Irises: Show me your Pinks!, 1 by nmogens

nmogens wrote:
flowerfrenzy's photos of VENETIAN GLASS and KITTY KAY are beautiful.

I love VENETIAN GLASS, and managed to set a pod on it this year from Ghio's TREASURED. That's a cross that has wonderful potential.

Not only do the two parents share a common parent, FOGBOUND, but are rather similar and each has its own virtues and beauty. My hope is that in the highest quality seedling(s) there will be an intensification of the pink pigment.

Another FOGBOUND offspring, ADOREGON, another of Keppel's very fine introductions, bloomed here on a new plant this year. I hadn't been awestruck by his catalog photo of it, but thought the pedigree excellent.

When ADOREGON bloomed, I was in awe. It is beautiful!

With offspring like Ghio's, Keppel's and what I see here in my own seedlings from FOGBOUND, I am saying (prophetically) that the variety is one of those all-time great parents, a "benchmark" in quality like the historics DOMINION, SNOW FLURRY, PINK TAFFETA and otherts deep in the pedigrees of our wonderful modern iris. I'd rate FOGBOUND right up there with those great champions.

I told Keith I thought this, and his response was reserved. He said, "It's too early to tell."

His humility and hard work, plus compassionate and caring friendship which I have treasured for many years, are awsome.

Bill Marriott told me that Keith is considered by many to be number one among the Northwest hybridizers. I'd go farther. I'd say, that among him, Joe Ghio and Barry Blyth the world of irises, our gardens have been wonderfully enhanced. Right up there with these giants I'd add Paul Black, the Schreiners, Adkins and Rick Tasco. They all have produced some wonderful irises. There are countless others who have made wonderful and beautiful additions, including Fred Kerr, the Suttons and many others. Their labors of love and careful selection for quality is remarkable.

Well, it is early, I admit, but I seek out FOGBOUND offspring to use in my own crosses without reservation. I see many good to excellent qualities in its offspring.

Here below is an example of my own. The pedigree is Power Woman: (Swingtown x Romantic Evening) X Fogbound. This cross, and another made in the reverse direction with Fogbound as pod parent, contained a number of beauties. This one is the stand-out. Because the photo is by flash, the color is a bit richer than in real life, but does display the rich, silky texture I like so much. Another view of this is in a photo website, the URL I don't remember right now. If I did, I'd post it.

Neil Mogensen