Irises, set among poppies, at Schreiner's Iris Gardens, Salem, Oregon

Poppy Oriental standing tall beside irises Fiery Temper on the left and Sultry Mood Iris on the right. And, there in the distance, more glorious color and shapes.



Are you like me? When you visualize an iris, is it always a purple iris?


Well, let me tell you, after a few hours at Schreiner's Iris Gardens,  you won't have one bit of trouble visualizing all sorts of colorful irises. 


In honor of purple irises, here we go with the one named Sultry Mood, in a photo that I like a lot.


Here's a bit about Sultry Mood, from the Schreiner's online catalog. It's a tall bearded iris which grows to three feet tall. The color is listed as raspberry-rose, and it was originated at Schreiner's in 1989.


Finally here's the text beneath the description, which I find quite appealing (the definition of cerise is a moderate red):


Immerse yourself in the luxurious appeal of Sultry Mood's entrancing cerise-purple tones. Its exquisite flower form epitomizes balance and symmetry. This sense of grace continues with finely branched stems, each bearing 8-10 well-placed buds.





And here's a bit about Fiery Temper, from the online catalog. It's also a tall bearded iris which grows to three feet tall. The color is listed as wine-red, and it was originated by Keppel in 2001. 


Finally, here's the text beneath the description, equally appealing to me: Bright tangerine beards embody the spirit of this new wine-red bitone. The rosy dahlia purple of the standards balances the deep red wine of the falls. Rumbling ruffles add rhythmic energy. 


I found these definitions at Town and Country Iris Society online: Standards, upward arching petals of the flower. Falls, three downward curving lower petals (sepals) of the flower. Ruffles, bouncy, wavy or rolling form applied to the petals. Beard, thick bushy hairs on the upper part of each of the three falls. I think Fiery Temper is the perfect vision of these terms.


Seen a man with that color beard in real life? I have, here in Portland. Well, it was dyed that color, but who cares!


Way cool.