They definitely are the same iris, as Jo and I got them from the hybridizer, as did Betty.

My contribution to dark Iris is *Before the Storm*



And *Swazi Princess*



I added *Black Suited* this year, but don't have a picture to post.

I had a few that I thought were really nice this spring but I struggled getting the dark colors to look like they do in the garden and some of the ones that I took in the sun really washed the true color out but I have a few that were close to what they really have.

Noble Gesture (This was my favorite I never found it in a clump but it looked good everywhere)

Highland Lord ( The actual color is darker but the form is what it has and this flower lasted a long time)

Shadows Of Night ( The 2nd pic is closer to actual color)


Wedding Night


Circle Of LIght


Sharp Dressed Man


SIlken Trim


All Night Long


Night Ruler


Raven Girl


Clothos Web


Dark Wonder


Dusky Challenger

Brad: I like all your darks but the really great image is of the row with Delfs and columbine. I assume that is a full sun area and the spurred columbine spread? That is just a beautiful sight.

Love that Silken Trim, I have Circle of Light, but it hasn't bloomed yet in 2 years. Maybe it needs to move if it doesn't do anything next year. And of course Noble Gesture is at the top of next years list. Highland Lord sure has some nice ruffles! I'm already impatient for next years bloom looking at all these great pictures.

I don't have many dark purple iris,but I have both of these dark Bianco iris, which are very beautiful.
Terra del Fuoco and Strozzapreti.

Kim

I just planted Strozzapreti,hope mine is that beautiful.

I ordered and planted both of those Irises this summer. I forgot how beautiful they are so thanks for the eye candy!!

Kim: Is the first one Strozz?

Oh -- and I love the garden shot too, Brad!! That's a *Wow!* for sure. I didn't realize that Delphiniums bloomed that early. Is that photo taken there in Iowa?

Second one, JoAnn. I always describe Strozz as *raspberry and black*.

Names of iris is one of the hardest things to come up with....for me. Then just once take an iris that is Bi colored and try to describe it in detail without looking at the registration,. Hard isn't it...I thought that would be so easy WRONG again for me.

D

Love all these coming out and great shots of Bianco's work. I want to try to get a super shot of KOI as when it bloom it shouts yet on film looks like so many others.

Sat taking a friend to the international Dahlia Show in Portland as she has wanted to go for so long but will not drive that far and she will not go alone so a couple of days ago I told her, to get her camera gear and nice comfortable shoes as I was taking her, she was pleased as punch because she knows that I have started redigl

Dee! I find my camera doesnt accurately pix the depth of velvety colors and eliminates much red. My camera is just a Canon small 5x.I ruine so many cameras I cant justify a more expensive one.

I have a few KOI's and look forward to seeing them for real spring 2013

Tom I really like Highland Lord it is growing really well lot's of increase and the flower is stunning, I think you will like that one there is another that did well here called Magnifecent Masterpiece it came from Barbara Nicodemus in MIssouri and was really nice as well but I did not get a good picture of it, it had beautiful Purple Foilage about 1/3rd of the way up the leaves that made the plant stand out. I think Kent had the best picture of It I have seen maybe he will post it

Joann and May Ann Thank You I wish it was in Iowa I took that picture at Schreiners in there show gardens and they are really good at mixing other Perenials in with the Iris so lot's of things are blooming at the same time, I have tried to plant the Delphiniums and Columbine but most of them do not make it through the winter here but they really look nice with Iris if you can keep them alive.

KIm both of your pictures are great I will add those to the wish list for next year.

Brad: What a fantastic set of images.

I am sure going to try to grow columbines with iris.I can grow those,Lupines,Delfs and Foxgloves dont do well for me. I already have some nice mid color perennials to go with the iris I just planted ,but there is room for a sunloving columbine.
I know there are annual poppies in the area where I just planted Mid America order.The poppies do as they please. My fear is they will be too tall for the iris. If so they will be weeded out.

Oh man -- beautiful pictures!! I want my backyard to look like that!!

JoAnn -- I didn't know that Delphiniums and Foxgloves can *not do well* in some areas. They don't do well for me either -- and I thought I was just a terrrible gardner!! What don't they like? They're so beautiful, I would make room for them if I could keep them alive.

I have great luck with foxgloves. I can't grow delphs, either. Foxgloves just reseed all over here. Maybe they like the sandy soil.

Magnificent Masterpiece is a wonderful iris, Brad. I'm amazed it didn't get Honorable Mention this year. It is hard to photograph, though.

Magnificent Masterpiece


It's pod parent, Fabulous One is another favorite.


Some other dark iris I like:

Donaghcloney


Highland Lord


Magheralin


Phantom Ship


Saturn


Toronto


Private Eye


Wicked Good


Witch Fire - IB - this one has been registered but I don't think it's been introduced?


Dark Matter - SDB


And, of course, Noble Gesture.


Noble Gesture stood out among my 300 other irises even to my neighbors who take only a casual interest in flowers. One day, a bunch of little girls who live in the neighborhood were in the yard looking at the irises so I started snapping flowers off so they could have some to take home. I told them to pick whichever ones they wanted and one little girl went straight for Noble Gesture. I had to say "Uhhhh, not that one." I felt bad about it, but I needed it since I wanted to do a lot of crosses with it and, as a first year plant, it only had one bloom stalk.

Nice to see Wicked Good, it's in the mail to me as we speak. I've debated Toronto, but after seeing your pic I will get it. Witch Fire looks great!

Kent: Those are fantastic,Good Job

Muddymitts.I have clay soil and can grow almost anything that is tentetive in that environment but the reseeded Foxgloves and lupines just came up thin and peunie hardly bloomed so I just go on to something that works.