Arturo: So good to see your pics and love your LA's. Hope you had a very nice season

Jan: Happy Holidays to you as well!!!

Here are some more of my 2023 Season:

TB Emoji Material: This has some interesting green markings on it. Note the small green tinted border on the bottom as well. I have some seeds from this. We'll see how they do.


TB Luloo Rocks: Full of fluff and all the things I like. Plus I have a friend named Lulu to share it with.


TB Weeping Mascara: I can't really say I think it is good looking but I just love the wash on the falls. It can be very pronounced.


TB Beverly Morningstar: I really thought this one was dead. I had not seen it in probably at least 4 years. I had redone the garden and didn't think it had made it but it surprised me this year with all it's subtle beauty and bloomed very heavy. Note the purple tips on the beards.


TB Invitation Only: Yet another that I had not seen for sometime. I love the lines on this in both the violet blue and then more reddish purple.

TB Hidden Gem: Very reliable plicata.


TB Futurama: People were discussing Pepto-Bismol Pink in another thread...Well this one is right in there with some purple shading thrown in for interest. And the beards are that pink shade as well. Plus, this girl is dripping in diamond dusting. I would say maybe not the best of form but it is in my top 10 favorites due to it's color. I am definitely obsessed with it.


IB Bold Statement - This one seemed to bloom the whole season. It has such pretty colors this year. I have noticed the colors can really vary from season to season.


One of my Sky and Sun X Butterfly Affair seedlings. I love it.
This picture shows its diamond dusting

and this one shows it's green shoulders.

TB Thingamajig: I refer to this one as creature of the night (there is already an iris named that though) but for some reason this one also reminds me of a night creature. It can be much darker at times than my picture here captures


TB Mamasito: The color on this is pretty but what really stands out is it has very prominent horns.


TB Debutante's Lace: Very nice lace and border.


TB Fashion Passion: This one was supposed to be culled and it always bloomed half heartedly and of course this year, it was actually semi-pretty. I guess it's back.


TB Blazing Light: This is very bright and I really like the sculptured edges.

GreenIris said: My goal is to have all my 2023 Season posted by 12/31/23...Just a little behind this year. Hey Tom, I was up in your neck of the woods for training in Madison, close to Thanksgiving, and then again the week before Christmas. Have to say...Your weather and temperatures were not too far off from what we were having in Southern New Mexico
The locals were quick to point out to us that they were experiencing highly unusual moderate temps. My coworkers and I; from places like Arizona, New Mexico and California were showing up in in these heavy Ski Jackets and Parka's and can't say we really needed them. Well it has to be a nice break from your below 0 temps...While it lasts.

Wow, you were around a half hour North of me. It has been a very unusual winter so far. Quite wet and muddy here, but we are expecting some snow this week. Not a lot though. If you had come to visit I could have still dug you some irises. The last time I was in New Mexico was probably 15 years ago. Went to see the balloon fiesta in Albuquerque.

Hi Tom: Ahh, I never thought of that, that you might still be able to salvage some rhizomes Even considering it was winter, it was still very pretty there. I loved all the lakes. Albuquerque/Santa Fe are actually quite a bit colder than we are in Las Cruces. But being the desert, we can still have some pretty crisp nights. We are actually having a semi mild winter as well. I didn't even put my seed containers out until the 1st of December because I was afraid seedlings might start sprouting. But we have had some dips into the 20's now at night so they should stay underground for the rest of the Winter.

Here are some more pics from my 2023 season

Here is a Babbling Brook X (one of my Butterfly Affair X Beauty Within seedings). This is pretty and I will let it grow another year to see if perhaps it is a very strong grower/rebloomer or something, but look wise, there are already too many like it.


TB Iris Easy On The Eyes: This one is different that other Irises I have. I love it's old fashioned ruffled look.


TB Laced Orangeade: What stands out on this Iris to me is the two tone orange(peach/apricot). Another beauty.


TB Fruitsation: It has a very strong scent in my garden.


TB Body Art: This Iris was a standout and I don't think the picture captures it's beauty. But it's blooms would just draw me to sit and stare at it.

TB Iris Refreshing: This Iris actually grows somewhat green. I have seeds from crosses with this. We will see if it takes me any closer in my very green iris pursuits. I know I have been told not to get my hopes up but I have had a blast trying and believe I will continue to have just as much fun with it so whatever will be will be.


TB Babe Magnet: Yes, agree it is a babe magnet.


TB Iris Fantasy Ride: This Iris was SO beautiful this year. I had not seen it for a few years and then with all its dots and vivid coloring this year, I was just in love.


TB Iris Silver City: I bought this for the name to give to a relative after I got it to multiply. I am a lover of all things lacey and all things sparkly. Little did I knw just how much this Iris is loaded with those attributes.


TB Iris Patina: Very nice brown shade on parts of this Iris.

TB Barbara My Love: I finally bought this a couple of years ago because others raved about it so much. It deserves all those compliments. It is such a beauty.


TB Candie Cane Cutie: This is one of those older ones that I think is underrated. It is a very attractive iris.


MTB Dividing Line: So Leslie suprised me with this one and where I was grateful, I was thinking, when I looked it up...Well I already have so many purple and white Irises. But when it bloomed, it just blew me away. Not sure how one Purple and White Iris can be that much prettier than another but this is just perfection. For an MTB, it had very elongated stems that added to al it's beauty and then the dividing line is so pronounced. Plus check out that pencil lining on the falls/standards. Thank you SO SO much Leslie. I found out I really did need one more Purple/White Iris. I should never have doubted as I know you have very good taste

TB Habit: Really healthy strong grower/bloomer:


TB Noble Pursuit This was pretty last year and even more beautiful this year.


