Startling and completely NEW is UNICORN, the world’s first horned Iris. 
Depicted so accurately on the front cover that a description is hardly 
needed. The greatest break in the development of an entirely new and 
highly decorative Iris form that has occurred in the last half century of 
intensive Iris breeding. The customary beards, instead of reposing quietly 
on the falls in the normal position, are raised and separated from the falls, 
projecting as striking plumed horns. The coloring is bold and contrasting 
—brilliant mulberry standards, and snow white falls, prominently edged 
to match the standards. Beard is orange-yellow, changing to white and 
mulberry. A real eye-catcher, and the one new Iris everyone will want in 
1954. ML-L-42”. 
HYBRIDIZING POSSIBILITIES 
Unicorn yields abundant fertile pollen and sets seed readily. Although this first bloomed 
for me in 1953 | already have quite a number of crosses of UNICORN with the newest in 
tall bearded Iris. This new break offers such remarkable possibilities that every hybridizer 
throughout the world will want to secure this at once, and start his own series of fascinat- 
ing crosses. This is, indeed, the beginning of a new race of Iris with highly decorative form. 
| foresee that with this new character now generally available to breeders, the recent trend 
for everyone to try crossing Flamingo pinks may well shift in this direction. The change will 
not be rapid, since | am releasing this to the public the very first year after its maiden 
bloom, and it will take time to build up stocks that will permit wide distribution. Alert 
hybridizers will be quick to realize the enormous potentialities of this new alteration of the 
genes governing Iris form. 
RHYTHM (Ballard '54) 4% Another phenomenal break in Iris form. $10.00; 3 for $25.00 
The first flat Iris with six bearded falls ever to be introduced in this country A whimsical 
freak of nature, entirely without the usual three standards characterizing all normal Iris. 
See June 1953 Flower Grower, page 4, for description and photo. Coloring is deep indigo 
violet, except for whitish hafts with brilliant yellow beards, and prominent pure white 
style arms in center of flower. A novel item for arrangement fans. While not highly fertile, 
some seedlings from Rhythm have been produced by Mr. Ballard, and it thus offers an 
intriguing challenge to adventurous breeders eager to get this highly distinctive form in 
various bright new colors. Be the first to accomplish this A diploid with 24 chromosomes. 
Parentage: (Alcazar x Archeveque) x Candelabra. M to ML-24”. 
My 1954 Introductions on Other Pages 
GOLDEN BUTTERFLY —From Ola Kala x Hoogiana. In full color, page 8. $10.00 
SAFFRON CHARM —New Regeliabred from England. Strikingly different. Page 8. $10.00 
LEMON SILK—My delightful new Regeliabred. Page 8. $7.50 
PINK DOVE —My pink addition to the graceful Table Iris, page 17. $5.00 
GOLD INTENSITY —A smooth, rich new Border Iris, page 17. $5.00 
LATE AMETHYST —My new Reglia that flowers with Tall Bearded Iris, page 6. $3.00 
SANTA PAULA_—Dr. Lenz’s new native, page 19. $4.00 
My New MILESTONE SERIES 
1954 TALL BEARDED AT PRICES TO FIT 
YOUR POCKETBOOK 
These do not constitute my final masterpieces, perfect in almost every respect; but they 
do represent important and very colorful “MILESTONES” along the way toward my ulti- 
mate goals. | feel certain that this whole series will be immensely popular because it fills 
two large gaps in the present commonly-accepted method of distributing new creations: 
1. It enables the average gardener, who cannot afford the expensive and superb latest 
creations he yearns for so fervently, to still get brand new 1954 introductions that are 
exceptionally bright and colorful, entirely distinct from any previous named varie- 
ties. In this way he can easily buy them while they are really new, and he can be sure 
no one else in his town has them. 
2. Since these represent distinct progress in my own hybridization experiments, many 
of our visitors have wanted to buy them, even before they were named. They have 
asked if some way could not be developed to release these hybrids for use by other 
breeders and Iris lovers, without waiting years for additional generations of my breed- 
ing program. This Milestone Series, started in 1953, is my answer. 
YELLOW EAGLE (Austin '54) A new Tall Bearded Iris that has greatly impressed our 
visitors on two scores. First, many of the flowers flatten out like wings of an eagle, or like 
a Japanese Iris, within a day or so after they open. These huge flat flowers often have a 
spread of 7” or more, and are ideal for use in a shallow type container on the dining table. 
