The Bluest Irises

Years ago, I bought a house with a garden full of blue irises. They were stunning and they multiplied like crazy. I sold the house in 1974 but I took a rhizome with me every where I went until the last house. I forgot to take one with me from there and have been going through iris catalogs looking for it ever since. It was a lovely medium blue, not much purple at all. People driving down the street noticed it and commented on the blue flowers in my side yard.
Any guesses as to what it was?

Another question. I have been looking for true blue iris ever since. It seems that most of them are sort of purplish. I have found many lovely iris this way, but what do those of you on the forum think of as the bluest irises? (least purple/violet)

Bethany Clair was always a nice blue iris for me. Unfortunately, I lost most of it to Iris Borer a couple of years ago... I'm trying to nurse what I have left back to health.

Diann

Thanks! Below is the picture I found of it. Stunning!

http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/39317.html/

Betty

This message was edited Jun 20, 2006 1:57 PM

Pictures do not do it justice. It's really a very beautiful iris. I got mine from Sutton's, they have it in their iris store under classic iris.

Diann

http://www.suttoniris.com/

Baby Blue Marine IB, I think

Baby Blue Marine is also stunning and I have only one or two Intermediate Bearded Irises. I suspect the answer to my question could be expensive. How could I ever make a choice?
http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/25768/

This message was edited Jun 20, 2006 2:23 PM

Ooooh, I liike that Baby Blue Marine! Caitlinsgarden, do you have it? and if so, where did you get it? :)

Bethany Claire reblooms, if you care. And it's cheap, I think 3.45/rhizome (at suttons) Just to clarify, I have no affilation with Sutton's other than they will most likely get some of my money this year.

Diann

Both irises are magnificent and I will almost certainly order both. And reblooming is the icing on the cake. I love blue irises, in fact blue flowers in general, in fact blue, in general. And I do appreciate suggestions of where to order them.

My favorite blue iris is Sea Power (in the photo)
Although I also like Sky Spirit
And Rhapsody in Blue are lovely too.

My Sea Power didn't bloom this year, I hope it's really blue. All my darker 'blue' iris are some shade of purple, although my camera photographs them as blue, they aren't.

The best blues I had were very light blue:

Monet's Blue
Joyful Skies
Brother's in Arms

Sandy

My Sea Power didn't bloom it's first year either - but this is the second spring bloom so you should look forward to the show.

One other good, inexpensive blue is Sugar Blues - with an incredible fragrance to boot.

I have quite a few purple blues too. It's hard to find really blue ones.

Doss, that's a good photo of Sea Power, as I recall your camera is good at capturing true color.

Sandy

Just love the ruffles, don't you?
Here's a photo of rhapsody in blue

Here's Sky Spirit - but I think that this is already leaning a little toward purple - not much though. What do you think?

I already have Sea Power on order. I am glad to hear it is really blue. The photos from doss are fabulous. The other suggestions are good as well. I had better get my orders in right away!

Sky Spirit doesn't look very purple to me and Rhapsody in Blue appears to be sapphire!

This message was edited Jun 20, 2006 5:13 PM

Now this is purple - Paul Black

Doss, I could live with that amount of purple. :) They all are wonderful! Pajaritomt, you certainly have a good selection to choose from. ;)


Diann

I like Paul Black too, purple or no. It would shade in nicely with the blue. And yes, I do have a lot to chose from -- two with ruffles, a rebloomer and a fragrant one and an IB. I will be busy this fall.

Thanks, doss, they are beautiful. I ordered Sea Power mainly for the ruffles. :-) The falls on Sky Spirit look a little lavender, but overall it has a blue effect.

My Crowned Heads did have purple tones, but it also looked more blue than purple. Babbling Brook, an older one, was like that also.

Sandy

I like the purples also. The one that was the biggest pleasant surprise for me was North Pacific Seas-very dark shade of purple-violet, huge bloom and the most fragrant one I have. A little too fragrant for me since I have allergies, but very lovely, I don't have a good picture of it. :-(

Sandy

Sugar Blues reblooms too - it does it all. :-)

I'll have to get Sugar Blues. I'm trying to get a few more rebloomers, with the exception of 'Telepathy', which I just have to get. I still haven't gotten over that photo of it you posted, doss. LOL

Sandy

I really like Square Dance Skirt as a rebloomer. It blooms quite early and then again. It didn't rebloom in the fall. Great iris altogether. And blue but on the purple side.

Super Pictures Dorothie keep them coming.

D

OK here's Square Dance Skirt. :>-)

OOOOOOOOoooooo WOW!.........your blues are terrific

I got Baby Blue Marine from Cooleys, and it is one of my first bloomers.

WOW Blue there are so many good blues out there
Here is Rick Tasco's "First Wave" Did very well under adverse monsoon conditions
:)
A

Another one I liked was Larry Lauer's "Jukebox Hero"

Here is Dunlop's Siberian "Miss Portland"

Like the others I like Keith Keppel's Sea Power alot and also did well under adver conditions

I really like First Wave, too. I have searched the internet and found all of the recommended iris except Rhapsody in Blue. Anybody know of a source for that? It appears I will have a lot of blues to go with my yellows, purples and reds.

Sky Spirit is very beautiful but I will have to wait a few years for the price to come down.
Betty

I think that you'll do fine without rhapsody in blue. I even went back to the place I bought and it's not in their website.

Well, there are several other excellent choices and I intend to go for most of them! Thanks for your help.
Betty

he's my blue iris Intuition
Drk Blue Green/brown beard

Oh, that is stunning. I may have to have one of those. Did you brreed it?
Betty

Beautiful blues!

I think the blue irises may be my favorites. But I have never seen an ugly iris. Betty

This message was edited Aug 14, 2006 3:34 PM

nor have I...even if I can't grow them here--lol--that just seems to make them even MORE attractive.
;)