TB Iris Girls with Curls: I know it's crazy but I am just not big on this color combo. I have other Irises in this color range and can't say I am nuts about any of them. But the curls are very good.

Elsa, lovely irises. It's nice to see what had bloomed in your garden.
I have an uncle who lives in Las Cruces. He is my Mom's brother.

Thank you Lucy!!! Does your Uncle like Irises? They seem to be very happy here.

TB Iris Mexicana: Introduced before 1859. Such a very old lady. She grows good. Maybe that is why she is still here after all these years. Look at Brad's 2023 Seedlings thread and then this picture to get a feel of just how far Irises have come in the last century and a half.


TB Iris Lavender Fizz: Lovely lace Iris and I just love the beard color against this lavender shade.


Two of my different seedlings from: Seaworld X one of my (Beauty Within X Butterfly Affair seedlings). They are very similar and have great diamond dusting. But the latter has prettier shoulders and also has proved itself as a pollen parent.



TB Seaworld: Seaworld has a beatiful pattern on it's shoulders that I was able to capture to some extent in the seedlings above.


SDB Sweet Pink: This is a very late SDB. The picture was taken on the last day of April which is nearing the end of my TB season. I love that Paul Black is coming out with these late season SDB's. And what a beautiful color. Sorry I didn't get a better picture.

TB Holy Night: Love those blue beards.


TB Strawberry Frosting: I should have bought this Iris a long time ago. I had heard and heard from others how wonderful it was and in it's first year in my garden it could not have been more impressive. I love this picture because they almost appear to be floating above one another. Anyway, it's just an all around beauty.


TB Zesting Lemons: One of my favorite yellow Irises. It has such great form. I showed two pictures below to show the difference in different light.



IB La De La: Still one of my favorites based on it's colors. It also has breaks in color here and there which I am always thankful for.

TB Hotsy Totsy: I continue to be crazy about the color of this bloom, in it's third straight year of blooming. I definitely recommend this one if you like reds.


TB Gladys Austin: I just really find the color combo on this so attactive. Really happy the years this shows up.


BB My Buddy: From our chat buddy Lucy Burton - I saw this at last years National Iris Convention and loved the diamond dusting and green tint. It didn't fail to impress this first year in my garden and did great bloom wise.


TB Green Lantern: So this one has a very nice green shade on the standards on some of the blooms. I was pretty impressed with the standard color.


TB Aureoles: Its a very pretty white with orange shoulders.

Here are some more from my 2023 Season:
MTB Pixi-Wan Kenobi: Very cute little thing.


TB Bee Hotel: I lost this several years back and was very sad about it. Leslie came to my rescue though and brought it back to life in my garden. Thank you SO much Leslie for bringing one of my favorites back.


TB Iris Hi There Gorgeous: Notice the purple splotches of color on the standards. This is the 1st year I have seen it do this. It's amazing how an Iris you have seen bloom the same for years all of a sudden will send a little surprise your way.


TB Iris Santa Cruz Surf: This was the second year I have owned the plant and the 1st bloom year. Well it made up for lost time cause it just went crazy with blooms and over a long period of time. Very sparkly!!!



TB Caneel Sunset: I am just crazy about the colors on this Iris.

One of my seedlings of Babbling Brook X (Beauty Within X Butterfly Affair):



TB Sergey: Oh the blue shade on this is like no other and then it often appears to have green tints as well. Very much in love with this Iris.


TB Whole Hog: This one reminds me a lot of Plum Poodle. I thought it was really pretty.


TB Fallalery: Sherry was talking about fringed Irises in another chat. I wonder if this one would be considered fringed.


TB Lava Moonscape: Such a beauty. I was so glad to see it show up this year.

Here is the last of my 2023 Season Irises:
TB Colortrak: I bought this one because I love some of it's children. I have not been successful at crossing it yet though.


BB Anaconda Love: A very reliable broken color bloomer


TB Engaging: This is a heavy bloomer and blooms over a long period of time


TB Heather Hawk: An older plicata. I love the Fall colors on this iris


TB Lost World: The standards on this have a nice hint of green.


BB Kiss the Frog: This iris has nice shades of gray.

TB Sugar Blush: This picture shows 2 blooms that are somewhat distinct. One is more Pink and White and one is more Pink and Blue. I thought this was interesting...both are pretty!


TB Pink Floyd: This is heavy duty on the diamond dusting. I don't hear much about this Iris but it has done really well in my garden and I love the pink color of the beards.


TB Amarillo Frills: Ahh maybe this is a Fringed Iris. This is SO bright and I just love it.


TB Crooked Little Smile: To think I almost culled this Iris at one point because it had dull blooms one season. That would have been a mistake because it has very unusual color and can be very clear and bright at times.


TB Before the Storm: This Iris was black even in pictures I took in the noon day sun. But what I love most about it is it's black beards. It has always reminded me of dracula, even in other peoples pictures.

TB Iris Ninja Warrior: An amazing Iris. The falls look really black...more so than my picture is capturing.


TB Strange Brew: Very reliable bloomer


TB Rite Of Passage: This Iris has produced 44 beautiful babies (see database) since it's beginning. Us Iris lovers have a lot to Thank Mr Ghio for.


TB Blackhills Jewelry: I have had this Iris since 2015 and never saw a bloom. It was starting to die out and got sent to the Infirmary (it's own pot on the porch). It bounced back to health and I planted it in a better place and finally got to see it's bloom. I found it unique in it's color(yellow with orange shoulders) and was really happy I took the effort to save it.


TB Full of Hope: This puts out blooms that can really vary in color. Really lovely.


TB Pinch Me Please: Well this one came very late in the season and didn't quite make it to a full bloom but I am posting it anyway cause it looks kinda interesting. Hopefully next year I can get a full bloom out of it.