
ONE OF OUR IR 

IS FIELDS IN FULL BLOOM 
BA ats YS 
INTRODUCTION 
THE NATIONAL IRIS GARDENS were established 
at Beaverton, Oregon, in 1910 by Howard Weed, a 
Landscape Architect from Chicago. Later his two 
sons, Wilbur and Thurlow Weed, joined him in the 
business but they are now officers in the Army for 
the duration. The garden is located on the Canyon 
Road, one mile east of Beaverton and five miles west 
of Portland. Some five thousand visitors view the 
gardens each year, mostly during the month of May 
when fifty thousand iris in a thousand varieties are in 
bloom. During June, July and August the Hemerocal- 
lis make a fine showing and again during September 
and October the fall blooming iris are in evidence. 
Here new and better varieties are being produced 
each year by hybridization, some thirty of them now 
being introduced. Of the thousand seedlings pro- 
duced each ‘year, but one to four are selected for in- 
troduction. Half of the others are discarded as soon 
as they bloom, the others being offered as selected 
seedlings the equal of many of the named varieties 
yet not distinctly different enough to be given a name. 
Each year we purchase the better varieties pro- 
duced by other hybridizers as we aim to have every 
worth-while variety. Also each year we discard the 
older varieties, for we wish our list to be absolutely 
up to date with the very best. We believe our list this 
year to be the largest of the very best varieties listed 
by any grower. We have some 300 varieties not here 
listed that are still under trial, some of which will be 
offered next year. We realize the difficulty our cus- 
tomers will have in selecting varieties to best suit 
them. Beginners will purchase only the less expen- 
sive varieties, but these will show them the beauty 
of these flowers and as they become Irisarians, they 
will apprecaite more and more the higher priced new 
varieties as being worth the prices asked. 
The Tall Bearded Iris are the best known and the 
most popular. They bloom during May and June and 
are from 30 to 60 inches tall. The Intermediate Iris 
bloom in April and are 16 to 30 inches in height. The 
Dwarf Iris are those growing to 16 inches and mostly 
used for rock gardens. 
Following the name of the iris in bold type, we give 
the name of the originator. Then follows the height in 
inches and the date of bloom: VE meaning very early; 
E denotes early; M midseason; ML midseason to late; 
L, late, and VL, very late. 
Standards are the three flower petals which rise 
upwards and the falls are the three petals which fall 
downward. Nearly all fall petals show a lighter color 
toward the haft which is the narrow bottom part and 
this portion is generally covered with a network of 
veining. The beard is the hairy portion in the center 
of the petal. 

IRIS, HEMEROCALLIS, POPPIES 
<3> 
NATIONAL IRIS GARDENS, BEAVERTON, OREGON 
