lucky, I killed that one, as it was too weak after the pod to keep on growing.

Fantastic historics, everyone!

Tom, Rhages is fantastic looking. I love it! Jungle Shadows is always one I have eyed. Loreley too. Great historics!

Lilli, I really like Kent Pride and Langport Storm! Skyfire

Dirt - Your indestructible yellow looks cute!

Evelyn - The piece of Florentina you gave me is doing well. For awhile, it had no increases, and then all of a sudden "poof" there were three. It might bloom for me this year!

I also really love Samurai Warrior. Such a fantastic red oldie. I must have it at some point.

Richard - Alta California is great!

I knew I missed some historics I had....!

Beverly Sills: Working on two increases!


Edith Wolford:


Perfection:


Breakers:


Busy Being Blue:


Cherub's Smile:


Conjuration:


Earl of Essex:


Feedback:


Full Tide:


Harvest of Memories:


Gee.....I have a lot more historics than I thought. These are all older than 30 years of age since introduction. Hm.

When I think "historic," I see the really old-fashioned simple form for the irises. Anyone else?

Continued:

Honey Glazed:


Ida Red:


Pride of Ireland:


Sweet Musette:


Thornbird: Is 30 years old this year!!! Wow!


Iris Pallida: Can never forget this oldie!


Iris Pallida "Argentea":

I can't deny loving 'Honey Glazed', so thanks for posting for that, Monty.

'Dusky Challenger' doesn't feel that old to me, but it was introduced in 1986, so is above the 30 year limit. While most of mine rotted last year (not Dusky's fault, it was in a wet spot) I really loved it in bloom.



However 'Paillasse', a French iris from 1936, is my favorite historic:

She is not the fastest grower for me, rather she grows slowly, from small rhizomes. So far the increases take two years to bloom in my climate, but she also has a certain elegance in the garden that I find mesmerizing, so she is still very much worth growing.

Her standards are ivory, complex in tone and never boring. The falls are beautifully veined, which I'm a big fan of in iris, and the lighter edge adds an extra dimension. No ruffles, but instead a beautiful classic form.

She is late blooming, so is valuable for that too. She also has very sturdy stems. Blooms are of good size, especially for a shorter growing iris. Hardiness is also excellent. So for all those reasons she is my favorite historic iris, and certainly one of my favorites overall.

Ah yes, your mezmerizing photo William compelled me to get an import permit!
Hope I don't have to wait 2 yrs to see Paillasse bloom.

Me either! I tagged onto Dirt's order.
I forgot about Burn Toffee, another older good grower from the past.

Dirt and Tom, I did have to wait an extra year for mine to bloom, but hopefully you both got a mature rhizome.

I also hope you both will love it.

with Tom. Burnt Toffee is a great old iris.

What about the love for the historic gardeners?

If 'historic' means over 30 years old, that'll be a lot of love!

I'm closer to antique!

I absolutely love the historics.

Tom ~ Haha...if you are an antique, then I must be ancient!