These days I'd first try to combine it with other plants that will highlight the novel color better. Some of Suzanne's photos of Bayberry Candle in her landscape combined with warm colored foliages makes it look really pretty. That would be a pretty way to use Bonnie's plicatas- maybe with gold foliage and some plum alliums!

Those plicatas mix with a lot of other colors. They really have a lot of cream and white on their falls.

They remind me of this one I believe to be Ominous Stranger, one I've had a hard time making it look good with its neighbors. I think I've "fixed" the problem, we'll see this spring.

TENN. Gentleman was hybridized by Sterling Innerest and his plants are usually good growers. For people who would like a Bayberry Candle color with more modern form, try Return To Bayberry.

Ominous Stranger is also Innerst. Guessing the same seedling stock as they are similar. Tennessee Gentleman & Exactitude are also Innerst.

Bayberry Candle was so well known, I once walked past a garden that had in in bloom & knew right away what it was.

Kind of like the candle if was named after it became a staple. With more historic iris I think that color was unusual. I can see why it would be popular. Well named to invoke a sensory response as well.

I think the name is what originally attracted me to it- just sounded like it should smell really nice.

This was a seedling from a bee pod on my Purple seedling. I think the pollen parent was Honorable, as that was near it at the time. So this is what you get when you cross an old historic with a newer one. It went by by!

Night Games. I let this one go because there are more modern ones like this that I like better.

Passion and Purity is one I culled. The blooms lacked substance and didn't hold up well, also was an inconsistent bloomer for me.

Patriotic Heart. It took 5 years for this one to bloom, and when it did, it was so much like Rare Treat, and others I have, that I let it go.

Peddle Pushers This one is supposed to have big flounces, and at best it had horns for me, didn't like it much, so it's gone.

tveguy3 said:This was a seedling from a bee pod on my Purple seedling. I think the pollen parent was Honorable, as that was near it at the time. So this is what you get when you cross an old historic with a newer one. It went by by!

call me a sucker for purples, I think it's outstanding.

Recently I received a share of Tour De France from a generous ATP member so I am probably going to share out my Echo De France


I am still waffling on this one but it really does look like a pale imitation of TDF. It is not in prime iris real estate so I can take my time to decide. lol

Bonnie, I like Echo de France better than Tour de France for that reason. From photographs, TDF is too strident a yellow.

Strident was a good term Deb! I planted it in the bed of fire colors where that strident yellow will be welcomed, but I don't think it would have worked anywhere else.

Neal, I like vibrant color, but my preference in yellows is for lemon or butter or sunshine shades. Chrome yellow makes me wince for some reason.

Peking Summer. I "think" I have it all gone, but it had grown very close to another one, so there may be some of it left.

Racing Heart, Not a bad iris, but just lost interest in it.