What is the TOUGHEST historic bearded iris in your garden?

I'm planning a new garden for the front yard. I would like to start growing more historics, and I'm looking for those that are "tough as nails". Do you grow a named historic that seems like the postman, impervious to rain, sleet, snow, hail, heat, humidity (or anything else Mother Nature brings)? If so, please tell us about it!

I'm not a fan of historics, but love this one. It is Butterfly Baby!

Beautiful, Nicky! Where is Cherryvale located? I have relatives in Lawrence, Kansas City, Topeka, Wichita and Osage City.

Cherryvale is in the SE corner! John's(husband) brother works for Lear Jet in Wichita, and I have relatives in Topeka. pic Brook Flower. I think it is historic!

My cannot kill iris are;

Cherry Garden , Jones 1966 , SDB
Won all the medals possible

Honorabile, Lemon 1840, TB

Mrs. Andrist, 1919 TB

I'd have to look up who hybridized Mrs. Andrist

inanda

Mrs. Andris (Fryer 1919) It is doing very well for us.

Loreley
Rameses
Dauntless
Gypsy Queen
and more but those are the ones that suffer from the most neglect and still produce blooms year after year.

Roni

Honorabile diploid classed as MTB now is very hardy.

Iris Pallida {"grape kool-ade"}
Dauntless

These were both here when I moved in 35 years ago. They survived along with iris borers (not that they weren't attacked; maybe there were just so many of them that some of them lived.) I have another shorter pale yellow historic that I don't know the name of. This year I ordered about a dozen historics. I wonder if there is a way to distinguish what I think of as true historics, from the barely-over-30-years-old ones? I don't really think of those as being historics, do you?

Well, the bearded iris that started my interest in trying to grow them down south is Cliffs of Dover (Fay 1952). This was my grandfather's favorite iris, even though he hybridized some of his own as well. As it's part of my history, then I do think of it as historic! ;-) I'm sure there was some logic employed when the classification of "historic" was first made. Maybe an active HIPS member can chime in about how that worked...

Blissful, too bad I didn't see you on Dave's Garden earlier. My son graduated from LSU this May, and I spent a great week in the area. I love the bayou country and wish I had spent more time there while he was in school. Have you ever been to Chauvin, LA? Kenny Hills Sculpture Garden? It is really something to see. I have some pictures on Flickr if you are interested.