I agree with some of what you say, Bonnie.......applying a name to an iris is often done very 'willy nilly", but , really, when you get down to brass tacks........the FLOWER doesn't care what it's name is ! it's only us 'anal types" that care! A name matters if you want to tell someone which plant they should buy, if they want one "just like yours", but, If you give them some of yours..........again, the name is unimportant........ the same plant can be called many, many things, by many different gardeners......and still be just a as much of a joy to everyone. I grow a few a lot of "hand-me -down "iris that were from my Mothers garden, and I've tried to put "Real names" to them....sometimes successfully, and some times not.......there are a couple of them, that are just ,plain "butt-ugly"....muddy colors, rotten form, lousy substance.......and I wouldn't part with them for the world ! If I tried to "gift" one of these to somebody else.....they would run away, screaming, I'm sure
! Whether we get enjoyment from creating a 'new" iris hybrid, or from "saving" an old ,forgotten cultivar from obscurity, or seeing if we can grow a better" example" of it than anyone else, and bring home a Blue Ribbon, or just want to brighten up our little corner of the world, the Iris will do it's best to oblige us !
