JUST BEFORE DAWN

Something delicate: as much for the modest size of its flowers as for its pastel colouring. Soft pink standards and white falls with a fine light violet border, plicata-style. Long thick, very visible coral beards. Numerous flowers (average of 10), branching out in candelabra-style.

Two good parents : ‘Domino Noir’ and ‘Changing Seasons’, gave us this two-tones violet giant. Standards are mid purple-violet and falls much darker. Thin bronzed yellow beards. Huge flowers have a velvety aspect.

A descendant of 2 remarkable varieties: 'Blue Temptation' and 'Winterfest'. Very pale lavender blue standards and white falls. Discreet white beards tipped yellow and surrounded by light ochre yellow markings. Perfectly shaped flowers with regular waves. This iris was rightly selected for the magic gardens of Chateau de Chaumont sur Loire by their Director.

Another direct descendant of "Ravissant", full of freshness and possessing great qualities. Pure white standards with touch of lavender on their edges, wide white falls with a crisp amethyst border, 1.5 cm to 2 cm wide. Coral-coloured beards. Nicely shaped, plentiful flowers, gracefully and subtly ruffled. Like its parent, it has perfect branching and multiplies up very well.

Light blue standards, deeper in center ; near-white falls gentian-blue wash on midline . Yellow orange beards, pale violet at base, ending with a short bluebird blue horn. Ruffled and very vigorous.

Standards are milky white, whilst light lemon coloured at the base. Falls are crimson red with a fine 2mm wide white border. Bright yellow beards. A graceful amoena with a good finish for the time period.