Jearrard's Herbal

JEARRARD'S HERBAL


5th May 2024. Iris PCI 'Atlantic Banter'.	5th May 2024. Iris PCI 'Atlantic Calico'.	5th May 2024. Iris PCI 'Atlantic Candour'.
Good spring weather in the garden allowed the grass to be mown for the first time. After a couple of weeks of dryish weather the ground was becoming crisp underfoot and the water tanks in the greenhouse were aproaching empty. Fortunately rain arrived and saved the day for some things I had planted out in the previous week. The garden is developing very rapidly but the week has been dominated by the wonder of the Pacific Coast Iris seedlings. Other things will have to wait.


5th May 2024. Iris PCI 'Atlantic Caper'.	5th May 2024. Iris PCI 'Atlantic Caprice''.	5th May 2024. Iris PCI 'Atlantic Cargo'.
I have given my own seedling names with the "Atlantic" prefix as an acknowledgement that I am growing them on the coast of the wrong ocean. I have a few hybrids coming along from deliberate crosses but these are all from open pollinated seed that came from the Society for Pacific Coast Natrive Iris. I have named them to make it simpler to remember them. Codes and numbers are all very well but they don't stick in my mind as well as names.


5th May 2024. Iris PCI 'Atlantic Cartoon''.	5th May 2024. Iris PCI 'Atlantic Chaff'.	5th May 2024. Iris PCI 'Atlantic Cheer'.
There are strong breeding programs going on in the USA and Australia. In global terms I doubt that I have raised anything very significant but there are very few named cultivars available in the UK. There is room for a few more, in a greater range of colour, with broader petals and more ruffling. These seedlings are currently being tested for stability, vigour and tolerance of division. Pacific Coast Iris have developed a reputation for dropping dead when they are divided and it's a habit that new selections have to put aside if they are to make an impact in gardens.


5th May 2024. Iris PCI 'Atlantic Choice'.	5th May 2024. Iris PCI 'Atlantic Choir'.	5th May 2024. Iris PCI 'Atlantic Chuckle'.
Many of these will have to be divided this year and it may be that next year I have a simpler palette to select from!