Secondly, while Yellow Eagle is high branched, it produces such a great profusion of blooms 
that it attracts everyone’s attention from across the garden. Blooming season extends 
from early to late. A light yellow self with a bright yellow beard. Should be in the collec- 
tion of every breeder working for flat-type Iris form. Parentage: Snow Flurry x Spun 
Gold. EM to ML-36”. $5.00; 3 for $12.50 
ONICORN (Austin 54) * %* Illustrated In Full Color on Front Covers 
Each $100.00 
UNICORN 
The Unicorn marks a new birth— 
The first horned iris on the earth; 
Its bloom is glamorous and bold 
With wine tipped horns of white and gold. 
This marvel has appearance, fair 
As any iris, anywhere. 
The white falls are plicata edged 
In bright mulberry. Horns are wedged 
Above the falls... The standards gleam 
With more mulberry... Like a dream, 
The beard appears to plume each horn. 
Amazing is the Unicorn! 
—George Nicholas Rees 
1954 Milestone Series (Cont.) 
TANGERINE CREAM (Austin '54) One of the first creams with a tangerine beard, and 
certainly the very first to be offered at a moderate price. Standards creamy white, very 
faintly flushed with pink in center. Falls rich cream, stiff, quite flaring. A very bright 
Orange-tangerine beard gives a striking contrast with the cream falls. Often 3 flowers in 
bloom at once at different heights along the stem. Abundant pollen. Parentage: Buffawn x 
Flora Zenor. EM-32”. af 
EL DORADO MAID (Austin ’54) A very pretty Iris of quite novel form in that the falls are 
quite strongly convex as in some true Oncos, although this has no Onco in its ancestry. 
Standards smooth buff, daintily flushed and marbled lilac; falls bright amethyst with a 
distinct yellowish-buff border; style arms strongly arched causing the light yellow crests 
to project out in an interesting manner. Lots of pollen. M-33”. $2.25 
TRIFLARE (Austin '54) This seedling has attracted much attention among visitors, as the 
three falls flare out so stiffly—almost horizontally — that the flower resembles a triangle in 
top view; hence the name. Particularly impressive as the stalks are tall and there are often 
three or four flowers blooming at once at different heights along the stem. Standards 
creamy yellow; falls white brilliantly lighted with yellow at the hafts. Pollen plentiful. 
M to LM-40”. $2.50 
My 1953 TALL BEARDED MILESTONE SERIES 
BRILLIANT ROSE (Austin '53) It is hard to imagine a more brilliant Iris than this very 
large and very deep pink self, for the color is actually between that of Inspiration and 
Mulberry Rose, two of the very brightest Iris in the entire garden. Beard, unusually strik- 
ing, nearly white. Well branched and a heavy bloomer with about ten flowers per stalk. This 
is the Snow Flurry x Inspiration cross No. 94 mentioned on page 30 of my manual. Sets 
seed; pollen highly fertile. EM-42” $3.00; 3 for $6.75 
GOLD CASTLE (Austin '53) A splendid large extra-tall Iris admirably combining the good 
points of its parents. Standards intense bright yellow very close to the deep color of seed 
parent, Berkeley Gold. Falls very deep yellow, almost orange. Form of flower very close 
to that of its famous pollen parent, Casa Morena. Stems nicely branched. Cross No. 915 
mentioned on page 30 of my Manual. Plenty of pollen for hybridizing. An intriguing new 
flower. Will add a great deal of life to any garden. L-44”. $2.25; 3 for $4.45 
SUNSET FLAME (Austin '53) A gorgeous blending of rich sunset colors between those 
of its parents, Orange Flame and Sunset Serenade. Standards rich bronzy orange; falls 
deep orange flushed with red with intricate pleasing yellow veining at haft. A large ruffled 
flower that has attracted the attention of many visitors to our gardens. Low branched. A 
good seed setter with abundant pollen. LM-30”. $2.50; 3 for $6.95 
PINK MAID (Austin '53) A nicely formed, pleasing pink bitone. Standards light orchid 
pink; falls deep rose pink, convex, semi-flaring. Striking deep orange-yellow beard. A 
heavy bloomer that will make a very colorful clump in your garden. ML-36” 
$1.50; 3 for $3.35 
RED GOLD (Austin '53) A striking bicolor for accent in your garden. Standards bronzy 
old gold, sharply contrasting with dark red falls. A tall grower yet branching often starts 
at 6”. Oftentimes four blooms open at once, each at a different height. pons on ass 
e 94 indant ¢ 8” ’ -J3 for $d. 
For My *53 ONCOBRED Milestone Series, see page 12. 
“We have learned that plant life is as plastic in our hands as clay in the hands of the artist. Plants can readily be moulded into more beautiful forms and colors than 3 
any sculptor can hope to equal.’ —LUTHER BURBANK 
