Don't get me wrong, I like 'Peppermint Cream' and look forward to finally separating it from 'Nordica'. I just wish it had more ruffles. (Yes, I realize that there is such a thing as too
much of ruffles, or lace. I do think 'Peppermint Cream' could use a bit more.)
I realize that other people have other tastes, and that's fine.
For myself, though... I don't like brown flowers, I don't like muddy colored flowers (and the "reds" that I have thus far seen have been muddy), and I don't like certain color combinations. So if somehow some hybridizer produced an iris whose blooms were a brilliant red-and-yellow of pristine clarity, I still probably would not have it; I don't particularly like that color combo in daylilies and I have only one (that one is an exception), so I doubt that I would like it in irises any better.
For that matter, I suspect that (ignoring color combinations), if some hybridizer produced a red self iris of brilliant color and pristine clarity, I'd have to think about getting it. I once read a statement to the effect (paraphrasing here) that "reds should be used with reservation in the garden, rather like a punctuation mark" (or maybe that was "an ultimatum"
) and I think that is true. I have few red daylilies - partly because they don't hold up well in our climate, but partly because too much red is simply oppressive. Imho.
I am beginning to suspect that I may not like "subtly" colored irises. I got 'Haunted Heart' because of the raves, and because the pics all looked intriguing. In real life, I am underwhelmed. Maybe the plant did its best given its location and my poor care, and maybe it would look better placed next to a solid purple to bring out the color, but I suspect it may not be long for this garden. (Yet I like 'Charismatic', and one could not say that has vibrant colors, so who knows. Maybe I don't like "grey" just as I don't like brown, or mud, in my flowers.
)
I may as well say that I like some Space Agers, but not others. I like some fragrant irises, but not others.
I like some color patterns, but not others... or at least I do not like having too many irises of the same colors and color pattern. (Somehow I now seem to have more than a few white with blue (or lavender) irises with the 'Emma Cook' pattern. I don't need all of them.)
Enough of my likes (and dislikes). Bring on the pinks!
So long as they are CLEAR pinks, even peachy pinks or corals. Bonus
for ruffles, fragrance, and/or Space Age!
