THE IRIS PAGEANT 
Iris lovers again await eagerly the coming season as the ever warmer sun 
brings new life to growing things. The iris beds awake. Emerald spears push 
skyward. Now bud and bloom of the early dwarf iris appear, clothed in their 
quiet hues. Here are the harbingers of spring, announcing the season to the 
accompaniment of nearby daffodils. Soon the intermediate iris bring lavish 
display to the scene. Masses of vivid purple and gold, garnet and cream, 
blue and white blanket the borders. 
The stage is set! 
Meanwhile, the great stems of the Tall Bearded Company are stretching 
sunward. The Rainbow Pageant is about to unfold. 
The curtain is going up! 
The audience is overwhelmed by what it beholds. Never was there a 
rainbow so vivid and varicolored. There are whites that rival the snow in 
their whiteness. Huge and stately LADY BOSCOWEN and NEW SNOW, 
both pure white with palest yellow beards. KATHERINE FAY and MAT- 
TERHORN appear, snowy favorites. The sun adds a touch of gold to such 
fine whites as SHARKSKIN, SNOW VELVET and WINTER CARNI- 
VAL. Early and enormous GUDRUN seems sprinkled with gold dust. It is 
of medium height and very free flowering. The blue of the sky is reflected in 
cool whites like SNOW FLURRY, WHITE CITY and MOUNT CLOUD. 
The light blue iris seem to be fashioned from the sky itself. Nearly white are 
ICY BLUE and WHITE WEDGEWCOD. In the latter the blue color is 
concentrated about the beard. Pzlest silvery blue is large, shapely ANITRA. 
Many more are gowned in sky blue. Queenly HELEN McGREGOR, tall 
and tailored SYLVIA MURRAY and GREAT LAKES with its model 
branching are outstanding. Then there are wavy AZURE SKIES of modest 
height; free blooming CASTALIA and ALINE of the heavenly fragrance. 
The sky deepens to mid-blue to bring us medal winning BLUE RHYTHM 
and CHIVALRY, both highly famed iris. Distinct is jaunty LAKE 
GEORGE with its widely flaring falls. Blue and blue-purple pass before us 
and we admire THE ADMIRAL, smooth, flaring and formal; late blooming 
BLUE GLOW of royal hue; early, gloriously colored NARAIN and gargan- 
tuan WM. A. SETCHELL, giant of the Iris World. Lavender and violet 
iris appear with their subdued tones. VIOLET CROWN and VIOLET 
SYMPHONY are both reliable and worthy. ORMOHR is smoky and over- 
cast, a huge exotic flower on tall rigid stems. The deep shades are even 
richer. LORD DONGAN is smoothly toned and fashioned of silk. VATI- 
CAN PURPLE, heavy substanced, flares proudly on tall stems. NIGHT- 
FALL’S velvety purple falls complement the lighter standards and the 
plants are covered with bloom. INDIANA NIGHT, its plush-like parent 
SABLE and inky BLACK FOREST belong to the night as does shapely 
ETHIOP QUEEN. Their Stygian tones are striking scattered among the 
lighter iris. The sky is seen again above purple falls in such fine amoenas as 
friendly AMIGO, its larger and more contrasted counterpart LOUISE 
BLAKE and still larger and taller LOTHARIO. 
We watch fascinated as the color wheel turns and the red-purples ap- 
pear. Here is huge, exotic ELMOHR, breathtaking with its great ruffled 
blooms. DEEP VELVET is reliable and free blooming, a darker self. 
CLARET VELVET is of modest height and moderate size. Its name is 
highly descriptive. MASTER CHARLES is very popular, a grand purple 
iris with brown overlay in the center. RUBIENT is here, our only reddish 
purple bicolor. 
