CAMELOT (1918)

TB-M-W2  (AIS checklist 1939: superseded?)

 Assuerus x Mrs Horace Darwin

Habit and foliage like Ma Mie but foliage 24" [60cm] high. Flower stem 32"[80cm], 8 flowered. Flowers small, close well proportioned, stiff. Standards waved 1¾"x 1⅞", margins waved veined and suffused lavender. Falls sigmoid and tucking back, 1¾" x 1⅜" margins feathered lavender. Crest lavender, beard tipped orange. (paler + redder than Ma Mie)( RHS trials, Wisley: 1925-27)  

The large branching of Camelot bears flowers having a creamy white ground, faintly suffused with blue at edges of falls and more blue in standards. The flower is rather unique as it fades with age to almost cream white. (Gardeners Chronicle: 1919)

CARDINAL (1919)

Trosupurba x Dominion

Mla-S9D (AIS Checklist 1939)

RHS AM 1927 RHS FCC 1930

The finest in form and richest coloured of the Dominion race. Standards lavender shading to lilac. Falls rich prune purple with a crimson glow in the sun. Tall fine habit and free flowering. Cardinal I call intermediate, not red-toned. (AJB in AIS Bull.#43)

Of moderate vigour, with nearly green 18"[45cm] foliage. Flowering stems 24" [60cm] 5 or 6 flowered. Flowers closely set, of medium size, faintly scented. Standards domed, 2⅜ X 2⅛ " bronzy light amparo-purple with darker edges; Falls hanging straight 1⅞ X 2" wide, very velvety raisin purple. White beard tipped orange. (RHS Trials Wisley1928)

See also in COLLECTION 

CARFAX (1930)

TB-M-R1M

CM, BIS silver gilt medal 1929

Silver Gilt Medal to Mr AJ Bliss for Carfax. A tall widely branching, very free flowering iris with very large flowers of fine Dominion race form and rich red-purple colour. Height 3’6” [107cm]. Branching from low down, widely and four way. From six to eight branches on a full sized spike with a corresponding number of flowers out together. A very large flower of fine form (Dominion being one if its grandparents). Standards smooth and arching 2¾” x 2 3/8” broad. Falls broad hafted, smooth, hanging,2¼”x 2 5/8” (blade only). Colour: standards Rosolane purple (67 Ridgeway) to auricular purple (67k) at margins. Falls rich velvety Dahlia purple to Dark red purple(67k to m). Close defined red-brown reticulations not specially conspicuous. Very good substance and slight but distinct scent. (List of Awards1929: BIS yearbook).

A magnificent sight here, over 50 plants being in full bloom. In colouring it is near to Archeveque,and stands over 40" [102cm]high, but so much praise has already been bestowed on this fine iris in the Gardening Press that I will not go into any further descriptions or details here. It is really unique (Olive Murrell BIS yearbook 1930, at Morwellham)

See also in COLLECTION 

CENTURION (1920)

TB-B3D  

(obsolete? AIS checklist 1939) (superseded Wills 1950)

Dominion x E H Jenkins

RHS AM 1929

Dark intermediate type. large flowers. Semi spreading falls smooth and flat with slightly flaring tips; rich velvety blackish purple. Standards clear lobelia violet, reddish toned at base. Finely branched spikes and free flowering.2'9" [85cm] (AJB 1920/21)

Habit of Abdera. Foliage 24"[60cm]. Flowering stem 36"[90cm] straight 7-8 flowered, flowers large, well proportioned stiff, scent faint. Standards domed 2¾"x1¼", pale bluish violet with smoky brown veins at base. Falls drooping 2x 2¼" rich velvety nigrosin-violet. Beard orange in upper half. Near Dominionbut paler. (RHS Trials Wisley)

CLEMATIS (1917)

Cordelia  x    Princess Beatrice

TB-M-B3M (Superseded AIS Checklist 1939.)

SNHF CM 1922

CLEMATIS caused much discussion because of its peculiar flat form and Mr. Bliss had to come to its defence as he was criticized for allowing it to be introduced. The color was a very clean, clear blue, much more a real blue than was the case in iris as known then and it made a good mass in the garden and so it had its defenders but the sticklers for a particular form in irises were irate and said it was a cripple in exactly the same manner as discussion raged over BRANDYWINE, some upholding it for its blueness, others damning it because of its bad habit of having extra parts and trying to "go double." I do not mean that CLEMATIS had a doubling habit but the standards lying flat as they do gave an appearance not unlike the kaempferi hybrids we know as "Japanese" iris. (EAS Peckham in AIS Bull 43; 1932)
Very unique and well named in being like a large 6 petalled clematis or fine japanese iris. Clear light violet with variable veining at base. Vigorous, floriferous fragrant. 24"[60cm] '...but sticklers for a particular form…were irate, and said it was a cripple' (EAS Peckham in AIS Bulletin 1932)

See also in COLLECTION 

CITRONELLA (1922)

Mla-Y9D (AIS Checklist 1939

(Mme Chereau x Jacquesiana) x (Queen of May x Cordelia)

RHS AM 1922       silver cup 1922

A large bright yellow flower standing high above the rest. Its standards are of a clear citron at first, which bleaches to a pale primrose with age, and the falls are a crimson purple overlaying a yellow ground which shows at the margin…..though it is not as outstanding a flower as Bruno. (AJB in AIS Bull. 43. 1932)

Tallest yellow flowered iris yet raised, with bold and arching standards of fine shape and of luminous quality. Bright clear yellow, citron in tone, deepening at base to gamboge. Style arms clear pure yellow. The brightest of orange beards extends more than 1/3 length of fall and a medial yellow line continues from the beard to the tip. Falls of fair size, rich ruddy brown, paling at edges. Citronella has been more discussed than any other iris this spring, some judges taking exception to the fall, others equally authoritative considering it exceptionally rich and fine. However, we have in Citronella the finest yellow flowered iris in cultivation. 2'9”[85cm] (Wallace 1922)